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Contents ( 56)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Morgan L. Busse
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. Contents
  8. The Dominia Empire (Map)
  9. Character List
  10. 1
  11. 2
  12. 3
  13. 4
  14. 5
  15. 6
  16. 7
  17. 8
  18. 9
  19. 10
  20. 11
  21. 12
  22. 13
  23. 14
  24. 15
  25. 16
  26. 17
  27. 18
  28. 19
  29. 20
  30. 21
  31. 22
  32. 23
  33. 24
  34. 25
  35. 26
  36. 27
  37. 28
  38. 29
  39. 30
  40. 31
  41. 32
  42. 33
  43. 34
  44. 35
  45. 36
  46. 37
  47. 38
  48. 39
  49. 40
  50. 41
  51. 42
  52. 43
  53. 44
  54. About the Author
  55. Back Ads
  56. Back Cover

“Yes?”

“I have a gift that I want to give you tomorrow.”

“For the Festival of Light?”

“Yes.”

Selene dropped her arms and looked away, her swords at her sides. “I’m afraid I don’t have anything for you. I’d never heard of the Festival of Light until a few days ago and—”

A finger pressed against her lips.

“I do not desire a gift, only your presence. Meet me tomorrow morning outside our bedchambers. All right?”

She nodded.

“In the meantime, I think I’ll do a little sparring myself. Care to join me?”

The corners of her lips twitched as a playful spirit took hold of her. Who cared what the guards thought of her? Only Damien mattered at this moment. “Yes. And I will beat you this time.”

Damien grinned as he unhooked his cloak. “We shall see.”

27

Selene stepped out into the hall to wait for Damien outside their bedroom doors. She smiled as she remembered her duel with him yesterday. It was a long fight, but in the end she made it past his sword and won with her blade just below his chin. But he didn’t seem put out by his loss. Rather, he congratulated her amongst the applause and whistles from two of the guards inside the training room.

Her smile ebbed away. She was slowly finding acceptance here in Northwind Castle, but there were still those who were suspicious of her. The other two guards had watched their sparring with hesitant expressions.

“Did you hear? There are more people in the infirmary. Passed out with no explanation.”

Selene inclined her head to her left, listening to the voices coming from the other direction.

“Did they also have that strange dream? That one with . . . Lady Selene?”

“I don’t know. Have you had it?”

The men’s voices faded down the other hallway.

Selene stared at the wall across from her, stunned. People were in the infirmary? And having dreams about her?

She leaned against the wall for support, her arms across her middle. Were her nightmares affecting those around her? But how? She stayed in her own room and never had contact with anyone during her sleep. It wasn’t possible.

Or was it?

She shook her head as if to shake away the morbid thoughts clinging to her mind like cobwebs. It couldn’t be. But then why were they dreaming about her?

No.

She squeezed her arms as she firmly set her thoughts aside. She would not ponder such things today. This day was for gifts, for celebration, for light. A day with Damien.

She breathed again, the heavy weight lifting from her chest. She dropped her arms and sighed. Damien. Over the last few months he had become a friend and companion. He understood the struggles of being the head of a Great House, he had a quiet strength about him, and he accepted her for who she was, with all the damage and fears she carried.

She loved him.

Wait, what?