CHAPTER 1
ISIAH
A
faint twang disrupts the silent forest, and I stagger as an arrow pierces my shoulder. I grip the slender shaft, but as I pull, my palm slides away, coated in a pungent, gray-green slime—the smell of which nearly chokes me.Shit. I know what this substance is.
Poison.
Numbness spreads from the wound with every beat of my heart, coursing through my arms and legs until my knees buckle. A sharp female cry tears from my throat as my shoulder hits the ground.
Female?
There’s a strange, detached sensation between my body and mind, and I almost feel myself awakening from a stupor, but then I notice how serene the sky is—aridiculousthought in my current situation.
The sound of footsteps draws my attention as the man who shot me approaches, bow and arrow drawn and at the ready.
Wait…
That’s not a man, but a fae male, and an unfamiliar one at that. Whoever he is, I swear I’m going to kill him … if I could only move.
Damn it.
Why did he shoot me? Is he an enemy of my father’s?
From the corner of my eye, I watch another male step out of the woods. He’s as unfamiliar as the first. I would have remembered meeting him from the jagged scar marring his right cheek. They’re arguing about something, but their lips blur and become unreadable as black spots crowd my vision, closing in until my sight is clouded by darkness.
I shoot upright in bed.
Bed?
A cold sweat clings to my brow, and with a shaking hand, I wipe it and inhale deeply. The familiar scents and soft cotton sheets remind me I am in my bedroom at Castle Thorne. It was only a dream. But it felt so real. A dull, lingering ache still throbs in my shoulder where the arrow jutted out.
How is that possible?
I sit up and place my feet on the granite floor, its coolness steadying me. The dream gradually fades with every breath, and once my mind settles, I head toward the windows. The view of the valley has always brought me peace after many restless nights, and the fresh air helps wash away the remnants of fear still coiled around me.
A dream… it was…
A knock at the door jars me from my thoughts. When I hear his voice, I cringe.
“Come in, Randall.”
Still staring out the window, the door’s hinges creak as my father’s servant enters. He’s not a bad male, but anyone who is as loyal to my father as Randall is gives me pause.
“Good morning, Prince Isiah. Apologies for disturbing you. His Majesty requests your presence for breakfast in ten minutes.”
I frown at my reflection in the glass. “TellHisMajestyI’ll be there when I’m ready.” Not that it’s Randall’s fault but seeing my father this early is not my ideal way to start the day. Especially not after that dream.
“Yes, Your Highness. I will let His Majesty know you will join him soon.”
He leaves without another word, closing the door behind him with a soft thud.
With a resigned sigh, I head for the washroom. As I pass the mirror, I can’t help but glance at my shoulder, half expecting the arrow to be lodged there, but find only pale skin. Dark circles stand out under my eyes, matching the flecks of black that swirl within the green irises as if I barely slept. Yes, breakfast with my father will be especially painful today.
CHAPTER 2
GRACE