Broken Arrow (Darkened Destiny Saga Book 1) by Azaria M.J. Durant

Author:Azaria M.J. Durant [Durant, Azaria M.J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Imperatrix Publishing
Published: 2018-07-28T22:00:00+00:00

Part Two

“The Prince”

Chapter Twenty-Three

D ust rose in the evening air as a carriage clattered up the front drive of the castle grounds. Six spoked wheels slowed as it pulled up before the cracked stone stairway, blocking the golden light of the setting sun from reaching the bed of flowers along the castle’s foundation. Petunias, violets, and daffodils flourished still even at the close of summer. Age wore at the face of the castle, yet it stood as iron, a testament to the centuries it had served the royal line of Valamette. And it would live on for centuries more.

I am home.

A smile broke out over the face of the new arrival as the carriage came to a full halt. He didn’t wait for the footman to dismount and open the door, but threw it open himself, stepping out onto the cobbled floor of the courtyard. He inhaled the sweet country air, filling his lungs to the brim, and savoured it.

“Are you well, sire?” the footman called from where he sat atop the carriage, holding the reins.

“Quite well, thank you,” the prince replied. “Long trip home?”

“Ah, nothing to worry about, your highness. The missus is expecting me not long after dark.” The footman glanced about, a bit of a crease in his brow. “Not much of a welcome party.”

“Oh, I’m not expected,” the prince replied with a grin. “Just leave my things on the steps. I’ll send someone out for them.”

“Very good, sire.”

The prince started toward the garden, taking the well known path around to a side door of the castle. Even when he was a child, he never used the front door. It seemed too pretentious. Besides, he’d rather slip in unnoticed and surprise everyone.

As he neared the garden, he heard the unfamiliar sound of music and laughter swelling from an open window. He frowned. No one ever came here.

Continuing toward an opening in the hedge, he scanned the windows for an explanation. A flicker of movement here, a flash of colour there. It seemed as if someone was throwing a dance.

That is peculiar. In all my time growing up here, no one has ever thrown—

Buried in his contemplation, he didn’t see the girl sitting just around the bend on the other side of the hedge until he tripped over her. The girl gasped, and the volume she was reading was knocked out of her hands. The prince barely caught himself from falling face first in the grass.

“My apologies,” he exclaimed, bending over to pick up the book. Dusting it off, he held it out to her.

The girl clambered to her feet, taking it from him. “No need to apologize,” she said quickly. “I should’ve known better than to sit by the walkway.”

“But I should have stayed on the path.”

She smiled, her lovely green eyes sparkling. There was an odd deepness to them, like a portal to a vast store of knowledge. The prince felt suddenly nervous and struck with a strange feeling of delight all at once. She was the first one to look away.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.