her, with its golden rooftops glinting under the waning evening sun, offered no solace. The warmth in the air was

kingdom. A warrior, supposedly destined

it fel

were filled with gathering herbs, mixing remedies, and aiding the sick. The stories of a once-powerful nation destroyed by a tyrant were just

all pressed hea

y boots echoed across the polished marble floor. Sh

er

e of

t firm. "You missed y

g grounds. Combat training had been too overwhelming. She had no desire to

she said quietly, "I

ed. His emerald eyes, piercing and unreadable, watched

this was asked of me. I did

requests fate

ghtly, searching his face for any sign of pity, of compassion. But

thing frustrated her. How could he stand ther

be a princess," she a

before answering. "Then don't act l

at if I don't wa

en, when Obadele arr

onarch who had crushed her homeland, whose shadow now loome

tween them again, he

out a slow breat

and racks of practice weapons. The fading sun cast long shadows across

he weight startled her. It w

"but you have no choice. At the very

t. Maybe she couldn't control what the world had t

he tr

e was relentless, and at times infuriating, but he never treated her like

ething

den, but it w

way his breath hitched when she stepped too close. In the electrici

re hat

s. Her life was no longer her o

st

eyes met,

lt it

re collapsed onto the grass, chest heaving, sweat slicking her bro

shoulders nearly touched. The silence between

ng better," h

e managed a grin. "W

"Don't get

prised her. For the first time since arrivi

peace did

new what simmered b

ween them was dangero

Sapphire was the last hope of a broken nation. Lov

s they shared were

his hands

s eyes when sh

is voice when no on

she could preten

truth

ates we

rts betra

reak was i