Janelle
The journey south took three straight days, and I spent every moment fighting the urge to look back.
Darius had appeared like a ghost in the forest just as Princess Sophia's guards began marching me toward my supposed exile. One moment I was stumbling over roots with my hands bound, the next moment the guards were unconscious and Darius was cutting my ropes with swift, precise movements.
"Adrian?" I'd asked immediately.
"Safe," Darius had assured me, though his dark eyes held secrets I couldn't read. "Playing his part perfectly. Sophia believes she's won."
Now, as we crested a hill and I saw the Southern Kingdom spread out below us, I finally understood why Adrian had told me to trust this man.
"It's beautiful," I breathed.
