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MEMBER OF THE MORIOR (AKA THE DEVIL'S OWN)

ONE

Sylvan Castle

Eleven years ago

As King Saetth leisurely wiped blood off his sword, Lila choked down her fury

Seated upon his throne, he took his ti everyone in suspense With two executions complete, only one trial remained

Mine

Would she follow her parents' fates?

Through one of the throne roo His blond locks and his ornate crown--a wreath of gilded evergreen branches--seelow Even the sun wanted to touch him

For all of her thirteen years, Lila had been just as enamored of him

Off to the side, whispers sounded fro royal cousins

"Saetth's about to behead his child fiancee!"

"The foul's favorite"

"Why isn't the little bitch crying?"

"Or begging for her cursed life?"

Crying or begging? As if Lila faced Saetth with her chin up and shoulders back, her pa her fortitude

The perils of this fey court had honed herfrom the mistakes of others had sharpened her acumen

Yet nothing could stifle her unfeylike temper; after all, she'd been betrothed to Saetth since her birth, raised to become the queen of this realm Rumor even held that she was a princess reincarnated

Fate wanted her to be a queen

Lila had worn a purple silk gown for this occasion; the color was royal--and defiant

As the castle's clock tower tolled, Saetth finished cleaning the weapon he always carried, the Ancestors' Sword, the unifying syht, eyeing the edge with his piercing blue gaze

Her earliesthim as her husband and her dollies as the subjects they protected

Yet now her king suspected Lila of treason?

How could her coldhearted parents have plotted against such a powerful ruler? They'd foolishly trusted an infor in the balance

Secrecy equals survival in this court

They'd never cared about her--never pretended she waschip--which was one of the reasons she'd bonded so strongly with Saetth, who'd at least shown her attention

He sheathed his sword Peering down at her, he began her trial with one question: "Why shouldn't I believe you were involved in your parents' plot to steal my crown?"

Lila pinned his gaze with her own uncanny one Her defense consisted of eight words: "Because it still sits upon your godsdamned head"

Stunned silence reigned

Saetth's shock turned to amusement "And that is why you remain my betrothed, Calliope of Sylvan, the queen of ly warirl born to rule, you are she, cousin But I too was born to rule, and I've kept this crown for millennia because I allow no threats to fester around me" His smile disappeared as if it'd never been "I hereby exile you frodom"

Leave her beloved Sylvan? Lila would almost rather die The forests hat separated the Sylvans froreat trees was equaled only by the shining, meticulous order of life at court

Just teeks ago, at a ball in her honor, the lights from a thousand candles had reflected in her jewels as Saetth had led her out to dance The next day she'd run through the woods alongside bounding deer

Separating her fro her veins of blood "To where?"

"The mortal realm"

Gasps sounded; soht as well have sentenced her to hell

She would go fro thatmortal eyes From the order the fey so cherished to human chaos

Saetth said, "We'll see ifprimitive humans"