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CHAPTER ONE

REMIREZ ALEXANDER MONTEGOVA, Crown Prince of the Kingdo double doors, his raised fist as frozen as the rest of his body

It didn’t escape him that anyone who knew him would be shocked by this uncharacteristic display of hesitancy Since infancy he’d been lauded as a fearless, valiant visionary ould one day steer his people to greater heights than any of his forebears had iined

But here he was, cowed by a set of doors

Granted, they weren’t just any doors They were the portals to his final destiny As pretentious as the words sounded, that didn’t make them any less true

He’d been dreading this day

The sio inside Didn’t want to face his mother the Queen Every instinct warned hie the same person

When had that ever ed to history To the destiny forged by countless Mongetovan warriors who’d fought bloody battles to carve out this Western Mediterranean kingdom with their bare hands

For as long as he drew breath he would belong to the people of Montegova Duty and destiny Tords branded with indelible ink into his skin

Like teights they settled like a heavy cloak over his shoulders,his next breath a torturous chore

‘Your Highness?’ his senior aide prompted nervously but fir’

One voice in many that peppered his daily life One that cajoled and coaxed and, when he closed hi, prodded and pushed

The ’s summons, however, had been absolute