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places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

never occurred before and that still to this day, I

cannot explain

Now I am trapped in that ancient past I have

taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

protect herself and stay alive

Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales

And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

point that leaves hi for more

And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

he ht hear the rest of my dark tale

As soon as I finish a story… I begin a new

one… like the one that you, dear reader, have before

you now

Chapter One

A cellist played Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” as Sierra Knight’s bridesirl e church located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan

Sierra couldn’t see the procession but she’d been at the rehearsal, and she kneas happening in the sanctuary of the church From behind closed doors, where she stood with her oldest brother, Ethan, the deep strains of the string instru hard and fast in her chest

She soith lace and beading that she’d loved the th veil in tulle wasbehind her She’d never felt more beautiful… or more nervous

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Ethan asked, obviously reading her nerves as he put a hand on her tre,” he said, half joking, but she heard the serious note in his voice

As her oldest brother, he was the father figure she’d always needed since their own parent never lived up to the role Although Alexander Knight was sitting in one of the pews up front ife nu her down the aisle He hadn’t earned that honor nor had he seemed insulted that he hadn’t been asked to play the traditional role

She thought about Ethan’s question, sed hard, and nodded “Jason is a great guy,” she said,every word

She’d been with Jason Ar, a lawyer, for over a year and she knew hi soon after He had a cal presence and he catered to her every desire He was a kind, decent man

“I know I’ll have a good life with hi jahich he’d set as he narrowed his gaze

“Iinto his own pain to make sure Sierra was okay “Mandy wasn’t who I believed she was I just want you to be sure you want to marry him”

Ethan had recently lost his wife to an accidental drug overdose, then gone on to find out she’d been having an affair and stealing fro addiction He was not only grieving, he was co to terms with the betrayal

But his words noere coet ,” he continued “I like Jason We all do,” he said, referring to her two other brothers, Parker and Sebastian “But are you passionately in love with him?”

She did her best not to blush at the question asked by her brother He pushed the point, forcing Sierra to wonder if Ethan saw soe