"A fantastical cross between the Beauty and the Beast and ACOTAR."
A prince, a witch, and a wolf are tied together by the sins of their parents. Can they break free of the secrets that bind them, or will the Kingdom of Eidas forever be under a terri...
Yellow light filtered through crosshatched windows. It took Dal a moment to clear the morning haze from her mind before she realized where she was. When she first woke, she expected to find herself on the pallet she shared with Theikuth, back in the small back room of the shop her parents owned. The lavish green and gold textures around her sparkled as if to laugh at her for such a foolish notion.
She roused herself and dressed quickly, not knowing how long she had slept. No one had woken her, and she wondered what time of day it was.
Without letting her thoughts linger on her soiled dress Dal swept from the room, past the two unfamiliar soldiers who stood at her door and down the stairs towards the first floor without a backward glance.
Dal found the path easier this time after getting lost last night. She found the second staircase, smiling at the memory of the warm pie in her hands.
She would have to sneak one away for her family when she had the chance to visit.
When Dal came to the Grand Magistrar's study, she straightened her blouse and skirts uselessly. The soot on her knees contrasted oddly against the brown of her dress. She doubted she would ever get the soot out when she had a chance to wash it.
Before she could move to open the door, it wrenched open itself, revealing a glowering old wizard.
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"You're late."
"No one roused me."
"Really, girl? How old are you?"
"Eighteen."
"That is well old enough to know how to be on time."
"You never told me when 'on time,' was," she countered, trying, and failing, to keep the sharpness from her tone.
The Magistrar's eyes narrowed, before puffing out a sigh and opening the door wider and motioning for her to enter.
"I have little patience for your ignorance today."
Dal bit her tongue, holding fast a prickly retort.
The old man ushered her forward, caroling her to a table against the far left wall, gratefully on the opposite side of the room from the fireplace. The Magistrar had laid out seven books, a stack of paper, and a quill. He motioned for her to sit at the chair in front of it, and so she did. He set out a pot of ink, and Dal's stomach dropped. She had a feeling she knew of the Magistrar's little test for today.
"You will copy each page of every one of these books twice. There is more paper underneath the table when you need it."
"But-"
"No buts, obstinate girl! Just do as you're told."
"I just don't understand how-"
"Your role is not to understand anything, child," he tsked, "I will be back in two hours to check your progress."
