twelvewstars

Gifted a candle that was said to make wishes come true, Alice Clemente burned it to find herself awake in a different world. She had wished for a life of adventure away from the city and its routine. With her wish granted, she was no longer in the 21st century and was instead lost in the middle of the Kingdom of Gladiolum, a place reminiscent of the 1800s.

With luck, she soon gained connections to the rich and powerful of this new world— the nobility. However, how much of it was good and how much of it would eventually be detrimental? After all, mingling with royals not only meant extravagance and daily parties. It also meant warfare and death. 

Caught in the middle of the two princes and other nobles, Alice would soon have to face the battle between those two royal brothers― a fight for the throne.

She had wished for adventure, after all, and she received just as such.

Kept in the center of all this, would Alice be able to emerge from the rabbit hole unscathed? Or will the overwhelming troubles of love and war be too much for her to bear?


***

“And what if you, too, are unable to help?” Alice threw the question back. “What if helping would risk everything?”

Spade didn’t miss a beat.

“You are everything.”

“Don’t say things that you don’t mean,” Alice chided. “You’ll leave a trail of broken hearts.”

“And would you believe me if I say that I have no intention of breaking yours?” Spade countered. “However, mine is yours to play with. Shatter it, fix it, do anything you desire. As long as it feels the warmth of your hand, I am content.”

***

Image used in cover not mine.

A Courtyard of Roses

TIME STOOD PERFECTLY still as Alice's heart stopped beating in her chest as she heard Spade's words. In an instant, all the alcohol had washed away from her system, leaving what was left as nothing but clear, conscious thoughts that sent her skin tingling and her head buzzing. It was as though the air had grown thin, for it was starting to get harder for Alice to breathe.

In the dead of the night, the moonlight that shone through the open windows of Spade's room cast gentle streams of silver moonlight onto his figure. He looked like an angel, one that had descended her from the heavens to whisk her away. Or, he could've been the devil, meant to lure her into sweet sin.

Spade stepped forward, closing the distance between Alice and himself. With a tug and a pull, the entire front of his chest was revealed to Alice, his shirt loose. Alice gulped. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. She didn't know why, but it felt like she was anticipating something to happen.

The Beautiful Lies