When his younger sister is propositioned by the Tyrant King, Aster steps in to take her place. Just when he fears he must face this fate alone, the King assigns Rowan the Black to protect him—an Enforcer Knight with a tortured past. Despite his cruel reputation, Aster can't shake the feeling that Rowan is familiar to him. Haunted by memories of his lost childhood sweetheart, Jace, Aster must now navigate a veritable political chess game he wasn't at all prepared for. 

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“Flowers like the rose are needed for so many reasons,” Aster said. “The ground needs their roots, bees need their pollen, and animals need their leaves. So they do what they can to survive, by any means necessary. Does that mean a rose is evil for growing thorns?” He looked up at Rowan.

Rowan kept his eyes on the rose. He didn’t seem convinced. “A single rose has never caused as much pain as I have, Aster.”

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Broken Vows is created by Alex Agar, an EGlobal Creative Publishing signed author. 

BRoken Vows

Aster found his fiancé in the throne room. Despite his missing nights of slumber weighing him down, he tried his best to carry himself with poise and grace as he approached the throne. He pulled the sleeve of his robe down over the bandages on his arm, hoping to downplay what he’d been through. 


Darreth was only just stripping off his riding gear and handing it off to a squire. He looked just as frazzled and tired as Aster felt, and when the king turned to approach his betrothed, he walked almost sorely. Had he been riding all night?


“Aster,” he greeted, taking the smaller man by his arm and pulling him close. 


As Aster awkwardly pressed himself into the embrace, trying his best to hide his face. He didn’t have enough energy to emotionally conceal how much he didn’t want to be touched by this man. But he still had to play along. 


Chapter 24: Treading a Treacherous Path