Chapter 7: Crossing Lines

Violet lay in bed, waiting for Jasmine’s knock. She’d been awake for hours, replaying her carriage ride home with the king.

With Eden.

The Monarch’s name was sacred, not a thing to pass the lips of a commoner without a title to protect it, yet he’d made an exception for her. She knew she’d been right to mark him dangerous when they met. With exceptions like this, who knew what lines he could get her to cross? She knew who she was, despite her magic: a girl from Eloy. Reaching for more than that was an invitation to trouble.

Her father’s words still rang in her ears. “There is no place for an ungrateful upstart in my home. Take your power and go.” Her mother didn’t say anything, just clung to her father’s arm as if afraid of Violet. As if she hadn’t been their daughter for the past twenty-two years.

She would serve King Eden, but she would not allow the closeness of last night to happen again.

Jasmine’s gentle knock came from the hall.

“Come in,” Violet called.