The_Sweet_Sparrow

Beware the betrayals of fate. 
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Sterling’s blazing red eyes bore into Faye’s terrified gaze. “My little butterfly, don’t you understand? Once a dragon is gifted something precious, he will never let it go.”
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Faye Montgomery is a young, lower-echelon noblewoman caught in a game of imperial betrayal and death.

Soon after her mother’s untimely passing, Faye is informed by her drunken and depraved stepfather that in exchange for her family’s mounting debts, she is to be sold into a contract marriage. 

Her new groom is the most celebrated and fearsome knight commander in the Eastcarin Empire.... Duke Evan Sterling Thayer of Stanhall Lake.

Upon her first meeting with the stern and icy warrior, Faye comes to understand her situation is far worse than she originally thought. She realizes she has encountered the Duke in the past. 

The young bride now believes death would have been preferable to being sold into this heartless union with her family’s former adversary and the man responsible for her current unfortunate circumstances.

However, over time, even as she struggles to liberate herself from this abomination of a man, Faye discovers their red strings of fate are more closely intertwined than she once imagined.
      
They both have become unwilling puppets of the empire. With the many hidden agendas and secrets of those in power surrounding them, they will have to put away their differences and form an alliance if they wish to survive. 

This novel was my entry into the WPC Contest for July 2023! The support everyone has shown to it is greatly appreciated. The story is full of unexpected turns that you are sure to enjoy!

…
{WARNING: Mature subject matter R-18} 
THE SEXY TIME STUFF STARTS AFTER CHAPTER THIRTY.

Disclaimer: THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ALL NAMES, CHARACTERS, ORGANIZATIONS, PLACES, AND EVENTS ARE EITHER THE PRODUCT OF THE AUTHOR'S IMAGINATION OR USED IN A FICTITIOUS MANNER.
                                   
Cover art is mine, so don't use it.

https://discord.gg/YbbR2dK6
email: RoseandThornbook@icloud.com

The Dragon's Fated Bride

Faye could no longer ignore or deny that she and Sterling were irresistibly drawn to each other, their connection as strong as magnets to iron. And that her spurning him had injured his heart.

She felt a twinge of guilt in her chest as she realized she had taken his feelings for granted and thought of him as emotionless and uncaring. To her, he had never seemed fazed by her sharp words or actions.

It wasn't until he opened up just now and said something that she understood how badly she had hurt him.

The sound of wood striking wood broke Faye from her thoughts, making her heart leap. She scanned the pitch and noticed Andre and Tobias on one side of it.

They were practicing on a wooden dummy. The more sounds of wood being struck met her ears, and her eyes followed in that direction to see Matt. On the other side, he was the boy from Inreus. He was clumsily hacking away furiously at the training dummy.

DUEL - PART 5