saltedpepper

When powerless, unfavoured Princess Soleia was arranged to marry the newly titled Duke Orion Elsher, she assumed they would find love eventually.

Who knew that her father would send off her husband mere hours later to fight a war?

Soleia was left alone to deal with an impoverished fief, a crumbling estate, and spiteful, vindictive relatives of the Duke who all wished to see her gone. 

She couldn’t leave― there was nowhere else to go. Soleia desperately wanted her husband to return so he could offer her a helping hand. However, when he did, he returned with Elowyn, a woman he claimed was his true love. 

A woman hellbent on taking her place as the rightful Duchess, no matter what she had to do to get Soleia out of the way. 

Mistreated, misunderstood, and miserable, Soleia was eventually thrown out of the estate she helped build.

Fortunately, when one door closes, another one opens. Unknown to Soleia, a man more powerful than her husband had been watching her, waiting for the right time to snatch her into his gilded cage. Duke Elsher had been foolish to let go― but the crown prince of Raxuvia wouldn’t make the same mistake.

***

Prequel to Stolen by the Rebel King.

The Hidden King's Stolen Wife

Unfortunately, the light-hearted peace could not last forever.

It didn't take long before the estate quickly loomed over them from across the distance. They weren't anywhere near the front gates yet, but Soleia could already make out the depressing turrets and eerie atmosphere. There always seemed to be fog surrounding Orion's home, for some reason, and it only got worse after he had returned from war.

"You should still put me down," Soleia said. "We're almost at the estate and I am perfectly capable of walking myself."

"Nope," Ralph said obnoxiously, popping the 'p'. "If anything happened to you, I would be held accountable. If you die, I will unfortunately serve as your guide to hell and I am not too keen on dying before I turn old and gray."

Crossed Paths