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.

***

[Excerpt]

After two long years, Soleia's husband had finally returned home. But he was not alone.

“Your Grace,” Soleia said, trying her best to maintain a calm tone, “welcome home. How were your travels?”

The man remained silent as he stared at her. 

“Oh,” the woman that Soleia's husband had brought back said. “I was just wondering where the servants were. No one has come to greet you since your return. Could you please help us bring―”

Orion tugged the woman back, protectively holding her in his embrace. His eyebrows furrowed as he glared at Soleia, his sudden action causing the woman to look confused at him.

“Orion?” she asked, her hands on his chest to steady herself. “What’s the matter?”

“That’s not a servant."  In one swift motion, he threw the sword out at Soleia, only to be stopped by a flash of scarlet and the coppery scent of blood.

***

Prequel to Stolen by the Rebel King.

The Hidden King's Stolen Wife

Soleia paced around in her room and yelled at the guards to let her out, but it was futile. The two men guarding her only gave her an apologetic glance, but they remained firmly devoted to their posts.

Exhaustion crept into her bones. Soleia wearily changed out of her wedding dress and into a simple nightgown before flinging herself onto her bed. Her body longed for rest, but her mind continued to whirl a mile a minute, and her stomach churned with worry for Orion's entire household.

Would all of them be dead by morning? How many of them were already dead by now?

Sleep was uneasy, but it was broken when she heard a scuffle happening right outside her room. Her heart raced; had Sir Ralph escaped the dungeons to look for her?

But the door opened to reveal Florian's maniacal grin. Soleia hurriedly staggered back, holding out her hands.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. "What do you want?"

Salty Sea Breeze