DA_Aloera

A princess's duty is to be beautiful, quiet, not loud, to be seen and not to be heard, which was how Dahlia lived most of her life. Bound by the expectations of her title, she spent years trying to prove to her father that she was more than just a princess and capable of being more than an ornament in his court but each time she never got the chance. Instead, she was forced into a marriage of convenience with the bravest knight in all the kingdom, Reagan Hawthorne.

Dahlia thought she would use this marriage to escape the brutal crutches of her father and glide out of her cage but Reagan’s cold disdain was an unexpected prison of its own. While he waged wars on distant lands, she stayed behind, holding his household together and protecting the people he seemed to ignore. But Dahlia carried a dangerous secret. By day, she was the perfect wife. By night, she became the "Black Knight," a masked vigilante fighting for justice in the shadows.

Reagan returned, ready to focus on his personal mission: avenging his father’s death. To him, Dahlia was just another pawn in his plans—a spoiled princess he needed to tolerate. But as cracks began to form in her perfect façade, Reagan couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to his wife than met the eye.

Now, with enemies circling closer and their secrets threatening to collide, Dahlia and Reagan must confront the lies they’ve told themselves and each other. But when masks fall and truths are revealed, will their fragile bond withstand the storm—or will it shatter beyond repair?

One wound. One secret. One night that changes everything.

THE Knight’s Hidden Princess

That question brought attention on us like none before. I had to freeze in my step as I stared at the man who had spoken. His words rang louder in my ears than they ought to have, slicing through the hum of the crowd like a knife.

I cocked my head at him unsure of what to do and I instinctively shuffled backwards when the man drew closer just as people pressed forward, some were even craning their necks forward from their store to get a better look at me.

The man seemed harmless while displaying his roughened hands wearing worn-out patched clothing alongside his toughened fieldworker features. A farmer, by all accounts. It is amusing to think about how I faced down thugs with my drawn swords yet found it so terrifying to meet an ordinary farmer. Panic overwhelmed me at this moment. His words revealed his power but his power did not stem from his position. Words that could expose me.

The Town’s Drunk