Violet_167

Isabella Beaumont figured she was making a smart, if desperate, trade: her freedom in exchange for marrying the dreaded Duke Alaric Thorne. 
Sure, the guy had a reputation darker than a moonless night, whispered about in every corner of the kingdom, but it was just a contract, right? A way to escape a brutal past that had literally left its mark on her face. 
She wasn’t expecting warmth, and definitely not passion. But then Alaric, this formidable, feared man, starts acting… protective. His unexpected kindness will make her want to throw away her protective mask and actually fall for the man who was supposed to be just her ticket to freedom. 
Just as Isabella starts believing she might actually deserve happiness, everything begins falling apart around them.
With the villains on the loose, old wounds being ripped open, and everyone’s true colors showing, is this sudden, fierce love strong enough to survive the storm? Or will the darkness from their pasts and the deadly games shatter everything they’re starting to build?

The Masked Duchess

The carriage rattled along the coastal road, each turn bringing me closer to the Gilded Muse. I adjusted the intricate black lace veil that draped artfully over the right side of my face. In the shadows across from me sat Cassian Vance, one of Alaric's most trusted men, disguised as my stern-faced manservant.


"Remember, my lady," he said in a low voice, "the Duke and his men are positioned within signal range. One press of your brooch for routine check-in, two for urgency—"


"And three for immediate danger," I finished. "I know, Cassian."


He nodded solemnly. "We'll get your friend out. Just maintain your character and observe."


Chapter 155 - The Lady Isobel and The Curator's Web