You told me once that war has no winners. I remember that day vividly, when we stood together at the edge of the cliff of the Morenian mountains. Just beyond the borders of your kingdom where your army laid in wait to protect your people.

You brought me there to show me the severity of what it meant to take the vow to protect the realm from any threat that may come. To show me how much your peop...

Snow blankets the seemingly endless expanse of snow-covered terrain around the cabin, which was crafted from the towering trees in the midst of a silent forest. The silhouette of mountains in the distance reminds us how small we really are in this extensive world. The lake nearby is frozen by winter’s touch. The morning air is crisp and it prickles on your cheeks. The smell of pine and the remaini...

Their eyes bore into me, standing tall—with my head held high. I’d sooner walk myself to the gallows than yield to a monster. The iron shackles heavy, tearing into the raw skin of my wrists. My nails dug into my palms, the knights at my back. There was no escaping this.

“You keep the king waiting, bend girl!” The knight behind me pushed me forward roughly—nearly slipping, the muck caked to my b...