Page 1 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

Prologue

The War of Drathlor was long and ruthless, the citizens of the land slaughtered purely due to their race. The streets were paved red with blood, and the screams of our young were a constant song of despair. So many were killed that we wiped out bloodlines that were around since before records were even kept.

We were on track to eliminate entire races, until King Drath unified us and stopped the massacre. We are now bound to him out of respect and gratitude. To keep the peace, he split the land of Drathlor into seven regions to suit each race. Since then, each region has promised one of their newborn females as a future bride.

Seven lands, seven brides. The lands were at peace, or so we were all told.

I always knew I was promised to another since the day I was born, my path already decided. However, a yearning in my heart and a whisper in my ear tell me that I’m meant for so much more than being a trophy wife.

Chapter One

The wind is bitterly cold as it whips around my body, making my already cool skin prickle. Wrapping my arms around my middle more out of comfort than against the weather, I continue to stare over the cliff as the sun sets above the ocean. Even as I close my eyes, the sound of the sea crashing upon the rocks below and the scent of salty water fill me with a familiar longing. It’s so fierce that I wince at the sensation, wishing I didn’t have to leave.

My long, silver hair is unbound, blowing around my face, the delicate strands dancing on the wind. I’ll have to fix it before I leave and make myself look more presentable, although this is the least of my worries.

Despite the fact that I have been spending half of the year away from my home ever since I was old enough to walk, it never gets any easier leaving this all behind. Here, I can be myself, surrounded by my people and the land I was born in.

“You look like you belong in one of those dramatic romance novels you enjoy reading so much.”

The voice takes me by surprise, something I will never admit aloud. It’s one that is as familiar to me as my own. A true smile stretches my lips as I take Felix in. He towers over me, his body frozen in time, the bite scar on his neck glimmering slightly in the light of the setting sun. He must have been in his early twenties when he was bitten, although I have no idea how old he is now. I’ve known him ever since I was a young girl. He has warm hazel eyes and slightly wild, light brown hair. He’s never been able to tame it, the slight curl in the strands giving it a life of its own. His clean-shaven jaw is strong, yet he still has a boyish look to him that detracts from the fact he’s a vampire.

“Ah, but in those books, the princess is always kidnapped by the monsters.” Shifting my weight, I place my hands on my hips. “You’re forgetting that I’m no princess. I’m one of the monsters.” I flash my fangs in demonstration, my eyes twinkling with humour so he knows I’m not threatening him.

His smile widens as he shakes his wayward fringe from his eyes. “You’re not a monster, you’re a softie at heart.”

Raising a brow, I make it clear that I think he’s talking shit. “Oh yes, a softie who enjoys snacking on humans.” I simply let myself enjoy this moment the two of us can share before everything changes. “Have you forgotten who I am?”

The comment was supposed to be a joke, yet I regret saying it as soon as it leaves my mouth, all humour draining from his face as he takes in those last words.

“No, I’ve not forgotten.” His eyes land on the mark around my neck that signifies exactly who I am and the promise of what I will do. Sighing, he shakes his head. “Are you ready to leave? The horses are waiting.”

Regret floods me, and I know I should say something. In fact, I’m desperate to say something and wipe that resigned expression from his face. When I open my mouth to do so, though, nothing comes out. The weight of my responsibilities sits heavily on me, the burden mine and mine alone.

I’ve already said my goodbyes to my father, the only family I have left, and that was quick and stilted as usual. Due to the nature of my role, I don’t have many friends here, so I spent many evenings down in the stable with my horse, Shadow. Felix was the stable hand, and we formed an unlikely friendship. Although we’ve been seen together, our relationship is frowned upon. A full-blooded vampire such as me shouldn’t be lowering herself to spend time with one of the changed—him.

Our land of Trador is ruled by vampires. There are other denizens who live here too, as well as the humans spread across the continent like ants, yet it’s the vampires who are in control here. Everything here is run through a strict hierarchy, even within our own race. There are two types of vampires in Trador who live very separate lifestyles—those of us who were born into it, and as such, we’re part of the higher society that runs the land, and the changed, who were once human and had their blood drained by a vampire. It can be a tough experience, and many don’t make it through the process. However, if they do live, they wake up as one of us.

This is the main difference between us as a race. Born vampires grow, whereas those who were changed stay frozen in time, forever the same as the day they were bitten. As a population, there are many more of the changed than us who were born into it, yet we have powerful gifts that help us stay in control of the land.

Unfortunately for the changed, they are treated with the same derision as the humans. Personally, I’ve never understood why there’s such a stigma with the changed. They are still part of our community and should have the same rights. Their place in society is a strange one, as not even the humans like them, making it difficult for them to settle. I’ve always thought it was odd, since they were once human, yet as soon as they are reborn, they are treated as other.

Taking a deep breath, I glance out over at the ocean once more, pointlessly wishing I could escape what’s awaiting me by sailing far away. That is not what the Fates have planned for me, however, and the tingling mark around my neck reminds me of this. When I turn back to Felix, my expression is neutral and doesn’t give away a single hint of my true emotions.

“I’m ready.”

He looks at me for a moment, truly looks at me as if he’s able to see straight through my mask. His gaze is so intense that I think he’s going to call me out on it, but instead he simply nods, his brows furrowing.

We walk together across the clifftops in silence and inland to the castle. It’s beautiful to look at, if not a tad dramatic, which sums up our race perfectly. Lots of tall, spiralling towers reach towards the sky, with large windows glistening in the setting sun. This is my favourite time to view the castle, when the orange and pink hues of the sunset highlight the details that are hidden at night. Oh, the castle is stunning in the dark, since it was built this way for that very purpose, the stone glimmering like starlight. Even so, there is something softer about it in this light, showing a different side of our otherwise volatile nature.

Figures begin to come into sight, their dark forms still as they wait beside several horses just outside the castle gates. Something flips in my stomach, and I force myself to stop for a moment. Frowning at the unfamiliar feeling, I take several deep breaths and try to wrangle the anxiety into submission, pushing it down low in my stomach. This is not like me. I’ve never been one to feel trepidation or be anxious about my role, yet this time, everything is different.

“You look pale,” Felix comments quietly. “Do you wish to feed before we leave?”

Usually, I’d make a joke about always looking pale, since it’s one of our key features as vampires, but I’m not in the right mood to joke, especially as I think over his question.

“Are you offering?”

My question slips out before I have a chance to stop it, the surprise in my voice making it clear that his offer was unexpected. Feeding from another vampire is risky, and often only done as an act of subservience or between lovers. Offering your neck to another shows a great deal of trust and loyalty.

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