Chapter 1
Intruder
Unease followed Luna as she and Clyde strolled through the palace garden. She slowed, scanning the shaded path ahead and the forest beyond. No one was there, not that she could see; only manicured evergreens, blooming shrubs, and flower petals stirred in the slight breeze.
“This is nice,” Luna said, referring to how the surrounding trees provided ample shade, and privacy from prying eyes. They could speak openly here.
Clyde’s watchful gaze never left her, a silent reminder that her illness was the only true danger that threatened her. The kingdom was known for its safety, it hadn’t been breached by an enemy in decades. Truly the worst thing that could happen was Luna tripping over her own feet, or getting too much sun.
Unbothered, Clyde matched her pace, his sleeve brushing hers like a quiet reassurance. “I hope everything’s to your liking,” he said, flashing her one of those light, effortless smiles that warmed her entire body. “I figured you wouldn’t want a bunch of servants following you around with their damn umbrellas.”
He was right about that.
Luna smiled and rolled her eyes. Servants were to blame for the lack of colour in her cheeks. They followed hereverywhere, each equipped with a large umbrella to keep the sun off her ‘delicate’ skin. They constantly jostled her as if she was in the center of a herd of sheep, and she had King Hendrix to thank for that. After all, he was the one who commanded Luna be protected, even from the sun. Yet there was no legitimate reason why she couldn’t walk in sunlight—it’s not like she would burn up and die like a nightwalker. She was an ordinary person, in spite of her illness.
Drawing a deep breath, Luna allowed the cool evening air to wash over her. After sweating in the palace library all day, the cool air and alone time with her handsome guard was exactly what she needed. No reason to allow thoughts of servants and stupid umbrellas to ruin her mood.
“And here I thought you were just trying to get some alone time with me.” Though Luna wasn’t highborn—merely a daughter of a loyal advisor—the king had gifted her personal guards anyway. Initially, she resented the surveillance and the rules they enforced, but when Clyde had been assigned to her a few years ago, her indignation faded.
Her fingers brushed a nearby rose bush, spilling a few red petals onto the stone pathway. “I do appreciate it, thank you.”
He was the only one who didn’t treat her like she might shatter; he bent the rules, allowing her some freedoms. It’s why she started leaving her bedroom window open for him at night. He was just so damn thoughtful and charming, it was dangerously easy to forget how she was supposed to act.
The tips of his ears reddened, and after a quick glance over his shoulder, he wrapped an arm around Luna’s waist, pulling her in close as they walked.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, desperately wishing they could truly be together rather than having to settle for these little stolen moments. However, it was inappropriate for a noblewoman of any status to have feelings for their guard, much less publicly allude to such. If anyone found out about Luna and Clyde, it would be quite the scandal. Though right now, she wasn’t thinking about the potential consequences. Her thoughts were elsewhere, focused on the strong hand inching up her side.
They turned a corner, following the delicately laid stones which made a figure-eight pattern, stopping at the seating area in the middle. Clyde took up his usual post while Luna wandered about, admiring the flowers.
The garden followed a strict order: greenery by height, colour, symmetry—perfection down to the last petal. Smaller plants, like Jumping Jacks, grew closer to the pathway while taller shrubs and flowers were placed in the back. At the entrance, the flowers were all purple and blue, fading into reds and pinks as they transitioned to the middle, and at the far end, the flowers were a mix of yellows and oranges. Shrubs lined the perimeter, separating the garden from the large trees that shaded it.
Exhaling a sigh of contentment, Luna watched petals shiver in the slight breeze, their colours blending into each other. Though she had been to this garden countless times, its beauty never failed to leave a lasting impression. For her, this place was a sanctuary; one where she could be alone with Clyde and not worry about social etiquette or the king’s rules.
Her gaze trailed over the flowerbeds, stopping on a plant that stood out from the rest: One lone green stem with three tiny leaves stood amongst a sea of orange.
Odd.Her brows scrunched together.
The king’s groundkeepers, who dutifully maintained the gardens, kept them flawless—never any wilted petals, let alone a species that didn’t belong. Yet there the weed was, swaying in the gentle breeze.
Moving off the path, she pulled up the hem of her dress by an inch or two and stepped into the flowerbed. Each step caused her foot to sink a little deeper, staining her white slippers a muddy brown. When she didn’t immediately hear Clyde reprimand her, she stole a glance back at him. He stood like a stone statue by the benches scanning their surroundings, obviously pretending to be unaware of her movement. She smiled and turned back to the weed.
Wandering into the garden wasn’t exactly on the list of activities the king deemed safe for her, but it wasn’t technically forbidden either. She stopped to double-check that they were still alone. If word got back to the king that she’d wandered into the uneven flowerbeds—where she could potentially acquire a bruise or a scrape, he would revoke her garden privileges altogether. She bristled; the thought of this place becoming off-limits seemed unbearable.
A chill prickled her skin. Someone was watching—someone who didn’t belong. Clyde stood in place, looking unalarmed. Unable to shake off the feeling, she scanned the woods beyond the bushes, squinting to see into the shadows. Only darkness stared back at her.
This is silly,Luna scolded herself.Its safe here, it has to be.
She placed a hand on her chest, attempting to calm her nerves. The Kingdom of Grythorn was well-protected. In the unlikely event that someone slipped through the magical barrier, they wouldn’t get past thehigh walls surrounding the palace grounds and the guards who patrolled them. And even if they did, she had Clyde.
The faintest rustle sounded to her left, and her gaze shot in that direction, only to watch a small brown squirrel scurry up a tree. Relieved, she exhaled the breath she’d been holding.It’s just a squirrel. Just a harmless little squirrel.
She returned her attention to the weed and knelt, doing her best to ignore her paranoia and the cool sensation on her knees as the moisture from the soil soaked through the fabric of her dress. As she caressed its velvety leaves, she debated on whether to pull the weed out. “You don’t belong here,” she whispered beneath her breath.
Before she could decide, she heard a thud.
Luna whipped around to see a shadowy mist circling over Clyde’s prone form. He lay face-first on the ground, unmoving, seemingly knocked out cold. Within a blink, the darkness began to gather in on itself, forming the silhouette of a beast more terrifying than death itself. As if shadows could lift off the ground, it was covered in a cloak of velvet blackness. Its muscular body towered over, appearing almost equine, with hair feathering over its split hooves and a tuft trailing from its chin—marking him as a male. Atop his head sat a long twisted horn between two ears perked in her direction. Although she didn’t dare meet his gaze, there was no mistaking that his eyes were fixed on her.
A heartbeat passed, and for a moment, the whole world paused . . . then he spoke, as if she had been speaking to him, and he was just now answering. “Neither do you.”
