“Pardon me?” She must have heard him wrong.
“Your mother wants to give you an opportunity to live a quiet life away from court where you can heal from whatever atrocities you faced in Russek. Then, if you want to return, you may. However, if you choose to walk away from the crown, you can.”
She had a choice?
“Therefore, I’m taking you to Nathenek’s, where you can live for as little or as long as you like. He is a good friend of your parents, and he will protect you with his life.”
“What about Prince Kerdan’s marriage proposal?”
“It is on hold until you decide what life you wish to lead.”
Now that Emperion had another heir, she was no longer necessary. A huge burden lifted from her shoulders. Could she live life as a regular citizen of Emperion? No longer tied to the throne? No obligations dictating her every move?
She rode her horse in silence, thinking over everything that had just been revealed. If she chose to live a quiet life, she would have to leave her family and friends behind. No more racing her mother on horseback through the forest, sparing with her father, or laughing with her friends. She wouldn’t become acquainted with her brother. But she would be free. Truly free. And after everything she’d endured lately, the thought was certainly enticing.
Allyssa nudged her horse a little faster, eager to begin the next chapter of her life. The choice was hers. What would she choose?
End of Book 2
Acknowledgments
There are so many people I need to thank for helping bring this book to life. Jan, Allyssa, Damaris, Hannah, Stacie, Leah, and Debi, thank you for taking the time to read the manuscript to find plot holes, character flaws, and to make sure this sequel lived up to its predecessor. You push me to be a better writer, and I can’t thank you enough for helping me on this journey.
Rebecca, you are always there to support me whether it be reading a draft, sharing my books with your friends, or simply talking to me when I need a friend. Thank you for having my back.
I’m so lucky to have met other authors in the trenches. Lauren, thank you for friendship. Jennifer, thank you for always being there and for sharing your amazing promotional ideas with me. Melanie, Abi, Liza, Katie, Neil, Vicki, Karri, Kimi, and Holly, thank you for talking about writing with me and keeping me sane.
Elisabeth, thank you for your continued support as a writer, blogger, and fantasy lover.
A special thank you to my wonderful editor, Cynthia Shepp. I always enjoy working with you. I’d also like to thank KimG-Design for the astonishing cover. You really captured the essence of the book with this one! Thank you, Lyssa Chiavari, for designing the interior of the book. You did a fantastic job incorporating the key sword.
Thank you to my amazing proofreaders: Leah, Megan, Elizabeth, and Allyssa. I appreciate you taking the time to comb through the book searching for errors.
To all the bloggers who take the time to read books and share them with the world, thank you for your contribution to the book community.
Thank you to my family for putting up with me. Writing takes a tremendous amount of time and dedication. It would not be possible for me to publish the number of books that I do without the full support of my husband and kids.
Lastly, thank you to all my readers. I’m honored to be able to share my imaginary worlds with you.