Page 1 of Unmasking My Dark Knight

Prologue

EXCERPT FROM: UNMASKING MY BRIGHT KNIGHT

Princess Isla could only hear the rustling of leaves as she escaped through the royal roses, fleeing the dreaded festivities of the moon-laden night. Twas a most uncivilized evening; a gathering on All Hallows’ Eve that repulsed the princess with her parents’ hidden intentions.

“I am no servant. Nor an accessory!” she seethed to herself, carrying forward to the northernmost area of the vast garden. Though she festered confidently, her spirited heart began to crumble. She knew, with quiet recognition, that she was no longer a woman of her own flesh and blood, but a bride to a prince who lived far away, in a land unknown. At the behest of her mother—the queen, no less—the princess was forced to be married, leaving her future as hopeless and vacant as the night sky.

Armed only with her book, Princess Isla ventured alone into the dark, sequestering her sorrows below the weeping willow and sleeping roses where she sat. She knew not to wallow so greatly, for her life was filled with insurmountable treasures; treasures, she realized, would never be as fulfilling as the stories she read.

She wished for them to come true.

True and as real as the flickering ships in the distance.

“May I join you?” a deep voice behind her asked.

Startled, Princess Isla gasped, raising her hand to her chest. She turned to see the familiar bright armor, glistening in the moonlight, a shining mask that hid eyes as blue as the ice in winter. It was Roman Knight. At long last, he was back.

“You’ve returned,” she whispered.

“Princess. You mustn’t be outside. It’s too dangerous,” he warned, dropping his shield, approaching her ever so gently.

“Dangerous without you, that is…” she said, feeling the wind sweep at her feet. He was no threat to her—not like the unknown prince. After all, she’d seen him through her window many times.

He stepped toward her, his metal armor clinking, anchoring something in her heart. The man was so heavy. So tall and strong. It was wrong for him to be here, wrong for him to approach with such carelessness. She could feel the heat of his body draw near.

“What are you doing to me?” she asked, mesmerized by the man in the mask, the mystery sent to save her. Roman Knight reached for her chin to tilt it upward. Princess Isla couldn’t look at him; he was far too intimidatingly handsome to catch eyes with.

“Oh, what beauty hides behind those secret eyes,” he whispered deeply into her soul, and she could hear that mischievous smile, sent to steal her away.

CHAPTER 1

Ivy Jade

My life was the greatest story ever told.

While both my parents grew up on banana farms in Costa Rica, I grew up living inside the castle they built just for my older brother, Gustav, and me. They went from zero to everything in their young adulthood after immigrating to the States. I never asked how they became so rich, because I didn’t care. Who would when your own personal bartender brought you afternoon margaritas, poolside, with crystallized sugar cubes broken down into the finest rim decor you could find—from the Bahamas.

Import or bust.

Papi spent most of his time at work. I didn’t know exactly what he did, but my mami told me he was a very important man in his own company and that he sold medicine that turned ugly people pretty again. She made him sound like a saint or a wizard, and I believed her because she was right about pretty much everything.

Like when she told me not to wear my spring wardrobe during the summer because the colors weren’t very complementary. It was true, they were too soft and light for a bright summer vacation.

Don’t worry, though. My parents always taught me to be very grateful for everything in my life. That’s why I prayed every morning for my angelitos to bring me another sunshine day, and at night I’d pray for my angelitos to give me the best beauty sleep. My nighttime angelitos were always on my good side, but my morning angelitos… let’s just say, they understood the assignment about thirty percent of the time. But when the sun rose magnificently in Pennsylvania, I couldn’t stay mad at them for long.

Mami handled the entire household: the grounds, the housekeepers, my father, our educational schedules, language learning, piano, and arts… we learned it all. Between going to pilates, expensive luncheons with her friends, and molding me into the perfect miniature version of herself, she somehow found time to instruct the butlers and maids on their daily tasks. That was her full-time job, basically. But thanks to her, our home was perfect.

And to make things even better, I loved living outside of the city, specifically in the beautiful county of Whitby. Only a few select homes ranked as the most exclusive and wealthiest in this entire world, and our castle was part of that list. My parents took over this gigantic place from the original owners who couldn’t afford it anymore. It was really nice of Papi to offer them another way to live, so he and Mami could build the life we had now. They were the best groundskeepers anyone could ask for.

“Ivy Jade Castellanos! Your brother’s here! Get down here! !Ven aqui!” Mami yelled into the intercom from the main lobby. Every floor had its own communicator. How else could we have meaningful conversations across this twenty-two-bedroom kingdom?

I sighed, slamming my book shut and hiding it under my pillow. Nelly, my fluffy Pomeranian, jumped and barked. Mami wasn’t a fan of dogs, and I think Nelly knew it, so she avoided Mami and her voice at all costs. “It’s okay, Nelly.” I cooed, picking her up to kiss her cute little wiggling nose.

The main lobby had four flights of stairs. It was exhausting. Our elevator was down, and it was due to be up and running by tomorrow—according to our personal electrician—but I may die by then.

Nelly and her cute little nails against wood followed me all the way down.

“Here, Mami,” I said, sluggishly walking into the room. She stood at the grand entrance, waiting in an emerald silk dress, with diamonds in her ears. She batted her eyes, silently reminding me to smile in front of company.