Page 1 of Ravenrose

Chapter 1

ROWAN

“Are you afraid?”

“No.”

“Are you lying?”

I don’t answer, knowing my brother already sees through the lie, choosing to look out over the high tops of the forest trees instead, past the mountains to our east, to the iridescent crimson glow just beyond.

The dancing golden-red light of the morning sunrise, so similar to the glowing embers of a fire just before it dies.

Or awakens.

“I should ask you that,” I say finally. My eyes stay trained on the horizon; I’m well aware of the tension growing beside me.

“I’m not the one being sold off to Skye.”

Sold.

Not married.

I keep my gaze fixed on the sunrise, watching the first light bleed across the sky as resignation settles heavy in my chest. Absent-mindedly, I smooth a hand over my skirt, tracing the wrinkled rose embroidery after a night spent on the castle balcony beneath the stars. I need to change before my morning lessons with Alita.

I am not in the mood to be reprimanded by the governess today. My head is pounding with the beat of my heart, and my stomach is questionable at best.

It’s an odd feeling: going from precious princess to prized broodmare within the span of a day.

I finally turn my head to look at my brother, dropping my gaze just as soon as our eyes meet—unable to handle the level of concern I see in his. I scan the cut high on his cheek. It’s swollen, evidence of a bruise forming, the cut red and angry. Like the sky.

“You should put some ice on that.”

“Rowan,” Riven growls, calling out my deflection.

“Riven,” I match. “I can’t believe you’re going to risk a scar on that pretty face of yours,” I tease lightly, attempting to shift the mood.

“I took a backhand because I objected to my sister being traded away like a piece of livestock,” he mutters, looking away. “Let it scar.”

Fury simmers beneath his skin, the sunrise breaking something for him too. I eye my brother, taking him in. He looks… tired. Dark circles rim his usually bright green eyes, though I’m sure they’re no better than mine.

Last night, after the news broke, we got drunk. Snuck down to the castle wine cellar, stole a few choice bottles before drinking our way through various plots and plans, laughing while we schemed up an array of ways we could escape our fates. The proposed plans only grew more and more outlandish by the hour. It wasn’t until Riven proposed running off to Daekhar, the broken and wild kingdom to the south of Sitara, that I realized we were being delusional.

There is no escaping our fates. They were sealed at birth.

An heir, a spare, and a daughter to sell.

“I’m afraid for you,” I admit. Sure, I’m about to be married off to some prince I don’t know, sent to a kingdom I’ve never been to, in exchange for military aid, but Sitara is on the verge of war with Miselys. As if that weren't enough, Riven is riding west to join Fel to deal with yet another conflict along the Kovaria-Sitara border.

“I’ll be fine,” my brother dismisses. “But to send you off—on your own—to Skye...” He clenches his fists, fury rising once again. “I hate him for this.”

I sigh. Our father. I want to hate him, too, but it’s hard to feel hate for someone you rarely ever see. Lucky for me, Riven seems to carry enough fury for the both of us. I wish I were angrier. I should be. Instead, a gray fog of indifference settles over me, thick enough to swallow both light and shadow.

Two weeks.

My gaze drifts over the marble-white stone of Rosecliff Castle. Warm golden light illuminates the palace walls, dark rose vines twist around its spires and curling archways. For a fleeting moment, I’m grateful for the early morning quiet, looking out over the impeccably manicured gardens sprawling across the grounds, listening to the soft chirps of the birds welcoming a new day.

It’s all I’ve ever known.