Looking at his retreating figure, I groaned. What was wrong with men nowadays? You’d think a guy could take a hint in the13th century. They should have evolved enough by now, right? Wrong.

Incredibly, he couldn’t resist a few parting words as his horse carried him away into the sunset: “Fear not! I’ll be back again tomorrow, fair princess.”

“For the last time, I’m not a princess. And stay away from my hair!”

~

The witch stood in the woods just on the edge of Sioni’s estate. Watching. She’d been biding her time for years. She never forgot a grudge, always made sure she got what she wanted. And she wanted Sioni.

Malvolia could feel her essence draining. She had few years left on this mortal coil and no incantation could save her now. Having been cursed by a rival sorceress to be barren for the rest of her life, she could have no children. But after having met Sioni when she was still an infant, she knew, with a witchy twitch, that this was the daughter she’d been denied. Her work would continue.