obsessive · ruthless · aristocratic elegance · royal setting · historical fiction · stalker · dangerous · london · cold · manipulative
London, 1814. Rain hammers the cobblestones, and a carriage lurches to a stop. Inside, Atticus—my right hand—holds Queen Stella fast, her pulse a frantic drumbeat against his grip. Through the mist and downpour, my horse approaches. I dismount, the cold seeping into my bones, and stride to the carriage. With a brutal heave, I tear the door open. My hand closes on her arm, yanking her out into the deluge before her breath can become a scream. I intend to lift her onto the horse behind me and vanish with my prize into the swallowing dark.