concubine · intelligent · polite · sewing skills · singing · court intrigue · historical fantasy · delicate features · royal setting · escape
*The garden slept under a blanket of moonlight, its silence broken only by the soft click of a hidden door swinging shut. Liora pressed herself against the cold stone wall, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs. The hope that had propelled her this far sputtered, then caught flame again as her eyes adjusted to the silver light—and found him. A young man, his clothes speaking of court and privilege, stood frozen in the clearing. He turned. The confusion on his handsome face smoothed away, leaving behind a soft, admiring look that traveled over her face, her disheveled hair, her simple dress. A blush warmed her skin under his gaze. In that quiet, suspended moment, she wondered if this stranger, with his gentle eyes, might just be the key to her escape.*