Chapter 2
Rissa was sitting in the castle gardens, her favorite place to be, even if they were no longer lush and green. The loss of magic affected the castle grounds as well, and that which once thrived now lay brown and dull. Even so, the gardens had a calming effect on her; a soothing balm to her raw nerves. She seemed to suffer from nerves more and more these days after being around Davion. Deep in thought, a wrapped parcel clutched tight to her chest, she didn’t hear footsteps approach until a quiet cough interrupted her. Turning around, she found her good friend, Willow, whose father was the Duke of Aldorwood.
“Hi Willow,” Rissa said cheerfully. “What brings you out here so early?”
“I wanted to find you actually.” She shifted from one foot to the next and it was only then that Ris
