The Sorrow of Shadows (Crimson & Shadows #1)

Prologue

PROLOGUE

B lood. There’s blood everywhere. The tangy copper smell permeates the air as I let out an earth-shattering scream that I’m sure will wake the entire castle. My lungs struggle to take in oxygen, and my hands tremble as I stare at the sticky, warm, crimson life force coating my hands. I open my mouth to release the sob that is building in my chest.

I scream again, trying to wake myself from this nightmare. Except it isn't just a dream. It’s a vision; a glimpse of what is to come. It’s a warning I’ve been sent no less than a dozen times, both while sleeping and awake. This time is the most vivid of all. I stare down at my hands and rub them together as if to rid myself of the blood.

The vision is the same every time. It is fuzzy at first, but more and more pieces become visible with each occurrence. The people of Rimor gather in the streets of the capital city, Ciyoria. In the next breath, those same people scream as they lay dying in the streets. The bodies of males, females, and children are piled high because evil does not discriminate. The city and castle are burning, the fire climbing toward the sky. At the center of it all, I see King Raynor Rozaria. His eyes are cold, colder than I’ve ever seen them. It’s as if all humanity has escaped him as I watch a sinister, cruel smile creep onto his face. The vision jumps forward, and I’m covered in his blood. There’s always so much blood. I fear it will never wash off. The message is clear. King Raynor will be the end of this kingdom unless I stop him.

I shoot up in bed, my hands trembling as the realization hits me. Bile crawls up my throat, and I fight to keep my supper down. I swore an oath to the kingdom and its people. First and foremost, it is my responsibility to protect them, which I will do even if the cost is my soul. Because I’m about to commit regicide.