Invitation

Ave stared at a tear that rolled down the man's face and fell on his tied hands and said, "Nobody is killing you. In fact, the second prince has decided to release you, give your family food, and offer you a job in his palace."

Hugo's head jerked up at that. He glanced in the direction Lucian had disappeared and then back at Ave. "The second prince will do that?" he asked in disbelief, as everything said about the prince was different from what this woman was trying to make him believe. The prince had never spared anyone who insulted him, not to mention stoned him.

Hugo was ready to die when he'd thrown that stone and even stayed when the prince's guards came to drag him away. He would rather die than live another day watching his family starve to death because he had no work in the land. Everything that had befallen their lands had been said to be because of the second prince, and only by his death would there be peace in their lands once again.