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Category: Romance/Fantasy
Description: Within the strangeness of the Temple of Time, a bastard prince meets a woman who believes she's a phantasm. Even within the Temple, however, the prince finds that he is the target of the assassins his brother has sent. Can the prince and this woman, who may or may not be real, hope to elude the killers and survive? Even if they do, can the love they find bridge the chasm that separates them? Rating: Contains sexual content, mild violence, and paranormal themes. Genre: Fantasy Romance.
eBook Publisher: New Concepts Publishing, 2004
eBookwise Release Date: June 2010

3 Reader Ratings:

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Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [149 KB]
Words: 33763
Reading time: 96-135 min.

Chapter 1

Charis, feeling as though she'd faded to a pale wraith, sat with drooped head in a meadow where colorful fliers darted above, where flowers perfumed the air and small fluffy hoppers nibbled on greenery all around her, unafraid. Even when a great flapping of wings nearby caused all the animals to flee, she ignored the sound. But then a huge winged beast landed beside her and she was forced to take notice. She supposed it was fearsome, being scaly and green, with amethyst eyes, but too dispirited to care, she didn't move.

Words unfolded in her mind. I am Vorst, a draig. Blanca sent me to carry you to safety. Climb on my back. Now.

Charis remembered the white ahver. Blanca had helped her, giving her the spirit of life after the man called Merl had said she didn't exist. The ahver then hid her and left, but didn't return. She gazed uncertainly at the green draig.

I will not harm you....

Anything was better than this feeling of fading. Charis rose and, with some difficulty, managed to climb aboard Vorst, seating herself between his wings. When he launched himself and flew up and up, she lost what little breath she had left in wonderment. She was flying!

When the draig finally circled and landed near a small dwelling, Charis regretted the trip was over. Then she saw the white ahver perched on the top of the dwelling and smiled. Blanca really had sent him. Vorst gave a little shrug, and she slid off him onto the ground. He took off immediately and she stared after him, sorry to see him go.

"Well, well, what have we here?" a woman's voice asked. "'Tis not common, not common at all, for a draig to deliver a young lass to my door. Though I believe I've seen that draig before, sadly enough."

Charis turned and saw an old woman standing in the open doorway.

"Who might you be, dearie?"

"Charis. I'm a phantasm."

The old woman shook her head. "You look real enough to old Hulda. A mite peaked, maybe."

The white ahver flew down and settled on Charis' shoulder, making her feel happy.

"This is Blanca. She's magic."

"Well, then, what do a young woman who thinks she's a phantasm and a magic ahver want with old Hulda?"