“I'm sure the turmoil you've experienced has made you a bit hysterical, but I can assure you that what I am offering you is no laughing matter. We would welcome you as a Zharkov. You would live among us in the Grand Citadel. You would marry my son and-”
“The answer is no,” Carmen said flatly. “Absolutely not.”
Magda looked at Carmen's mom, as if she wanted her to do something other than cry, but that was hopeless.
“You do remember the other option, don't you?” Magda said, her smile curling into something more like a devilish grin. “I am offering you a life of royalty instead of a life of imprisonment.”
“Sort of sounds like the same thing to me.”
Magda cleared her throat and stood up straighter. “You would throw your mother to the wolves rather than marry my son? You would damn her to a life of incarceration for your follies? Last night could be the biggest mistake of your life, or it could be a youthful indiscretion. One that we all laugh about some day.”
Carmen clenched both of her hands into fists. “My friend died last night. Do you think I'm going to laugh about that someday too?”
Magda looked uncomfortable for the first time, straightening her robes while she decided how to reply. “I'm offering you a chance to further an empire that struggles to make sure no one's friends have to die meaningless deaths.”
“By getting pregnant.”
“No,” Magda said, stepping closer to the glass wall. “By raising the next imperator of the Zharkovian Empire.”
To be continued in
BOOK TWO!
Jaron Lee Knuth was born in western Wisconsin in 1978. Suffering from multiple illnesses as a young child, he was forced to find an escape from his bedridden existence through the storytelling of any media he could find. Science fiction and fantasy novels, television programs, films, video games, and comic books all provided him with infinite worlds for his imagination to explore. Now he spends his days creating stories and worlds in the hope that others might find somewhere to escape as well.
He would love to reply to any questions or comments you may have for him at [email protected]. You can also check out his news and updates at facebook.com/jaronleeknuth or follow @jaronleeknuth on Twitter.
Table of Contents
Also by Jaron Lee Knuth
Copyright
Map
PROLOGUE
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About the Author
The Super Power Saga (Book 1): Super Powers of Mass Destruction Page 33
