Goldest and the Kingdom of Thorns (25 page)

Shadow rocked back and forth with a giggling Augean. Augean had to be extra careful not to step on his unusual, enormous paws. Augean noticed that Shadow’s paws seemed to grow larger and larger every
day – outgrowing him!
It is as if he is being molded into a fighting machine
, thought a keen Augean to herself
Shadow’s future must have something planned for him
, a knowing Augean told herself.

Aparicio and Lowilla looked at Augean with pride, their son lying in his rocking cradle in their room, being watched by his appointed nurse. The nurse, of course, was chosen by the Queen of the Willows. Prince Luxnon would grow up having all the luxuries that a prince should have, including his own nurse. His grandmother, the Queen, would see to that.

A most beautiful scene unfolded, with the gorgeous wedding dresses and bridal finery being the delight of all.

Savagio noticed that it did not take long for a flock of various flamboyant females from the different Courts to gather around Octagon, engaging him in conversation. He was very well received.

The night was getting far too late. Shadows were everywhere. Augean yawned and remembered that she was the one given the honor of rolling down the covers of each bride’s bed and putting a white rose on each of their pillows. She had told Shadow to stay in the hall and enjoy the festivities, saying she would be right back. Shadow had whined in protest, but was enjoying himself so much that he stayed. Augean was now in a friendly, peaceful kingdom and he figured no harm would become her. Besides, many decorative guards were posted on every floor in the castle, as well as all over the kingdom.

Augean went to collect the three white roses in the
cellar to put on their pillows. She saw a dark figure lurking in the shadows wearing a smirk on his face. It maddened her and she angrily told the dark figure, “Wipe that ugly, evil smirk off your face. It is so savage and nasty. You are evil!”

As the dark figure slipped away, it looked like a headless shadow. She gasped. “It must have been my imagination… Too much food, cider and excitement,” she whispered to herself.

She shrugged the incident off, assuming it was only a sleepless dream creeping out of her imagination, and continued on her way, telling herself, “I won’t say anything about this to anyone and ruin their wedding day, because they are all going to love each other and live happily ever after.”

The ongoing saga continues with the frightening, spellbinding sequel,
Marcus and The Kingdom of Shadows
. Filled with delightful and spooky, haunting surprises as a handsome and very talented, grown-up Marcus comes back for this sequel and finds a beautiful, enchanting Princess Augean all grown-up herself. He must make the final decision to stay permanently in his dream world forever, or go back to his true home and heritage on Earth – never to see his Princess Augean again, or all his other treasured friends. And what about his own family…?