Two crowns, two islands, one legacy
A royal family, torn apart by pride and its lust for power, reunited by purity and passion
The islands of Adamas have been torn into
two rival kingdoms:
TWO CROWNS
The Stefani diamond has been split as a
symbol of their feud
TWO ISLANDS
Gorgeous Greek princes reign supreme
over glamorous Aristo Smouldering sheikhs rule the desert island of Calista
ONE LEGACY
Whoever reunites the diamonds will rule all.
THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES
Many years ago there were two islands ruled as one kingdom â Adamas. But bitter family feuds and rivalry caused the kingdom to be ripped in two. The islands were ruled separately, as Aristo and Calista, and the infamous Stefani coronation diamond was split as a symbol of the feud and placed in the two new crowns.
But when the king divided the islands between his son and daughter, he left them with these words:
âYou will rule each island for the good of the people and bringout the best in your kingdom. But my wish is that eventuallythese two jewels, like the islands, will be reunited. Aristo andCalista are more successful, more beautiful and more powerfulas one nation: Adamas.â
Now, King Aegeus Karedes of Aristo is dead, the islandâs coronation diamond is missing! The Aristans will stop at nothing to get it back but the ruthless sheikh king of Calista is hot on their heels.
Whether by seduction, blackmail or marriage, the jewel must be found. As the stories unfold, secrets and sins from the past are revealed and desire, love and passion war with royal duty. But who will discover in time that it is innocence of body and purity of heart that can unite the islands of Adamas once again?
CHAPTER ONE
CASSIE was just congratulating herself on getting through two hours of successfully shielding herself behind the Aristo palaceâs pillars and pot plants, dodging both the press and Prince Regent Sebastian Karedes, when she suddenly came face to face with him.
She swallowed thickly, her heart coming to a clunking stop in her chest as her eyes went to his inscrutable dark brown ones so far above hers. She opened her mouth to speak but her throat was too tight to get a single word out. She felt the slow creep of colour staining her cheeks, and wondered if he had any idea of how much over the last six years she had dreaded this moment.
âCassie.â His deep voice was like a warm velvet glove stroking along the bare skin of her shivering arms. âHave you only just arrived? I have not seen you until a few moments ago.â
Cassie moistened her dry-as-parchment lips with the tip of her tongue. âUmâ¦. no,â she said, shifting her gaze sideways. âIâve been here all eveningâ¦â
A small silence began to weight the atmosphere, like humidity just before a storm.
âI see.â
Cassie marvelled at how he could inject so much into saying so little. Those two little words contained disdain and distrust, and something else she couldnât quite put her finger on.
âSo why are you here?â he asked, his eyes narrowing even further. âI do not recall seeing your name on the official guest list.â
Cassie swept the point of her tongue across her lips again, trying to keep her gaze averted. âAs part of myâ¦umâ¦parole programme, I took a job at the orphanage,â she said, loathing the shame she could feel staining her face. âIâve been working there for the last eleven months.â
When he didnât respond immediately Cassie felt compelled to bring her gaze back to his, but then wished she hadnât.
A corner of his mouth was lifted in an unmistakably mocking manner. âYou are looking after children?â
She felt herself bristling. âYes,â she clipped out. âI enjoy every minute of it. Iâm here tonight with some of the other carers and educational staff. They insisted I attend.â
Another tight silence began to shred at Cassieâs nerves. She would have given just about anything to have avoided coming here this evening. She had felt as if she had been playing a high stakes game of hide and seek all night, the strain of keeping out of the line of Sebastianâs deep brown gaze had made her head pound with sickening tension. Even now the hammer blows behind her eyes were making it harder and harder for her to keep her manner cool and unaffected before him. His commanding and totally charismatic presence both drew her and terrified her, but the very last thing she wanted was for him to realise it.
She surreptitiously fondled the smooth pearls of the bracelet around her wrist, the only thing she still had left of her motherâs, hoping it would give her the courage and fortitude to get through the next few minutes until she could make good her escape.
âWell, then,â he said as his eyes continued to skewer hers, that sardonic half-smile still in place. âAs the royal patron of the orphanage you now work for, I would have thought you would have made every effort to include yourself in this eveningâs proceedings rather than hide behind the flower arrangements.â