Prologue A loud knocking rent the air, shaking the dust and cobwebs from the ceiling.

The pounding continued until a set of double doors creaked open slowly, revealing a young man with a grim countenance. My Queen, he said as he entered the room. It is time. What could possibly be so important that my dinner must be interrupted? she answered, delicately swallowing a spoonful of soup. The lady in question sat at the end of a long table, her back erect against an ornately carved chair. She looked no older than twenty, with curling black hair loosely tied in a braid and clear green eyes. She stood up, her petite stature evident. Well, what is it, Cenric? Cenric gestured to the Queens wrists. Melisande, your runes. They areflickering. The swath of pale skin that was visible from underneath Melisandes robes was covered in a deep dark blue calligraphy that was rapidly changing to white in various places across her wrists and forearms. Oh, that. She walked to the middle of the table where a vase of roses sat. After considering the bouquet for seconds, she reached and out and pricked her index finger on a thorn from the tallest rose. Turning around, she sucked the finger in and her mouth and walked to stand in front of Cenric. Now that thats taken care of, how may I be of service to you? She smiled, running her bloody finger down her forearms as the runes began to glow a dark blue once more. Cenric hardened his jaw at the slight and instead walked to the sole window in the chamber, flipping back the black covering. A deep red filled the room, a color so dark and rich it almost resembled blood. The red sky. Melisande whispered, looking out at an entirely red sky covering the land as far as could be seen. It was the dead of night and not a single sound could be heard as she stared out at the sky. Even the moon had been covered by the insidious color. Do you feel the heaviness in the air? It reeks of death. She has reached her majority. But the wolves? There was never any guarantee. The damn oracle knew that.Melisande turned away from the window in fury. You must leave at once. Cenric nodded. How many men shall I take with me?

As many as you think necessary. Melisande returned to her seat. And take as long as needed. But I do not want to see you until you have returned with enough blood and bones for a thousand roses. At your command, my Queen. Cenric bowed as he left the room. Once the double doors had closed behind him, Melisande continued to sip at her soup until the bowl was clean. Setting it aside, she picked up her napkin and very carefully wiped her lips dry. She untied her robes, revealing a sleeveless gown underneath and a milk-white complexion covered in swirls of symbols decorated in blues and grays. Sitting back, Melisande picked up the rose that she had pricked herself on before and held it to her chest, inhaling its sweet scent. She closed her eyes on a smile once the runes at her wrists started to pulse, glowing brightly. The pulsations continued until the whole of her body and face was decorated in calligraphy. Melisande opened her eyes, now a soulless black, watching as the room around was blanketed in a tapestry of runes and calligraphy, symbols and words pulsing and shining brightly, leaching all color from the room to add to the leashed power they held. Blood began to drip from her runes, splattering on her gown and dripping onto the rose, now fallen on her lap. The flower had begun to grow larger, with each petal now a darker red, the color of her own blood and bones. Looking down from the magic that surrounded her to the source of power in front of her, Melisande bared her blood-stained teeth. Yes a thousand roses shall do nicely.

Chapter 1 Its not you, Evony, its me. I just-I dont think I love you anymore. Evony sighed as she looked at the thin man with wire-rimmed glasses sitting across from her. Greg had been so wonderful to her, she really thought it was going to work this time. She sneaked a glance at the calendar on the wall behind him and sighed again. Today would have been their threemonth anniversary and like clockwork what should have been a small milestone in their relationship now became the end. The total, complete end. It really wasnt fair. Every three months, her life was always uprooted. Every person and thing somehow found their way out of Evonys life once the clock hit 90 days and she was forced to start over. Even her manager was starting to look at Evony shifty-eyed as she sat at an empty table with Greg in the bookstore-cum-caf she worked at. She checked her watchfive minutes were left on her break but with her luck, this would be her last break at Roslyn Books.

You used to call me evy greg I have to go a student tneeds help with her paper Yeah that student is where youve been spending your time Kicked out of apt