Prologue
"Any dying wish, Princess?" Asked the assassin as he pressed the blade against Alena's throat.
A small drop of blood trickled from the cut beneath her chin, falling like red droplets of tears onto the pure white petals of the bouquet she held in her hands.
"Who sent you to do this?" Alena's icy yet firm voice echoed inside the carriage.
"Well, since you're going to die now, I might as well answer your question as a parting gift." The assassin's dark eyes, the only part of him not covered with black fabric, looked devoid of any emotion as he stared back at her. "It's your... husband-to-be, princess."
Alena's eyes widened.
"Why?" Her lips trembled.
"Forgive me, but I don't have an answer to that question. However... you can tell me your last words, and I shall deliver it to him."
She began trembling so hard. She couldn't respond. Her body was overcome with a rising rage.
"But..." he continued, "if you don't have any last word... then..."
Alena grabbed his blade with her hand. Her blood fell on her pristine wedding dress and yet, she didn't let go or even wince in pain.
"Tell him this..." she said through gritted teeth. "Tell him that I vow to never leave this world without dragging him to hell with me. Tell him that even if I'm dead, I'll come for his head!"
The bouquet slipped from her grasp, tumbling to the floor of the carriage.
She clutched at her throat and felt the warmth of her own blood flow over her hands.
"As you wish, princess. I shall deliver your last words to him. Farewell.”
She fell onto the carriage's seat. Hand still clutching at her throat.
Tears began to stream down her cheeks as her eyes lifted towards the grand castle of the Duke of Donovia, towering in the distance. Her carriage was already close, almost within reach of the estate where she was meant to marry. She was literally at the very threshold of the new life she had prepared herself for.
Why...? How did it end up like this? What did I do?
Never in her wildest dreams had Alena imagined that death, rather than her husband-to-be, would be the one to welcome her as she approached the gates of his estate.
We have never even met yet. So why? How could you do this to me?
As she felt the pain of death coming to claim her life for good, burning hatred blazed in her entire being.
I swear... I will haunt you to death! I will never ... ever leave this world unless I drag you to hell with me! She screamed within her.
And then, it was over.
She took her last breath, but a fire of vengeance remained burning in her still open eyes.
