Gem Apocalypse
by Ruth Silver
Released: June 15, 2016
Publisher: Lazy Day Publishing
At seventeen, Aria Stone has broken the laws of her kingdom by refusing to come to court and offer herself as a courtesan. When guards storm Aria's house and murder her mother, she is drugged and dragged from her home, taken to the royal palace. Aria must accept her fate: be chosen by a prince of Brayleigh or die.
Prince James is third in line for the throne and forced to follow and obey his father's rule. King Gideon is known for running the country and his household with a strict hand. When the prince discovers the young woman brought in by the royal militia, she peaks his interest, and his desire to bring her to his harem.
Aria awakens at the palace and is forced to strip down and bare herself to the king and his four sons. Humiliation is just the beginning of her journey to survive.
In a tale of murder, heartbreak, lust, and betrayal, Aria must come to terms with the life forced upon her, just as a prince of Brayleigh must recognize his power to change a corrupt system and discover the world outside of their kingdom.
Recommended for readers 16+
Excerpt
Aria sneered at James. “Tell me you don’t believe it.” Emeralds, people with green eyes, were known to be power and money hungry. Did James think that about her? It was not true. No part of the belief system created to destroy the world in genocide was true. How could James think of her like that? She may not be easy or pleasant at times, but she wasn’t what the enemy said.
James shifted in his seat. “Of course not, but you are trouble. I can see it in you, the rebellious streak. My father will beat it out of you if you are not careful.”
She did not let his words hurt her. They were mere threats. King Gideon did not have to know of her struggle or her disloyalty to the crown. “So what? I’m supposed to pretend it doesn’t bother me that he ordered the execution of my mother and dragged me from my home, drugged me, stripped me naked, and stole my freedom? No part of what you and your father are doing is okay.” Did he not see the problem or was he too blinded by the gems and riches that he was given?
James grimaced. “I am sorry about your mother. I can’t change our world, but I can protect you here. If you will let me.”
Aria stood. The longer she spent time with James the faster he seemed to be growing on her nerves. “I don’t need your protection.” She thought August or Henry would have been a poor choice to be paired with as a courtesan, but James seemed to be the winner in pissing her off. She would have been happier not discussing her life, pretending to be another girl like Lucie or Adalyn.
“Where are you going?” James asked. He stood and followed after her as she headed inside.
“Back to my room. Which is where?” Aria asked, feeling turned around. Aria hadn’t learned the halls of the palace. It wasn’t as though she was freely allowed to explore the area.
James reached for her arm, pulling her closer, his hand grazing her hip as he leaned in to kiss her.
How dare he! The nerve of him. She elbowed him away, forcefully, before smacking him across the face. “Do not dare touch me ever, without my permission!”
About the Author
Ruth Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time.
She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, "Deuces are Wild", which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories.
Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She runs her own book blog and also enjoys photography and traveling.
She currently also writes adult romance novels under the name Allison West.
Astin Stafford
