CHAPTER 1 — THE KING’S DAUGHTER
When moonlight falls upon the stone,
the sleeping fire shall wake.
A daughter born of star and bone
cannot refuse her fate.
I wish this would end.
Every night it’s the same. Nightmares. Storms. Waking up drenched in sweat like the world is ending outside my window.
Tonight, it was a tornado tearing through Lazere.
A tornado. In the Northlands.
As if that would ever happen.
Lazere was a town in the Lightlands of the North. It was mainly bright and sunny and at night it still had its glow. Candlelight floating in windowsills. And if you walked through Lazere early enough you could smell the bread baking.
Maybe Ezekiel’s ointment will help the pain in my knees. I rub some in, wincing. God, its greasy. I run my hands on the grooves of my scars, I used to think they were ugly, but I think they are not so bad, they are mine at least. I begin to hear a pitter patter, no wonder I was dreaming about storms — it’s pouring rain outside.
“Lamora…”
Liv’s voice drifted from the doorway.
“Yes, Liv?” I groaned. What does she want in the middle of the night? I just want to sleep.
“There is… a man here. A stranger from the—”
“Darklands.”
The word left my mouth before she could finish.
Liv blinked at me. “Yes… but how did you know?”
“I don’t know, Liv.”
Truthfully, I didn’t want to know.
At times like this I wish my father were still here. How is a young woman like me supposed to handle crown affairs in the middle of the night with some strange man knocking at the door?
I’m supposed to be married in three days.
Three days.
And I’m completely alone.
Having a father who’s a ghost is apparently a wonderful prelude to marrying one.
My cloak was hanging on the mantle. I dragged it over my shoulders and stood, immediately slamming my foot into the nightstand.
“Ow—gods!”
“Lamora!” Liv rushed forward.
“Liv, I hate this,” I muttered, gripping the edge of the table. “Why does nothing ever work for me?”
“You’re just tired,” she said softly, brushing my hair back from my forehead. “Should I bring you some of Ezekiel’s tea?”
“Nothing he gives me works,” I said. “Maybe for a day, and then I’m sick again. Or in pain.”
The tears came before I could stop them.
They always did.
Liv gently took my arm and guided me toward the door.
“My father should be the one handling this,” I whispered. “I hate talking to people.”
Liv looked away.
Because we both knew it was true.
We walked down the corridor slowly, my foot throbbing with every step.
At the top of the staircase I leaned over the railing, trying to catch a glimpse of the stranger below.
Nothing.
By the time I reached the bottom, the scent of cedar filled the hall. Normally the maids hung lavender in our entry way.
Where were the guards?
No one.
As usual.
Just me, apparently responsible for defending an entire kingdom.
What use were men, anyway?
A tall figure stood in the doorway.
Black cloak.
Still as stone.
He must have sensed me, because he turned.
His skin was dark—obsidian dark. Nothing like the pale faces of the Northlands. And his eyes…
Electric green.
He pulled a mask down from his face and began walking toward me.
Something about him felt familiar.
But my hands were trembling.