Snow Wicked White

Cinderella Assassin

Atlantis Riptide

The Romance Dance

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

5 of 5 STARS “There is so much character development in book 2, as well as so many twists and turns.” – Tiffany

5 of 5 STARS “Awesome continuation of a great series!” - Brittney

5 of 5 STARS “I literally could not put it down from start to finish.” – Jennie K

5 of 5 STARS “There’s action, adventure, betrayal, mystery, and let’s not leave out a little romance and even a fairy godmother!” – Debbie

4 of 5 STARS “ Our lost princess returns and the adventures keep on coming!”
– Jennifer M

4 of 5 STARS “A magical read!” - Sairaika

Sharp steel pressed against my neck. “This is the way to win, princess.”

I sucked in a bitter breath and not from the closeness of the blade. Perry Moss couldn’t know the truth, few did. Because princess wasn’t just a taunt, it was a title.

My title.

Locking gazes with him, I glared at his attempt to best me. His silver eyes flashed with what looked like hatred, and then went hard and cool. Cute, but a total stranger and one of my new classmates. Had he forgotten we were on the same side training for a real battle? To be soldiers in the fight against Regent Theobald and his cronies?

The blade pressed harder against my throat. Perry was one of a few students who chose to spar against me. His long, dark hair had been braided away from his forehead. His thin, angular face always appeared in a superior pout. “Concede, Ellery.”

Why did it sound as if he was asking me to give up more than this fight?

“No.” I wrapped my fingers tighter around the coiled carbon lasso, a connection of magical notches that did my bidding. And its own. The weapon had found me on my first adventure.

My weapon whipped forward, wrapping around the hilt of his blade. The blade clattered onto the weapons training ground in a puff of dry dirt.

Perry scowled and backed away, disgust written across his face. “You’re using magic, not skill.”

He seemed to feel the need to best me in weapons and in magic class. It was as if he needed to prove his superiority in every aspect of fairy training. Which I didn’t doubt. I’d received my fairy magic a few months ago when I’d turned sixteen. The weapons training was completely new.

And yet, I held my own. Real battle experience counted for something.

My chin tilted up and power thrummed through my veins. Yanking the whip back, I took a deep inhale. I coiled the shiny rope with care and held it at my hip. “We’re fairies. Magic is what we do.”

I was only half fairy. A fact the other students consistently pointed out. Snickered at. Talked about behind my half human back. They didn’t know the truth about me yet. I’d known for a week and couldn’t accept the truth.

I was a princess. A fairy princess.

“You need to learn how to fight without magic. That’s what weapons class is about.” Perry stepped forward and swiped at his blade, bringing me back to the present.

He was right. If I wanted to prove my worth, I’d need to become the best fighter in school. To show Gardenia I was meant to be a soldier, not a princess. I’d known Queens Academy would be worse than human school. And then Gardenia had thrown this entire princess thing at me.

Battle training had been combined with magic training—because I needed help with my newly-forming powers—and she’d added on fairy etiquette and history. I didn’t need the last two to win a war.

“Weren’t you beneath Regent Theobald’s royal palace where magic is suppressed?” The strange twist in conversation showed Perry had heard rumors about my mission the night of the ball.

“No comment.” Swiveling away, I strolled to the portable arsenal and perused my choice of weapons.

He had a point about learning to fight without magic. Not that I’d admit it. There’d been times under the human royal palace I’d wished I’d had access to my malfunctioning powers. The humans had developed technology to contain majiks’ magic, and grit and determination had been our battle weapons.

I fingered the notched coil whip—my favorite weapon. It understood what I needed and anticipated my enemy’s next move. The humans couldn’t suppress the magic in the entire Kingdom of Alandaska.

This war would be magic versus technology.

Why study the ancient arts of fighting and weaponry when we had magical power deep inside us? Now that I was learning to control my magic, I didn’t see the need to use other weapons.

Still, I picked up a sabre and ran my gloved hand over the blade. Perry wanted a fair fight with no magic, so I’d give him one.

I slashed the weapon and a zing traveled through my arm. Pivoting, I faced my opponent. “En guard.”

“Allez.” He lunged, his blade glinting with sunlight.

I feinted to the right.

He lunged again, and our swords clashed.

The impact shattered up my arm and shook my spine. The weakness and fear brought me to a different place when I’d been feeble and unsure. I wasn’t that person anymore.

I charged forward.

He attacked with intent, as if relishing the need to hurt or embarrass me. To make me lose this fight. My muscles hardened. Most of the kids at the academy treated me differently. They were suspicious or downright hated me. Nothing I hadn’t dealt with in my past.

“Not so confident without your magic.” Smirking, he parried, forcing me to take several steps back.

A guffaw shot out of my mouth. If he had seen my use of magic a week ago, he never would’ve made the statement.

“Fairies have magic. You have magic. We should be able to use it.” A new attitude for me. I might’ve agreed to fight without my powers this time, but I believed in using everything at my disposal to win.

“You should learn the hard way.” Perry jabbed at my chest and I jumped, withdrawing into the shadows formed by the academy’s balcony. “Then, when you use magic it’s easy.”

He arced his sword down in a smooth move showing how simple it was for him.

I wished I’d been trained in fighting since birth, not washing dishes. I wished I could use magic. But I hadn’t and I’d learn to live with it. Or die trying.

Blocking his sword with my sabre, the clanging of metal rang in my head. Sweat formed on my upper lip. Even though the day was chilly, I wished I’d worn a single layer of clothes. I was about to wish the outer jacket away when I remembered his challenge.

No magic. I could do this.

He swung at me again and I ducked.

This wasn’t a friendly bout or practice. This guy was going for me. Which was okay. The hard training would exhaust me, and I’d forget…

Don’t think about the prince. Don’t think about the prince.

I hadn’t heard if Prince Zacharye, or Rye as I called him, had survived the one night we’d spent in the palace dungeon. My heart shattered and tears burned my eyes as I remembered the explosion. I had to pull myself together.

Perry’s assault continued, blow after blow.

Panting, I kept maneuvering further and further back. He had me pinned against the balustrade.

A dark shiver passed through me. Perry didn’t like me, wanted to best me. However, he was the only one who’d train with me and I desperately needed training. Would he take the contest too far and cause injury? He’d come close minutes ago.

My opponent conjured a second sword from mid-air.

My heart raced and the sweat on my lip formed a thin layer of ice. “You said no magic.”

“I said you should learn the hard way. I’ve learned. Now it’s your turn.” His wings spread, adding to his strength.

The fluttering of his brown and gold wings distracted me. Glittery gold lined the edges and pulsed from the iridescent veins. His wings gave him leverage to fight.

My head spun, and my gaze tried to follow the swirls of his weapons. I pressed against the concrete of the balustrade and my weapons hand fell to my side. Defeat set in. No wings, terrible magic, average fighting skills. Would I ever be good enough to become a soldier in the queen’s army?

 “Why did you have to come back?” Perry’s almost inaudible whisper was followed by a slash. His blade came at my face.