Backdraft

Chapter 1 Rose

ROSE

The Fae King arrived at dusk, appearing from the shadows as if conjured by the very darkness settling over the forest. One moment there was nothing before me but ice hanging from the barren branches of a tree; the next, dark tendrils swirled like smoke, slowly forming the body of a man.

A very tall man, with hair as black as a raven’s wing, a regal face that seemed to be carved from pure stone, and cold eyes that narrowed as soon as they saw me.

His pointed ears immediately reveled what he was, though I did not yet know who he was. Nevertheless, a strange fae this near the castle meant trouble, especially one who could teleport. I shot to my feet, raising my hand to trace a rune in the air. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

He gave my silvery rune a look of pure disdain as it hovered beside me, flickering like fading candlelight. “Is that supposed to stop me?”

I finished the rune and it flared brighter before vanishing, conjuring a long spear of ice in its place. “Get back, or I’ll be forced to attack!”

“I’d prefer if you didn’t.” The fae swept aside his cloak and took a step forward into the secluded clearing where I stood. “But do what you must.”

His nonchalant tone threw me off, as did his refined voice and fine clothes.

He wore all black, with silver thread woven into the edges of the fabric, and his boots were polished to perfection.

He towered over me, and a shiver of fear ran down my spine at the power emanating from him.

More power than I had ever encountered before.

But he had entered my forest without warning, and I wouldn’t back down.

I kept the spear of ice hovering in the air, pointed at his chest. “What do you want?”

“I’m here to speak with King Balsam.” His arrogant gaze assessed me and seemed to find me lacking in some way. “And you are?”

I lifted my chin and held his eye. “Prepared to stop you.”

An eyebrow lifted. “I’d like to see you try.”

I flicked my wrist and the ice shard shot toward him.

He traced a rune of his own, so fast the silvery light flashed through the air for only an instant.

My ice spear turned to water and splashed all over my gown, chilling me immediately.

My mouth fell open as I glanced down at the cold, wet fabric clinging to my legs.

At that moment I realized who he was—and how foolish I’d been to think I could have used magic to stop him.

There were few fae powerful enough to teleport, fewer still who were bold enough to use magic against a princess of Talador, and only one who matched his description.

“You’re King Raith of Ilidan,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Indeed.” He tilted his head as he examined me. “Am I allowed to know your name now?”

My cheeks burned, but I squared my shoulders and faced him without flinching. “I’m Princess Rose, second daughter of King Balsam.”

“Ah.” He took another step closer, his eyes locked with mine. “Tell me, Princess, what does your father think of you using fae magic? I thought he had forbidden it in Talador.”

My lips pressed into a thin line and I didn’t respond. He already knew the answer. My mother’s old spell book sat on the small stone bench behind me, where I’d been practicing before he’d arrived and disrupted me.

“Oh, but of course he doesn’t know,” Raith continued. “That must be why you hide out here in the shadow of the palace with none but the forest knowing your secrets.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell either.”

The man standing far too close to me was a monster, by all accounts.

I should have been terrified or angered by his presence here.

I should have run to alert the guards or shouted for help.

But I did none of those things, and found I couldn’t look away from the darkly captivating man who loomed over me.

I’d heard many tales of the dreaded Fae King, my kingdom’s greatest enemy, the man my father feared and hated more than anyone else in the Six Kingdoms. They said he sacrificed animals for his dark magic, that he could wipe out entire battalions of soldiers with deadly spells, and that he’d given his soul to the Shadow Lord in exchange for power.

There were rumors he’d taken his throne from his mother by force, and that his wife had killed herself to escape his cruelty.

I wasn’t sure if any of those stories were true, but they all agreed on one thing—King Raith was a man to be feared.

I should have recognized him immediately, but I’d never thought we would actually meet in person, and certainly not in the middle of the forest. In my defense, he was younger than I’d expected him to be, and far more handsome.

Dark and magnetic, his presence commanded attention and his eyes missed nothing.

They were the color of a storm about to turn dangerous, filled with hidden power and ready to strike—much like the rest of him.

“Why do you want to speak with my father?” I asked.

“To end this war between our kingdoms. It’s gone on far too long.

” His voice was colder than the snow under my feet, despite his words of peace.

I wondered what he would ask of my father in return for ending hostilities.

Talador and Ilidan had been at war for decades, since long before I was born, and the cost of the endless standoff was high.

When Raith became king a few years ago, it had only gotten worse.

With his fae magic and formidable army, we were losing ground every day against Ilidan and the war was bankrupting our kingdom and forcing our people to starve.

Surely my father would agree to whatever Raith wanted, knowing we couldn’t continue on this path any longer. Not without losing far too many lives.

Then again, my father cared little for reason or empathy these days, so it was hard to know what he would do.

I’d been told he was a good man before my mother passed away, but I’d never seen that side of him.

And with each year, he only became colder.

Would he do what was best for our kingdom, or would his pride make him continue this never-ending war?

“I’ll take you to him.” If I brought Raith to the castle there might be less of a panic from his sudden, unexpected arrival. Or so I hoped.

He idly waved my offer away. “No need. I’d prefer to make an entrance.”

“If that’s so, why teleport out here in the middle of nowhere and not closer to the castle?”

“Despite your father’s hatred of magic, the castle’s wards still stand and they prevent me from teleporting anywhere near it. I could break through them of course, but why spend the energy?” He gave a casual shrug, dripping with haughty confidence. “Good evening, Princess Rose.”

His gaze dropped to my gown, which had begun to freeze against my legs, and heat spread through me as his eyes lingered there.

An instant later the fabric was dry and warm, as if it had been sitting under the sun for an hour.

I was so startled I could only stare back at him, wondering how he’d done it.

I’d heard tales that the best fae mages could perform magic without casting runes, that they formed the intricate lines and symbols in their minds and that was enough, but I’d never encountered such a thing before. Until now.

He gave me a quick nod and then set off, his boots crunching through the snow and his black cloak flowing behind him. He brought to mind an image of a raven in flight, and I couldn’t help but stare after him as he disappeared from sight between the dense trees.

I quickly grabbed my mother’s spell book and wrapped my heavy cloak around myself, shivering against the chill.

The sun had vanished below the horizon, and with it the last traces of warmth in the air.

Even so, it was only autumn. Talador would soon get much colder, and unlike Raith, I couldn’t teleport away.

I hurried after the Fae King in the direction he’d gone, but didn’t see any trace of him in the frost-covered, empty forest. Cursing myself for not riding a horse out here, or at least bringing a torch, I trudged through the snow in the increasing darkness, my skirts snagging on branches that seemed intent on slowing me down.

Part of the Fae King’s magic, or simply a sign I’d lost track of time and been out here longer than I should? I wasn’t sure.

As I climbed the hill, the gleaming white castle rose before me between the pine trees.

With majestic pointed towers and shining spires that reached high into the sky, Winton Castle appeared as if it had been formed from ice, and it overlooked the snow-covered forest and the capital of Ralston like a sentinel.

I quickened my pace and found the castle already in a state of upheaval by the time I entered its large gates.

Guards stood on high alert, servants rushed past me in a panic, and every voice seemed to mention the Fae King’s arrival.

From snippets of overheard conversation, I learned he’d arrived surrounded by darkness with lightning crackling in his palms, and had demanded to see my father immediately.

He’d been escorted to the throne room by a contingent of wary soldiers, and rumors were flying about what was happening now behind those closed doors.

I moved quickly through the castle’s pale halls decorated with thick tapestries and blazing torches to fight back the constant chill.

My older sister Lily found me in the corridor leading to our bedrooms, her ever-present guard Keane walking stiffly a pace behind her.

They made a striking pair, both tall, serious, and attractive, except she had the same long, dark hair as I did, while his was a dark gold that contrasted nicely with his blue and white armor.

“Rose!” Lily said, as she approached me. “Where have you been? King Raith of Ilidan has arrived with no advance notice whatsoever. Can you believe it?”