Kiss of Frost

by Graceley Knox

  My mother’s expression shutters and her eyes avoid mine. Adjusting her stance, she shifts from foot to foot. “He is the King of the Light Elves. You must refer to him as such. You would do well to remember not to refer to him so informally.” She avoids my question while scolding me all at once. Special talent she has there.

  “Yeah, whatever. Why didn’t he send me an invite or ask me himself?”

  “He is the King! He doesn’t have time to personally invite everyone he wishes to attend.”

  I shake my head, amused that this seems to be fazing her in some way. What she really means is that he doesn’t have time to confer with half-breeds, dirty little things that we are. Little does she know that my uncle has visited me more times than I can count. He is probably the only elf that I don’t have negative feelings for on sight due to their usually haughty natures. He has never cared that I am leath cine. He was here for every milestone as I grew up. When I mastered the language of the elves, and then the goblins. When I graduated and then successfully completed my first capture solo, he was there. Caddox was always there to congratulate me and offer a wise piece of advice. I look up to him as a father figure, since I don’t know who mine is because my mother turns into a mute at the mention of the subject.

  “Mother, be honest with me, and tell me why it is suddenly so important I attend one of the celebrations, and I will consider it.”

  She huffs and plants her hands on her hips. “Cashel Finarben approached your uncle about making a match with you. As he is a court favorite and has many powerful allies, your uncle sees no reason why he should deny him his request.”

  “I have a few. Not a huge one or anything, just, you know, that he’s my cousin! Which makes us related. Oh, and that I would be sentenced to death if I were to wed him since I’m a leath cine and he’s not.”

  She gasps, tilting her head to the ceiling and letting out a heavy sigh.

  “Any hold you or anyone of the elven court had over me disappeared the day you left me here to be raised by MECA. So I don’t see why I would do this for you, Mother. As a matter of fact, I think it’s time you left.” Any last shred of hope that she was here just to see me disappears in a puff of smoke, and my stomach drops.

  “Ever, be reasonable. One celebration won’t kill you, darling.”

  She almost sounds pleading, but I’m not fooled by her tone. She’s as hard as stone. Cold and calculating. Her trembling lips and shaking hand extended toward me screams of dishonesty.

  “On the contrary, Mother, I’m thinking that it just might kill me. So I will go on blissfully unaware of what exactly happens at those shindigs of yours.”

  As I move past her toward the door, she grabs my arm with more force than I thought her capable. She drops her “pity me” act, and I freeze. Her eyes flicker. They are constantly flitting from place to place. After a few moments they are steady on my face.

  “Let go of me. Now,” I demand, my tone icy.

  “Please, you must be there. If you don’t believe me, at least ask your uncle.” Nodding, her chin held high, she thrusts her shoulders back.

  I stare at her, incredulous.

  “Yes, I know of all of his visits. You didn’t think I did, did you?” She waves a hand in dismissal.

  She can be so stuck up sometimes. She has moments of kindness. Moments I do my best to encourage. I’ve worked my ass off my entire life to get her to notice me. For her to say she is proud of me. I only ever get fleeting glimpses into her true feelings towards me.

  “I didn’t think you cared either way, but fine, I will ask him. And once I have talked with him, I will consider it.”

  I open the door and give her a pointed look. I can only give her so much. All she seems to do is take from me. Her request seems important to her. Which gives me pause. She might take the time to send me a letter or call me once in a while, but she has never invited me to the Light Elven Kingdom. Even when I was a child and begged and pleaded for her to take me just once, she never budged.

  She huffs again, flouncing towards the door, her perfectly straight sea-green hair flowing behind her as if she creates her own personal breeze. No goodbyes, no final pleading looks—she just leaves. I plop down on the bed and cradle my aching head in my hands.

  I stare down at the hardwood floors. What in the hell was that? I’m too hungover to process it at the moment.

  A knock sounds on the still open door. Doyle stands there with his arms open for a hug. I narrow my eyes, fold my arms across my chest, and frown.

  “That sounded fun.” He’s trying to hold a straight face…and failing. He knows about my relationship—or lack thereof—with my mother.

  “How much did you hear?” I pat the space beside me on the bed.

  He folds his large frame next to mine on the plain white sheets and wraps his muscular arm around my narrow shoulders. “Want the truth, or just like half of it?”

  “The truth, always the truth.” I manage a small smile.

  “I heard almost all of it.”

  I grimace.

  “So you going to marry this guy and leave all of us in the dust?”

  “Fat chance. You wouldn’t survive without me.” I would never leave my team.

  Doyle laughs and then locks me in a headlock. Our play fighting lightens my mood.

  “You going to talk to your uncle, Ev? I don’t like the sound of this. Something is off. I can feel it.” He lets me out of the headlock, his jaw set and his tone serious.

  “I know. My gut is telling me to stay far away, no matter what anyone says, even if it’s coming from Caddox.”

  After we chat a bit longer about what I should say, how I should phrase it, and how I could get it to my uncle without it being intercepted, we part ways. Doyle heads off in search of breakfast, and I in search of a pen to scribble my note with. News travels fast within our tight knit group, but I also know they won’t say anything to the higher ups at MECA.

  “Come in!” I look over my shoulder as I pack my clothes back in my overnight bag.

  The door creaks open. Axel stands there with one shoulder against the door jam.

  “S’up, Ev.” He nods and closes the door behind him.

  “Doyle talk to you?” I ask.

  “Yeah. That the letter right there?” He tilts his chin towards the letter clutched in my grip.

  I look at the folded scrap of paper in my shaking hand. The questions asked in this letter could lead to my death, my mother’s as well. I throw my shoulders back and thrust the letter toward Axel. I level my gaze with his. My shaking fingers won’t uncurl no matter how much I want them to.

  He wraps his fingers around the letter, his other hand on mine, and pulls it from my grasp with force. With the letter in his hand he turns and walks out of the room.

  He knows what to do and how to get it into the right hands. I just have to trust that whoever he uses to get that letter to my uncle can’t see through paper and read the message.

  With nothing left to do for the moment, I get started on my day. MECA usually frowns upon full-fledged guards walking around hungover in front of the cadets. Shortly after getting out of the shower and finding some food to calm my rolling stomach, I return to my room. I stop when I spot the note on the night stand. The paper’s thick and a round glob of wax with the royal crest on it seals it closed.

  Ever,

  I assure you no harm will befall to you whilst you are in the Light Elven Kingdom. Your mother believes Cashel would make a great match for you. See you soon, darling.

  Truly,

  Uncle Caddox

  One word stands out like a glaring warning. Darling. Caddox always calls his me his little elfling, not darling. My mother calls me darling. And he has never included uncle in his letters before, always just his name. My mother must have intercepted the letter. But how? How could she have gotten this when I sent it to Caddox in the hands of one of Axel’s contacts?

  One thing’s for sure—my ass will be staying far away from the Light El
ven Kingdom. Something is off, and until I know what, I’m staying out of the line of that wildfire.

  I’m not one for frills and dresses anyways, so fuck ’em.

  Keep reading in Mark of Truth, Wicked Kingdoms Book 1!

  Also By Graceley Knox

  The Wicked Kingdoms Series:

  1. Mark of Truth

  2. Crown of Betrayal

  3. Throne of Secrets

  3.5 Yuletide Revelry (A Wicked Kingdoms Christmas Short)

  4. Castle of Illusions (coming Summer 2018)

  The Dragon Stone Saga:

  Kiss of Frost

  Up in Smoke (Coming Soon)

  Shake the Ground (Coming Soon)

  The Girl, Vampire Series

  1. Girl, Bitten (Coming May 22, 2018)

  2. Girl, Forsaken (Coming June 19, 2018)

  3. Girl, Immortal

  The Kresova Vampire Harems: Aurora (Written with D.D. Miers)

  Thirst

  Tempt

  Turn

  Aurora Books 1-3

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read Kiss of Frost. I hope you enjoyed reading about Ivy and Beck!

  Currently I have two other books planned, Up in Smoke and Shake the Ground in the Dragon Stone Saga as well as a few other projects such as my Wicked Kingdoms Series, and the Kresova Vampire Harems. If you’d like to stay up to date on all of my upcoming books, please sign up for my newsletter here: http://bit.ly/GKNewsletter. Or make sure you follow me on Facebook @GraceleyKnox!

  If you’re a fan or you’d like to stay in touch, please join my street team, Knox’s Vixens. Giveaways, Advance Reader Copies, hot men, and awesome book recommendations are the norm over there!

  If you enjoyed Kiss of Frost, please consider leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads. I love any and all feedback and every review counts!

  Stay Wicked,

  Graceley

  Acknowledgments

  As always this book writing dream wouldn’t be possible without my Mom and her endless support. Thank you for putting up with me as I figured out how to write the start to my second series during one of the toughest times of my life.

  My Dad has always been there for me, even though I write romance novels, he still supports me. Thanks for loving me no matter where my dreams take me, Dad.

  To Dee Miers, I sent you a message or you sent me one, I can’t quite remember, but a bond formed and my life was forever changed. Thank you for cheering me on, helping me outline, and believing in this book as much as I did.

  Shannon Hunt - FFS what would I do without you? Late night chats, early morning chats, talking about food, coffee, cats, and life. I can’t wait to give you a giant hug next time I see you.

  To my friends and family who understands that I’m working hard on a dream and doesn’t get mad at me when I go for weeks at a time without talking to them. I love you all so much.

  To my Vixens and my readers, you guys are the reason I wrote this one. You believed in the Wicked Kingdoms series, and hopefully you’ll love the Dragon Stone Saga novellas as much as I do, and everything else I publish this year. You guys rock!

  About Graceley

  USA Today Bestselling Author Graceley Knox suffers from a serious caffeine and book addiction – and she’s not apologizing for it. She writes wicked paranormal and fantasy romance with snarky heroines and sexy heroes. By day she works in the publishing industry, and by night, she plots out the many ideas cluttering her mind. He free time is spent with her fabulous family and Bengal kitties. She loves to connect with fans on social media, so stop by and say hello!

  Visit her here: www.facebook.com/GraceleyKnox