by M. J. Haag
His lips brushed mine once more before his tongue swiped my lower lip. I gasped at the sensation and the way it made my heart race. I opened my mouth to him, giving him entrance and trembling at the feel of his tongue stroking mine.
When he pulled back, I was panting for air.
“Eloise, I will come for you,” he said firmly, hugging me close and breaking my heart for what could not be.
He didn’t stay long after that but left with a resolved set to his shoulders. In the silence that followed, I looked at the bird.
“Why must I lose everyone I love?” I asked softly.
The bird chirped once, a sad note.
“It does not matter whether my motivation is a selfish desire for what I cannot have or the selfless need to save others. This needs to end. I only wish I had the means to break that damned mirror.”
Something heavy and dark fell from the tree with a thump. Frowning, I stood and went to investigate. A black rock flecked with shining silver bits lay on the ground. It was no bigger than my hand. I looked up at the tree and watched several blossoms drift to the ground. The bird chirped at me from its branches as if encouraging me to take the rock.
I bent to retrieve it, the jagged edges biting into my palm as I picked it up. The pain did not fade, and I smiled in understanding.
“Thank you,” I breathed before running from the clearing.
In the house, I searched everywhere for the mirror until only one place remained. Maeve’s locked room. I grinned and ran to the attic, crawling into the hidey hole that Kellen had discovered. Rummaging through Mother’s trunk, I found the second key to Mother’s old room. I couldn’t stop shaking as I rushed back downstairs and unlocked the door.
Hope fueled me, and resolve anchored me as I stepped into the room and found the mirror near the window.
I smiled at my reflection and lifted the rock. Then, I hesitated. If I did this, then what? I considered several outcomes. The mirror wouldn’t break, and I would need to figure out how to slip back into the shackle. Although Maeve would know something had happened, being chained should protect me.
And if the mirror broke? My smile faded, and anger consumed me. I threw the rock. Time slowed. Sunlight glinted off the silver specks as it tumbled through the air. I held my breath, watching its reflection grow larger. The mirror sparked green a moment before the rock connected. Glass shattered outward along with the rock. The green light flared, and the large shards exploded into dust as the rock hit the floor and rolled to my feet.
I watched the black granules rain down on everything near the now empty wooden frame. The wood cracked and curled back in places. In the vacant space that once held the glass, the air shimmered, and the imprint of a face emerged, screaming in rage. It quickly disappeared.
Maeve knew her mirror was broken.
Smiling, I bent to pick up the stone. After locking the door and returning the key, I made my way to the kitchen where I held the stone for a moment, uncertain what to do with it. It seemed only right that, if it had come from Mother, I returned it to her.
Light played on its surface as I left the house and walked the path to the clearing. Digging a small hole in the earth above Mother’s grave, I hid the one object that could hurt me through the protective spell.
“It worked,” I said, patting the soil. “But I cannot yet leave, not until I know everything. I cannot allow more people to suffer as we have.”
I returned to the house, drank my fill of water, then used some grease to slide my hand back into the shackle. Content, I put more wood on the fire and sat on the stool to wait.
The light faded from the sky before Porcia and Cecilia returned. I heard their laughter and animated conversation in the yard as they unsaddled the horse and approached the house.
“It won’t be long now,” Cecilia was saying as she opened the door.
Her gaze fell on me, and her smile widened.
“We have glorious news, sister. Mama will be so pleased when she returns.”
I couldn’t help the small smile that curved my lips.
Nothing would assuage Maeve’s anger when she returned.
Chapter Eighteen
Cecilia tipped her head to look at me.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I do,” I said smoothly. “And I hope that the news, whatever it may be, will please Mama enough that I might have a bit of food and something to drink.”
Cecilia’s smile grew beatific. She crossed the room, took a piece of bread from the plate, and threw it to me. I greedily grabbed it from the air and shoved it in my mouth. My stomach growled ravenously as I chewed.
“The news has pleased me enough that I will give you a bite to eat,” Cecilia said.
I swallowed.
“What is the news?” I asked, already knowing what she would say.
“The Prince is returning soon,” Porcia said with barely contained excitement, earning a glare from Cecilia.
“Why hasn’t the bell tolled?” I asked.
“Because he’s not yet here,” Cecilia said. “But he will be based on the proclamations we saw all over town. In less than three days, there will be a ball. The first of many. For the next month, the kingdom will celebrate the Prince’s return in grand style and welcome.”
It made no sense to me. Why would they post about balls and celebration when so many were ill and suffering? Did the Royal family truly not care about their people?
Cecilia reached into her bodice and withdrew a square of parchment.
“They are playing right into our hands,” she said, offering it to me.
I unfolded the proclamation and read the slanted script with care.
Let it be known,
To celebrate Prince Greydon’s return in three days hence, the first in a month-long succession of grand balls will be held at sunset at the palace. Invitations will be delivered to all families in good standing with the Crown. Those who do not receive an invitation are invited to join the festivities outside of the palace gates. All are welcome to joyously greet our kingdom’s most adored son.
I almost rolled my eyes but managed to continue reading.
In a month hence, Prince Greydon will select his next bride or the Crown will fall to his successor. The bride must be of virtue and willingly submit to trials by magic to ensure there are no illusions to hide age or disadvantage. The Prince will wed a fair maid of his own age or forfeit his crown.
King Aftan
I read the last paragraph twice more. Maeve had the power and skill to change her appearance to look of an age to the Prince. But it seemed that the King was anticipating that.
“How will this make Mama happy?” I asked, looking up. “She will be discovered during the trials, won’t she?”
Cecilia laughed, nearly dancing back to the table to throw me another piece of bread. I willingly ate it and waited for her to explain. I knew she wouldn’t pass an opportunity to show me how unclever I really was in her eyes.
“Do you really think Mama brought us here so she could marry the Prince?”
I nearly choked on my bread and looked at Porcia, who watched me with a small smile.
“Isn’t it obvious to you yet?” Cecilia asked. “The King’s health is questionable, and Prince Greydon is coming home to wed and produce an heir. The ball will be the event of the century. Every eligible maiden of good breeding will attend.”
“In good standing with the Crown,” I said, quoting the proclamation.
“And who is in better standing than the daughters of the woman who saved the kingdom? One both fair and dark as night. The other golden and kissed by the sun.”
Cold understanding bloomed. Not only had my mother died so Maeve could position herself and her daughters close to the Royal Retreat, but so Maeve could use the identities of Margaret Cartwright’s daughters to gain an invitation to a ball Maeve had ensured would happen. A ball where the Prince would select his future wife.
“Prince Greydon will take one look at me and
fall madly in love,” Cecilia said. “I hear his late wife and I share many similarities.”
I recalled the words I had overheard long ago about this estate being the gateway to the Crown for them. They didn’t mean to kill the Royal family, they meant to become part of it. What better way to overthrow the ruler? It would be subtle, and I had no doubt that the King and Prince would likely both mysteriously fall ill as soon as the new wife became pregnant.
“If you’re meant to marry Prince Greydon, why am I still alive?”
Some of Cecilia’s humor faded.
“Not only are you and Kellen the daughters of Margaret Cartwright, you’re also the fairest in the land without need of spells or powders.”
Maeve’s question to the mirror about the fairest in the land made more sense. They’d known before ever coming here who might distract the Prince from Cecilia’s beauty.
“The more reason to—” The words stopped, but there was no painful squeeze.
“Mama had hoped that she could bend to her will the fairest in the land, the true daughters of Margaret Cartwright. It would have made success that much sweeter knowing she’d bested the woman who’d bested her.”
“Bested her? I don’t understand.”
“Don’t you? It was Mama who tried to take the kingdom all those years ago. She’d gathered her strength after the King spurned her as his choice for wife and struck hard and fast. It would have worked if not for your mother’s clever wit.”
Cecilia took the paper from me.
“It was a proclamation much like this one that ruined Mama’s chance to be a queen in her own right. But this will help rectify the mistakes of the past. I will wed Prince Greydon, and I will be Queen. Mama will have a kingdom at her fingertips through me.”
Disbelief held my tongue. Maeve had been using pawns and appearances for a very long time to keep up her pretense of respectability. Once she was in the palace, I couldn’t help but think she would tire of using Cecilia as her mouthpiece.
“And now that Mama doesn’t need me anymore?” I asked. “Will I die when she returns?”
“If she wanted you dead, she would have killed you when she arrived. No, she’ll want you to bear witness to her greatness and to know that your mother was nothing more than a temporary obstacle easily overcome and forgotten.”
She smiled and swept from the room, Porcia following in her wake. As they moved away from the kitchen, they spoke of seamstresses and the gowns they would have made.
Turning toward the dying embers, I smiled and made a vow.
My mother risked her life to protect the kingdom, and I would do no less. Maeve and her daughters could not be allowed the throne. I let the cinder of my anger flame to life.
I knew the name of my mother’s murderer, and now I knew why she’d died.
It was time to claim my revenge.
Thank you for reading Disdain! The Tales of Cinder will conclude with Damnation. Keep reading for a sneak peek!
Author’s Note
Poor Eloise! Her life has changed so drastically since the beginning of book 1. Not surprising, really. I knew when I read the original Cinderella tale that whoever I wrote in as the “wicked stepmother” would need to be bad. I mean really bad. Have you read the original? It’s incredibly short, but deeply disturbing in what the stepmother made her own daughters do to win the prince. Maeve’s character took on an unpredictable life of her own in my head. Her backstory, which will be lightly mentioned in the next book is just the tip of what made her into who she is.
For those of you in my fan groups, you probably recognized the name Heather. She’s an author friend of mine who critique reads for me and volunteered as tribute when I needed names for the maids. Let me tell you, when I wrote book 1, I had NO idea what would happen to the maids in book 2. The other maid was named Amber for my friend and assistant Bam. Because of what their characters ended up having to do and endure, I suggested they pick replacement names. Amber graciously agreed so readers wouldn’t think I hated the pair of them. Heather, however, loved the idea of her character and didn’t mind her tarnished reputation as a whore. Lol
I can’t wait to share the final book in this trilogy with you! So much has happened and so much is yet to come. To be sure you don’t miss out on any release news, sign up for my newsletter at mjhaag.melissahaag.com/subscribe or join my fan group the Curvy Cartel on Facebook. Hope to see you there!
Happy reading!
Melissa
Character List
Eloise - *Cinderella* (Twin daughter of Margaret and Atwell).
Kellen - *Snow White* (Twin daughter of Margaret and Atwell).
Margaret Cartwright - Eloise and Kellen’s mother.
Atwell Cartwright - Eloise and Kellen’s father.
Hugh - A stablehand.
Judith - A housemaid.
Anne - A housemaid
Lady Maeve Grimmoire - Kellen and Eloise’s new guardian.
Elspeth - A caster who Margaret knew.
Rose - A caster/enchanter.
Catherine - A housemaid.
Heather - A housemaid.
Aftan - The King of Drisdall
Sevil - The deceased Queen of Drisdall.
Greydon - Prince of Drisdall.
Grimm - A tracker/huntsman.
Cecilia - Maeve’s daughter.
Porcia - Maeve’s daughter.
Disdain is the second Tale of Cinder, which takes part in the Beastly Tales world. If you haven’t yet read the Beastly Tales, you’re missing out on a seductively dark Beauty and the Beast retelling. There’s character cross over between the two trilogies that you’re going to love.
Series Reading Order
Beastly Tales
Depravity
Deceit
Devastation
Tales of Cinder
Disowned (Prequel)
Defiant
Disdain
Damnation
Resurrection Chronicles
(zombies and hottie demons!)
Demon Ember
Demon Flames
Demon Ash
Demon Escape
Demon Deception
Demon Night
*More to come!
Connect with the author
Website: MJHaag.melissahaag.com/
Newsletter: MJHaag.melissahaag.com/subscribe
Excerpt from Damnation
Coming soon!
“A rider,” Cecilia said.
The thunder of hooves outside abruptly stopped. Porcia rose to see who it might be; but before she crossed half the room, the door flew open.
Maeve stormed into the kitchen, still disguised as the old crone. Her cloudy gaze swept the room, noting her daughters then me. I didn’t miss the lingering look she gave the manacle circling my wrist. Just as I didn’t miss the extra dirt that now clung to her cloths or the new rips to her garments. Whatever Maeve had done hadn’t been easy.
“Mama,” Porcia said in shock. “We weren’t expecting you for another day.”
Maeve lashed out, striking her daughter across the face.
“Do not speak,” she said in her deep, grating voice.
Porcia’s lifted her hand to hold her cheek then thought better of it and clasped her hands in front of her instead. Cecilia remained at the table, wisely not speaking as she warily watched her mother. Not that Maeve noticed.
She remained focused on me as a pulse of green light started at her chest. The glow grew larger and brighter with each beat until the emerald radiance enveloped her. The lines on her face smoothed and her hair darkened as signs of her false age disappeared. Slowly, she straightened to her full height before the light faded away once more. But not from her eyes. The glow remained there as she studied me, her face flushed with anger.
I didn’t consciously make my choice before words tumbled from my mouth in a rush.
“I didn’t mean to kill Hugh, and I swear never to touch your mirror again. I vow I’ll be a proper young lady. Please, Mama. I
’ll do as you ask if only you allow me to eat.”
Her gaze narrowed on me, and my stomach took that moment to growl loudly. She looked at Porcia then Cecilia.
“Come with me,” she said.
She strode from the room without another glance in my direction.
As soon the door closed behind Porcia, I exhaled slowly and looked around me. Blame could still be cast my direction if Maeve thought for a moment I’d escaped my bond. She would need proof that I hadn’t. Pretending ignorance about any knowledge of the mirror’s destruction wouldn’t be enough.
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