Malaki of Highgard. Male. Wears armor with hidden spikes.
Orion of Sieg. Male, from a swamp realm. Wields motorized axes. Can create tar pits.
Petra of Etalind. Female, from a heavily treed mountain realm. Can make barbicans grow in any location. Allies with Ronan of Soloria. Are the two lovers?
Pike of La Fer. Male. Sometimes when he blinks, a white film settles over his eyes. What the film does—currently unknown. Wields a staff known as the Soul Harvest. Must learn more about it.
Raine of Baptiste. Male, with the ability to turn into mist. Wields a sword with unknown abilities.
Ranger of Jetha. Male, from an air kingdom. Can create fireballs with his hands. Weapon—a pair of combat boots with small wings on the heels, giving him the ability to fly. Loyal to Celeste.
Ronan of Soloria. Male, from a desert realm. Wields the Sword of Light, a weapon capable of temporarily blinding an opponent.
Rush of Nolita. Male, from a swamp realm. Has a crossbow capable of shooting three arrows at once, in three different directions.
Ryder of Belusova. Male, from a cavernous realm. Has a device that allows him to be in two places at once, fighting up close and at a distance.
Saxon of Lassistan. Male, able to read minds. Wields a staff with unknown power.
Shiloh of Asnanthaleigh. Male, from a heavily forested realm. Has eye lenses that allow him to see through anything, anytime. Good with swords and daggers. Avoids battle if there are innocents nearby.
Slade of Undlan. Male, from an underwater realm. Has a trident that creates floods of water and causes tsunamis. Can also cause water to surge up from the ground.
Svaney of Frostland. Female, from an ice realm. Can create and throw ice daggers. Has a crown that allows her to see the past, present and future of anyone nearby, and somehow morphs into a crystal skull. Why the change?
Thorn of D’Elia. Male with scars on his face. Wields a glowing whip that can electrocute an opponent.
Union of Kerris. Male, with the ability to manipulate reality, casting illusions for short bursts of time. Has a belt that causes the wearer’s strength to double. Having missed an assembly, he is disqualified—unless he was killed before the assembly. If so, who did the deed?
Vale of Terra. Gorgeous female, with the ability to absorb the memories and intrinsic powers of her victims, though she cannot activate their weapons, like everyone else. She is not to be harmed, ever. (And she’s probably definitely the coolest person ever to live. PS: SHE is the next All War winner, thank you very much.)
Valor of Liisi. Male, with a mystic sword. Wounds caused by this sword cannot heal. Also, the sword is able to communicate with its user.
Wilder of Titanious. Male, with the Mind Scrambler—a scepter with the power to render both immortals and mortals temporarily insane.
Xander of Aouette. Male. Injuries caused by his sword take longer to heal.
Zion of Tavery. Male, from an aggressive race, where warriors are always foaming-at-the-mouth eager for battle, and yet he has an aversion to harming females. Has won three All Wars. Wears metal gloves able to punch through anything. Embedded in his skin are jewels set in specific patterns—why?
Warning—spoilers ahead!
103rd All War Kill Tally.
Bane.
Malaki of Highgard.
Raine of Baptiste.
Valor of Liisi.
Emberelle.
Lennox of Winslet.
Erik.
Cannon of Dellize.
Knox.
Gunnar of Trodaire.
Jagger of Leiddiad.
Legend of Honoria.
Rush of Nolita.
Shiloh of Asnanthaleigh.
Xander of Aouette.
Petra.
Luca of Graeland.
Ronan.
Major of Etheran.
Saxon of Lassistan.
Ryder.
Orion of Sieg.
Shiloh.
Ammarie of Evain.
Vale.
Celeste of Occisor.
Ranger of Jetha.
Zion.
Colt of Orfet.
Hunter of Klioway.
Kellen of Villám.
Wilder of Titanious.
Unknown.
Union of Kerris.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall...
who will perish when I call?
Turn the page to read an excerpt from
the next thrilling young adult fantasy romance novel
by Gena Showalter,
The Evil Queen,
book 1 of The Forest of Good and Evil.
Only from Inkyard Press.
The Evil Queen
by Gena Showalter
“Well, well, well.” I unveiled my coldest, wickedest smile. “Hello, my darklings.”
Two of my captives bucked and strained against the thorny vines I’d used to bind their wrists and ankles. But not Prince Charming. No, oh, no. He stood tall, watching me with something akin to pride. His unflinching gaze unnerved me—his intention, I was sure. He was a warrior to his core, forged in fire, then honed and sharpened like a blade, one strike at a time.
I wasn’t going to break him easily. But I was going to break him.
I was going to break them all.
Satisfaction teased me as I studied the rest of my audience. Prince Charming’s righthand man peered at me with regret. Snow White...well, she radiated pure, undiluted hatred, practically spitting fire at me.
I kissed the tip of my middle finger and blew in her direction. Once, I’d looked at this girl with envy, for there was nothing more beautiful than power, and she had an abundance. But she had used her power to destroy everything I’d ever loved.
Now she would pay the price.
With a twirl of my finger, I unleashed a tendril of magic. The vines behind me grew together, creating a throne. My signature black roses bloomed along the arms as I swished the tail of my gown and eased down.
Unicorns flanked my sides as an army of “mythological” creatures spread out around me. Griffins, chimera, and minotaurs, oh my. What a fearsome sight we must make.
I drummed my metal claws against the throne’s arms and announced, “Today I act as judge, jury and executioner for the crimes you have committed against me. Shall we begin?”
Prince Charming took a step in my direction. An action he surely regretted. The vines jerked him back into place, thorns cutting into flesh and muscle, his blood drip, drip, dripping to the ground. “Please. Do not do this. Do not let the darkness win.”
I raised my chin. “I am the darkness. I am the monster other monsters fear.”
“Not yet. But you will be, if you allow our violence to breed your own. You will become the evil you have fought so hard against.”
“Oh, no. I’ll turn evil? Not that. Anything but that.” I faked a shudder before offering him another vicious smile. “How can you not see? I’m already evil.”
“No, Everly.” He shook his head, a lock of midnight hair falling over his forehead. “You are the girl I crave more than breath.”
After everything that had happened, I bristled at his show of familiarity. “You may call me Your Majesty.” A howling wind blew through the wealth of azure and lavender willow trees. Leaves rattled and branches clapped, creating a delightfully eerie ballad I very much enjoyed. “Or you may call me Stepmother Dearest. Gentleman’s choice.”
“I’m so sorry for what happened.” Determined, he took another step toward me, but the vines stopped him once again. “Give me a chance to—”
“Apology not accepted.” The words exploded from me, cutting him off. Inhale, exhale. Good, that’s good.
He continued, anyway, as if hoping to sway me, his beautiful eyes beseeching. “What you do, you c
annot undo. I know this firsthand. Now, I must forever live with my mistakes. I must forever live with my regrets.”
“Poor Prince Charming,” I said, my smile returning. “I do not want you living with your regrets. I do not want you living, period. I’d much rather kill you and take my chances with fate.”
He flinched, as if I’d punched him in the gut. “If you let the others go, I will ensure the princess is locked inside the tower for her misdeeds. You have my word.”
“A tower you’ll fill with every luxury, I’m sure.” Not good enough! But then, there was no punishment good enough.
“I will banish her, then.”
“So others can pamper her?” No! “And what about you, hmm? What punishment will you issue yourself?”
Voice ragged, he said, “My memories are my prison, and there is nothing luxurious about it.”
Not. Good. Enough.
“You cannot be serious.” Snow White gaped at him, radiating her patented mix of shock and fury. “I saved you before she caused you irreparable harm. Now you seek my ruination?”
He held my stare, ignoring her. “I was wrong about you. I was wrong about everything. I don’t want to fight with you, Everly. I want peace between us.”
“Once, I wanted the same, despite the terrible things your family did to me. But no longer. I will do this no matter the price I have to pay.”
“You need to lash out. I understand. Keep me, and let the others go. Let me bear the punishment of my people. As their leader, I am responsible for their actions.”
My claws drummed with more force. “Of course you want peace between us now that you’re losing the war. But you are not responsible for the actions of others. They made their choices, and they will face the consequences.” I turned my attention to Snow White, who raised her chin with haughty disdain. “How do you like being trapped and at my mercy?”
“You will not win our war,” she spat. “Prophecy says you will kill me, yes, but I will rise. I will prevail. Me.”
Do not stand, do not stalk across the distance and sink your claws into her throat. “Come closer, stepdaughter.”
When she refused to obey, the vines pushed her in my direction.
“It’s past time you answered for your crimes.” I listed my grievances, one after the other, and tried not to choke on my hatred for her. Must exhibit control. “What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I say you are guilty of being a plague upon humanity.” She kicked out a leg, but swiped only air. “What have you to say?”
Wanting her to hurt the way she had hurt me—deeply, unequivocally, and endlessly—I said, “I enjoyed killing the one you love. His final scream of pain still echoes in my ears. Such beautiful music.”
Kick, kick. The thorns dug deeper, blood trickling from her wounds.
“Soon,” I said, “your screams will join his.”
“Enough! Both of you.” Despite being bound, Prince Charming appeared as powerful and regal as ever. “I know you, Everly. I know you do not enjoy hurting others. Do not start now.”
“Do not do this. Do not do that,” I mocked. Inside, I commanded, Do not soften.
His gaze probed mine. Searching for signs I was still the girl he’d first met?
Once, I’d been an innocent, dreaming of sunshine and rainbows. Once, I’d chosen to believe the best of people. I’d even fooled myself into hoping for a better tomorrow. Once...but no longer.
“If you let the others go,” he said, “I will swear fealty to you, now and always. My sword and kingdom will be yours. My life will be yours.”
“No!” Snow White gasped out. “You can’t—”
“Enough,” he shouted a second time. “Everly?”
My heart leaped, but I somehow maintained a bored expression. “Such a generous offer. Let me think about considering thinking about my answer... Oops, there’s no need. No, no, a thousand times no. Come. Accept the truth. This prophecy—this fairy tale—doesn’t have a happy ending for any of us.”
“But it could. You are one of the sweetest, kindest, wittiest people I’ve ever met.” His gaze was unwavering, his tone heartfelt. “I made mistakes with you, Everly, so many mistakes. I’m asking, no, I’m begging for a chance to right my wrongs. We don’t have to have a happy ending right now, but we can have a happy beginning. We just have to make better choices.”
Too little, too late.
I breathed deeply, in and out, in and out, searching for calm amid Hurricane Charming. The scent of sandalwood and lavender—his scent—filled my nose. Awareness heated my blood and attempted to fracture my defenses.
Well, why not? He was my most wicked fantasy come to startling life.
I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin. “You want me to retreat, but I want to reload. You also fail to comprehend one single, glaring fact.” Motioning to Snow White, I said, “I would eagerly walk into a sword as long as I was able to impale her, too.”
He pursed his lips. “So unwilling to bend.”
“You’re right. I’d much rather break.” I stood and closed the distance between us, the hem of my gown swishing at my feet. “Evil isn’t born. It’s made, one thought and action at a time. Take a good look at what you’ve made.”
His first visual sweep was swift and perfunctory. Then his eyelids hooded, and his irises flamed, every muscle in his body knotting with tension. His second visual sweep was slow, leisurely, devouring me one bite at a time—and I liked it.
“I’m looking,” he rasped. “Don’t want to stop...”
Shivers danced through me. Ignore!
I traced a fingertip along the stubble of his square jaw. “Want to know the difference between us, my darling prince? Oh, excuse me. King.” I glided around him, scrutinizing every inch of him. Could I truly hurt this boy? “I admit I’m bad. You pretend you’re good.”
He turned with me, twisting the vine. Fraying the vine. I gasped, surprised. He took full advantage. Free now, he drove me backward, until my back pressed against a tree trunk. Desire blended with desperation, pulsing from him.
Cupping my jaw with his big, callused hands, he said, “I hurt you when I should have protected you. But I vow to you here and now, I will never hurt you again. Your happiness is, and will always be, my first priority.”
Pull away. My limbs froze, refusing to obey my mind. I stood there, trapped by his powerful magnetism.
“I realized something about my father’s prophecy,” he continued huskily. “Everyone believed a portion of it was mistranslated, that the king would die or the king would thrive, but they were wrong. The king did die. Then a new king rose, and he will thrive. With you at my side.”
The moisture in my mouth dried, and I gulped. “What are you saying?”
“Marry me,” he continued. “Be my wife. Evil has indeed invaded the kingdom, but together, we can fight it. We can defeat it. We can ensure good trumps evil.”
My jaw went slack.
“No,” Snow White shouted. “Stop this. What are you doing? She has surely bewitched you.”
“My king,” his righthand man said. “You cannot—”
“Silence,” Prince Charming bellowed, his gaze never releasing mine. “Say yes, Everly.”
Must stay strong! A single moment of vulnerability could cost me everything—again.
“My vengeance will not be denied.” With the twirl of my finger, new vines snatched Prince Charming and wrenched him back into place. I glided back to my throne and sat with less grace than before. “Do I have your full attention?”
He remained unperturbed. “You’ve had my full attention since the moment we met.”
Ignore the wave of pleasure. Forge ahead.
“I declare all of you guilty of the crimes of which you’ve been accused.” I extended my arm to the side, my hand open. A tree branch stretched toward me and placed a shin
y red apple in the center of my palm. Prophecy proclaimed I would kill Snow White with a poisoned apple—so I would.
As my audience watched, horrified, I used a razor-sharp, metal claw to slice open my own wrist, then coated the other claws in the well of blood. Then I stabbed the claws into the fruit. As blood and magic were absorbed, I gave voice to a very powerful spell. “One bite of this apple, that’s all it will take, and never again will you awake. Unless someone with a heart that is snow white and pure—” I sneered at Snow White and Prince Charming “—gives you true love’s kiss...the only cure.”
Fear shook Snow White when I added, “Only two people in this realm had a pure heart, and you killed them both. So, you will eat this apple, princess, or you will watch me murder everyone you love. Decide. Now.”
She paled, her mouth floundering open and closed. “I...you...”
Prince Charming narrowed his eyes. “This is what you need to have happen, Everly? This will help you heal from the damage we have caused?”
“Without a doubt,” I said, unflinching. Except, I knew I couldn’t heal. My wounds ran too deep.
“Very well.” He held out his hand, and the poisoned apple darted through the air. He caught it, saying, “For you, my queen, I will do anything. Even this.” Gaze locked with mine, he bit into the apple.
Copyright © 2019 by Gena Showalter
ISBN-13: 9781488098994
Shadow and Ice
Copyright © 2018 by Gena Showalter
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 22 Adelaide St. West, 40th Floor, Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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