“You don’t deserve to call yourself King.”
My father stood, waving off the guards. He walked down the stairs that led to the throne and stood in front of me.
I’m sorry, Charlotte. I love you, I thought, as if she could feel it.
“You will die by my hand for selling Vires. Hundreds of years of history gone. What did he offer you? How much gold does your dignity cost?”
I raised my sword, my father frozen beneath it.
And nothing, nothing will ever come between us.
“Brother,” a voice sounded from beside the throne. Who dare interfere? Sumin? No.
I turned, struck with paralysis as Young walked toward me. Mouth agape, I reached my hand out to the phantom, but with bone and flesh, he took it. I dropped my sword, the clang of it jolting me awake. Young. I reached out and wiped his cheek with my thumb, the wetness of it still warm. “You’re alive?”
I shook a miraculous moment drug into an endless loop. Face to face with my fallen brother. How? He’d been dead for five years. It was impossible. I'd heard him die. Hadn't I? Yet, like a phoenix from the ashes, he stood before me unharmed—years older as if the dimension he passed through bore the same time rules as this. Was it magic? Was it divine intervention?
“It’s my fault,” Young said, his voice a sound I feared I'd never hear again. Dazed and overwhelmed, I turned to my father, his emotion cracking through. The hurt of my words no different from what he must’ve said to himself a thousand times. There in his wounded eyes were all the answers and, at once, I understood.
I turned back to Young, the boyish curves of his face, straight and pointed, and the kindness in his eyes still present. He was an inch taller, his muscles strong and defined as mine had been years ago. His hair was grown out past his ears, his eyes mirroring the awe within me. I clutched his shirt as if at any moment he’d slip through my fingers.
My father had made a difficult choice, and I'd judged him too quickly. I should have thrown myself to the kind king’s feet and apologized, but I couldn’t let go of my brother. With my free arm, I reached for my father and pulled him in for a hug. We all cried a mix of tearful sorrow and laughter. Our kingdom belonged to Arthur now, but he'd traded something more precious than gold. Arthur's hidden currency: love. I wiped my face, but the tears kept falling. “Father,” I croaked, “I would have made that deal.” I sobbed. “I’m sorry.”
I meant it, but all hope of avoiding war with Camelot came to an abrupt halt the second the deal was made. Vires wouldn't go quietly. Sumin watched from his seat at the side of the throne. He smiled weakly, an endearing glow I hadn’t seen in him in many years.
Young lifted his chin, looking me in the eyes. I wondered if I’d ever get used to seeing him like this. “We’ll get her back,” he said. The word her on his lips lit a fire in my chest, leaving me with more questions than answers.
“Appa,” a small voice called, drawing the attention of all of us. Morgana trotted past the soldiers, wormed her way between my father, Young, and me, and wrapped her arms around my legs. I picked her up. “Appa,” she said. “Why are you crying?”
I looked up at Young, his eyes a tempest—the odd ends of the human emotional spectrum mixing. Dangerous. Combustible but serene.
War with Camelot and its allied kingdoms was imminent, and Charlotte was locked away in Arthur’s castle, but I felt something far worse was on the horizon—a war for something more precious than a kingdom. Life is cruelly balanced. Young was alive and, in his place, something had to die.
It’s not until the sun is setting that I remember how brief a time we have. In a matter of moments, the glorious rays of light are swallowed by the horizon and we’re all plunged into darkness once again.
Author’s Note
Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed Kingdom Soul and are fired up for the final book in the Kingdom Cold trilogy, Kingdom Untold. One must lose.
Kingdom Untold is available for pre-order so make sure you grab your copy.
I am incredibly thankful that you’ve invested so much of your time into this series. If you’re loving the journey please share it with a friend. It would also mean the world to me if you could review Kingdom Soul. I had originally planned to make Kingdom Cold a standalone novel, but the kind words of encouragement that I found in the reviews, prompted my decision to turn it into a trilogy. If you can’t think of anything you’d like to say, you can just rate the book with stars. I celebrate each review.
Thank you so much for your support. I can’t wait to share the epic final chapter of the Kingdom Cold Trilogy with you.
Feel free to reach out to me on any of my social media accounts, or join my mailing list for a chance to receive a free ARC for all my upcoming books.
PS: If you’re looking for a more cheerful story with a slower pace, I have another novel called, Red Ribbon Tree that might interest you. (Available in KU)
About the Author
BRITTNI CHENELLE currently lives in Seoul, Korea which inspires her multicultural fantasy books. Her favorite genres to read and write are Young Adult Fantasy, Young Adult Romance, Fairytale Retellings, and Young Adult Dystopian novels. She's very passionate about equal representation and makes a point to include characters from different backgrounds and cultures in her Fantasy stories.
This is Brittni’s fourth book.
Kingdom Cold Series
Book 1: Kingdom Cold
Book 2: Kingdom Soul
Book 3: Kingdom Untold
Also by Brittni Chenelle
Kingdom Cold Series
Kingdom Untold (Book 3)
MG Fantasy
Red Ribbon Tree
Children’s Picture Book
Life with Beetie
Kingdom Soul Page 14
