The Rise of the Dawnstar (The Avalonia Chronicles Book 2)

by Farah Oomerbhoy

  “I was the one who received the information about Rafe,” explained Penelope. “I’ve been keeping an eye on him since I got back. When I passed through Brandor I positioned at least a dozen spies all over the kingdom. I told Izadora about it when she came to see me because I thought I could help her understand why you don’t want to marry Tristan and why you shouldn’t be forced to.”

  I nodded. “Go on.”

  Penelope wrung her hands. “What I didn’t know was that she would only tell you a part of the information and let you jump to conclusions.”

  “What conclusions? Penelope, what are you saying? Izadora told me he was in Brandor and the Brandorians had a royal wedding at the Red Citadel, the palace of the Emir of Sanria, Katerina’s father. What other conclusion could there be?”

  “Rafe was in Brandor,” said Penelope patiently, “that part is true, and there was a wedding.” She paused and looked me in the eye. “But not his.”

  “What!” I stood up. Heads turned and I lowered my voice. “How can this be?”

  “What Izadora failed to tell you was that the wedding in Brandor was Santino’s. Not Katerina and Rafe’s.”

  My mouth fell open. I felt like I was being suffocated. I couldn’t breathe.

  “Then why did Rafe go there if it wasn’t for Katerina?” I was so confused.

  “Santino married your aunt, Serena Silverthorne.”

  “What?” I shook my head. No! No, it couldn’t be possible!

  She nodded. “Yes. Apparently when Santino was at Silverthorne Castle in Eldoren, negotiating with Rafe on behalf of his father, the pirate prince met and fell in love with your Aunt Serena. Rafe escorted Serena and Erien to Brandor to make sure they arrived safely.”

  “And Katerina?” I whispered, barely taking a breath.

  “Rafe has rejected the emir’s offer to wed Katerina.”

  “But what about his kingdom?” I asked. “He needs Santino’s army to take back his throne from the Blackwaters.”

  “He knows that,” said Penelope, “but he has rejected the offer all the same. My informant also sent word that Prince Rafael has announced he will not marry until he regains his throne.”

  I couldn’t breathe. How could my grandmother do this to me? She knew how much I loved Rafe, and she’d fed on my insecurities and let me believe he had accepted the emir’s offer and gotten married. She knew that if I’d found out Rafe was not marrying Katerina, I would have waited for him. I would have never agreed to get engaged to Tristan, whatever my grandmother might say.

  What had I done?

  Izadora had tricked me, and I had fallen into her trap. She knew she couldn’t force me to do what she wanted anymore, so she made me believe she had my best interests at heart. Maybe she did believe this was best for me, but that didn’t make it right. She had not changed, she was still the cunning manipulator she always had been, and I fell for her act.

  Tristan came up behind me. “May I have a dance with my betrothed?” he breathed into my ear, his breath warm on my bare shoulders.

  I turned to face him and nodded, trying to force a smile when my heart was breaking in two. Poor Tristan deserved better than this; he deserved someone who would love him and no other. But that person wasn’t me, for I would always be in love with Rafe.

  Tristan’s sapphire eyes sparkled as he smiled at me and took my hand. I plastered a smile on my face and followed him to the dance floor.

  The musicians played a haunting melody as Tristan swept me up in his arms and twirled me around the dance floor. Onlookers smiled at us, probably thinking we were the happiest couple in the world. They would never know I was slowly building a wall around my heart and one day no one would be able to get through. I had been hurt enough, but no more.

  As we danced I saw a figure in a black cloak standing at the far end of the hall near the great arched doors leading out to the garden. He was watching us intently, leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe.

  The music stopped and people clapped. But I stood frozen on the dance floor.

  My breath hitched in my throat as the figure removed his hood and my hand flew to my mouth.

  It couldn’t be!

  Rafe! He was here. He had come back for me, like he said he would. But it was too late. I was already engaged to someone else.

  Our eyes locked across the crowded hall and his lips curved up in a half-smile. A smile that held all the promise of being the last one I would ever see. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, as I gazed at the devastatingly handsome figure of the Prince of Eldoren.

  Rafe bowed, his dark gaze never leaving my face. I could see the hurt and betrayal in his eyes, eyes I could get lost in for a thousand years. He knew what had happened, he knew I had consented to marry Tristan.

  My heart broke all over again as Prince Rafael Ravenswood turned on his heel, his obsidian cloak billowing around him like a dark shadow, and disappeared into the moonlit night.

  Next up for Aurora…

  Book Three: The Return of the Dragon Queen

  Read a short excerpt on the next page

  The Return of the Dragon Queen: Prologue

  “I am disappointed, Morgana,” said a deep voice from the shadows.

  A thunderstorm raged outside the Star Palace and lightning flashed, revealing a man sitting in a high-backed velvet armchair. His face was worn and darkened by the sun. A short white beard covered his face, and his hair was peppered with numerous salty strands. Rain pelted incessantly against the ornate windowpanes, which rattled in the wind. Two massive fireplaces glowed in the darkness, throwing fleeting shadows around the room.

  “It’s not my fault we lost Elfi,” said Morgana, turning away from him and standing in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames as they danced before her. Smoke and a cloying sweet scent filled the space, making it difficult to breathe. “Lucian underestimated the girl. I will not make the same mistake.”

  The man’s dark eyes narrowed. He wore plain black robes and no adornments on his neck or fingers. He set his lips in a thin line as he reclined with his elbows on the armrests, his fingers linked together in front of him. “You should have gone yourself. You should have taken the Dagger to Elfi and exterminated the fae once and for all. You still fear the fae queen. Now, because of your cowardice, Abraxas has returned, and they are one step closer to destroying the book.”

  Morgana’s shoulders straightened. “I am not afraid of her. I didn’t want to risk losing the Dagger in the battle. Now the Grand Duchess of the Day Court thinks to bargain with me, the High Queen of Avalonia.” A feral sneer formed on her face. “I will have to give her a reminder as to who exactly she is dealing with. I will go and retrieve the book from Andromeda myself.”

  “You’d better. I cannot afford any more mistakes. And don’t forget who made you high queen. I can just as easily unmake you.”

  Morgana pushed her shoulders back. “The battle at Elfi was merely a setback. Brandor has confirmed their support. We are moving the goods to the dwarven fortress of Greygate as we speak. Once we secure an alliance with the dwarves, you shall have your new weapons, and our armies will decimate the fae. Avalonia will be ours before winter sets in.”

  “Good!” The man clasped his hands in front of him. “Have you appointed a new archmage?”

  Morgana nodded. “He is on his way to Eldoren.”

  He studied her, his eyes narrowed. “And the girl?”

  “I will handle her,” said Morgana.

  “No!” The man pushed himself up slowly from his chair.

  “I will handle the girl.”

  “I can stop her—give me another chance.”

  He shook his head. “This has gone on too long, Morgana. I left it to you, and you failed. I told you not to kill her, that we need her alive, but you didn’t listen. My plans are far too important to leave anything to chance. Not when the Dark Lord is ready to rise. I told you to capture Aurora Firedrake, but you didn’t. You had a chance to stop her in the ruins and you let h
er go. Now she’s back with powers that no one has ever seen before. But we still need her for the final part of the plan. You just do as I tell you. I want the girl in my possession before winter sets in.”

  A faint smile curved Morgana’s lips, cruel and sinister as she looked at the man before her, the expression in his eyes identical to her own. “It shall be done, Father.”

  End of Sample

  To continue reading, be sure to pick up The Return of the Dragon Queen at your favorite retailer.

  Acknowledgments

  I am so grateful to so many wonderful individuals for their support, help, and guidance throughout this whole process, without whom this book would have never reached its full potential.

  To my family, my rock—none of this would be possible without you.

  To the phenomenal Kate Tilton, I would be completely lost without you. Thank you for your help and unwavering support.

  To my amazing mentor, Laura Zats, and the wonderful team at Wise Ink Creative Publishing, especially Dara Beevas, Amy Quale, Patrick Maloney, and Roseanne Cheng. As always it has been great working with you. Thank you for believing in me and my books and helping me to realize my dreams.

  To my superb editor, Amanda Rutter, for your keen insight, patience, and guidance, which have helped me improve my writing and create a book that is the best possible version of itself.

  To my awesome cover designer, Scarlett Rugers, for your magical touch in capturing the essence of the book and creating a spellbinding cover. Many thanks to Steven Meyer-Rassow for reimagining the cover for the stunning paperback edition. I must also thank Jade Zivanovic and Joshua Stolarz for their beautifully detailed depictions of the map of Avalonia. I also want to thank Christie Stratos for her meticulous proofreading, and Kim Morehead for her beautiful interior design.

  And finally a big thank you to all my lovely readers and fans who have supported The Avalonia Chronicles from the very beginning. You are the reason I write.

  About the Author

  Farah Oomerbhoy is the international bestselling author of The Avalonia Chronicles. Her first book, The Last of the Firedrakes, was originally published on Wattpad where it gained over two million reads and a Watty Award. Since publication, her debut has gone on to win a silver medal in IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Awards and the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards, along with winning a finalist placement in the USA Best Book Awards. Farah loves the fantastical and magical and often dreams of living in Narnia, Neverland, or the Enchanted Forest. With a master’s degree in English literature from the University of Mumbai, Farah spends her creative time crafting magical worlds for young adults. She lives with her family in Mumbai, India.

  FarahOomerbhoy.com

  Farah@FarahOomerbhoy.com