The streets of New Orleans were still loud and boisterous and full of tourists; the back-seat of the beat-up BMW still smelt like its peppermint air-freshener, and the sky, dazzled with stars, looked down on her with a familiarity that brought tears to her eyes.
She was home.
The doors that led to the courtyard of her childhood home opened to reveal Kay—dressed in torn denim jeans, paired with a white shirt and wearing an oversized cardigan of all different colours—she rushed by the wrought iron and opened her arms.
Tears slipped down Eliza’s cheeks as she dropped her bag and ran into Kay’s waiting arms.
“I missed you,” Eliza sobbed, tears staining the cardigan. “I missed you so much.”
“I am so glad to see that you’re okay,” Kay murmured, voice thick with tears.
Eliza’s bones turned to stone as relief rushed her. Standing there, wrapped in Kay’s arms with her grandfather only an arms-length away, gave her a sense of security she hadn’t felt since leaving home.
Eliza’s smile faltered; she wasn’t sure what she would have done if she didn’t have the support network she had.
“Let’s go inside and have some cake,” Davis said from behind her, breaking her out of her thoughts.
Eliza stood back as her grandfather and Kay headed into the courtyard, where she could see bright yellow balloons and blue streamers waiting for her.
The smile on her face dropped, and she turned to the street.
Sitting in a tree, watching her, was the raven, and beneath it, the Knight.
Eliza offered them both a smile and waved. And before she turned back around, she swore she’d seen the Knight wave back.
Despite the questions that still hung in the back of her mind, itching to be answered, she locked away the ones concerning the raven and the Knight. They were a problem for another day.
The courtyard looked exactly the same, save for a new outdoor seating arrangement Kay must have bought, and the flowers in bloom. Balloons littered the stone floor, some tied to the vines that still grew up the walls and around the balcony. Streamers ran from one side of the balcony to the other, crossing in an overhead lattice of blue, green, and yellow. Eliza could almost imagine the magic and frustration put into it.
At the centre of the courtyard, Kay had set up a table full of food; bowls of chips, cupcakes, a confectionary of skittles, gummy-bears, and sour-worms. A home-made chocolate cake sat in the centre of the table, towering over the rest of the food. Eliza spotted croissants and pastries from a bakery down the street, and she stopped, realising how much she missed junk food.
“Expecting more visitors?” Eliza asked, laughing. She picked up a plastic cup and took a swig of Sprite, wincing at the fizziness after such a long time of only drinking water and ale.
“Well,” a voice behind her said, “I believe most of that is for you, though I think your family wanted us to try chocolate croissants and gummy bears while we were here.”
Eliza spun around and dropped her cup before rushing into Thorne’s waiting arms. “You’re here,” she breathed, feeling the tears stinging at her eyes again. She pulled away, then crumpled into Celia’s waiting embrace. “What are you doing here?”
The smile dropped from his face. “Aren’t you happy to see us?”
“Yes! But…” Eliza trailed off; lips pursed. “I thought you were still in Mesah, in the caverns. I didn’t think I’d see you again until I went back to Cadira. Either of you.”
“We thought we would surprise you,” Celia said, eyes bright. A smile twitched at her lips. “After all, we did decide to work together.”
“We already found the prince.” Mention of the wedding, of her reward buzzed in the back of her mind. “And I have to go back for training now and then there’s...” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“But we haven’t found the Dark Master,” he murmured. His eyes darkened, and Celia nodded in agreement.
Eliza stepped away from them and lifted her chin. Leave it. “I’m going to find him,” she promised, whether for their benefit or hers. “And I will stop him.”
Thorne smiled. “Then I guess we will be doing that together.”
“Agreed,” Celia said with a grin.
Her heart leapt, and she couldn’t help the smile that twisted at her lips. Together.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stephanie Anne grew up in different parts of Australia before her parents settled down in a small beachside town in northern New South Wales when she was twelve. There, she developed her love of reading, and began penning The Lost Prince Of Cadira, amongst other books.
Currently, she is in her second year of Griffith University, completing her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Literary Studies. She lives with her two roommates and little sister on the Gold Coast, and can usually be found hiding in her office, watching Criminal Minds, or drinking too much coffee.
https://www.stephanieanneauthor.com/
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I want to thank you for reading this book! Without the continued support of so many people, I would not be publishing this book now. Since I sat down to write my first book, I’ve wanted to be an author. I immediately knew that’s all I could ever be, all I ever wanted to be, and without the amazing support from my mum, Jenny, and close friends and family, I wouldn’t be writing this.
I need to thank my mum, Jennifer, most of all. Without her, I wouldn’t be a writer. She is the reason why I am here today. My sister, Emily. She’s been a little helpful but mostly just there (she’s going to kill me if she reads this). But she deserves a huge thanks for proofreading this book, because I wouldn’t have finished without her!
My beautiful friends: Jess C., Jess P., Jess W. (there’s a couple of them), Carlie, Kim, and Ally. They became my home away from home, my family, and without their continued help and support I wouldn’t have had the confidence to push through my doubts to get to this stage.
While writing and developing this book, I need to thank, my co-writer, best friend, beta reader, the person I go to with every idea—Dee. She read the very first draft of this book, way back when we were both writers on Wattpad. She’s helped me since, and I wouldn’t be here without her. We’ve got a long road ahead of us, and I can’t wait to have her on every next step.
To my critique partner, Caitlin. I don’t think you realise just how much you helped me with this book! The hours spent talking on the phone, the messages, the pep talks and brainstorming did so much to push me.
Also to my beta readers, Jennifer, Leeva, Ashley, Dee, Jenny, Eme, Dani, Marika, Lauren, and Karla—who all read previous drafts, and were instrumental in these final beta rounds and edits. You were all beyond helpful, and this wouldn’t be finished without you.
My editor, Chloe Hodge, who has been so great and supportive since I booked with her in 2019. She did an amazing job with the copy-edits of this book, and I am so grateful to have gotten the chance to work with her.
And finally, my beautiful cover designer, Celin. She created such a beautiful set of covers for this book. Getting to work with her has been such a blessing, and she has become such an amazing support for this book! I cannot wait to continue our friendship and journey together.
I can’t leave without thanking you, the reader. Your support is instrumental. You will keep me writing.
I hope everyone has enjoyed the beginning of Eliza’s journey. 2021 will bring you the next book in her story. The Shadowland Saga has only just begun.
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ok with friends
The Lost Prince of Cadira (Shadowland Saga Book 1) Page 38