by K.N. Lee
Her heart sank and she dropped the basket and turned to run toward the village.
“What is it?” Tomas asked as he ran after her.
“Dragons!”
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An Exclusive Look at The Red Queen
Graduating high school was a piece of cake. Try surviving a college where fairies make up the cheerleading squad, doorways open to other worlds, and finals are life or death. Literally.
Welcome to Wonderland University.
Witches, wizards, and warriors.
Iracebeth has one more year of sorcery training before she sits on the throne as the Red Queen of Wonderland. But, each day with her arch-nemesis, Alice proves to be more of a brutal eternity when her life starts to systematically fall apart. Did she have to steal her boyfriend, friends, and every hope for happiness?
For once, Beth is tired of being the perfect princess. With the help of her hot Dark Arts advisor, Professor Hatter, this year, she's going to fight back. Poor little Alice has no idea what's coming.
Prepare for an epic paranormal romance series by New York Times bestselling author, K.N. Lee that flips fairy-tales and dives into the world of our favorite villains.
This is a standalone novella perfect for fans of Harry Potter.
From Chapter One
While pixies buzzed outside the glass walls of the Hall of Dark Arts, the urge to play with magic overwhelmed Beth. Her nerves were shot, and lack of sleep made it difficult to keep from throwing small sparks of white light into the air with her fingertips.
Bored. That’s what she was as she rolled out of bed that morning and headed to the first course of her senior year. As she wound a lock of raven-black hair around her finger, electricity flowed within. Still, she kept it at bay. Such an ability was addictive, especially after years of developing her strengths and learning how to control what unique gift she’d been born with. She chewed her bottom lip and sighed as she and the other ninety-nine students in the stadium-seating lecture hall waited for their professor.
“I hear he’s very strict,” Lora whispered while peering down at an ancient book on possession and soul-stealing. “Like a drill sergeant.”
“I hear finals are killer. At least fifteen percent of each class either flunks out or dies each year.”
“Yes, Constance,” Beth said. “Don’t be so dramatic. We know.” She hadn’t been studying relentlessly all summer for nothing. It wasn’t a rumor that students died during their finals. It was fact. Her older sister’s best friend had did during a duel. She’d attended the funeral.
Finals were no joke.
Constance shrugged. “Just saying.”
With long white hair and peaches and cream colored skin, she resembled both the mermaids of her kingdom and the humans who lived above the sea. That was her unique lineage that made her stand out from nearly everyone on campus. That, and her shimmering silver eyes.
Constance, on the other hand, was human just like Beth. Her long blue hair reached the back of her knees, and her pale skin refused to tan no matter how hot the sun became or how long they lay under it. Her glass-blue eyes always seemed to look directly into your soul, and so Beth usually avoided looking right into them. Even though they were best friends, she had some secrets she never wanted to see the light of day.
Beth yawned and Lora continued. “But, Professor Hatter is supposed to be a hard ass, a bit mad, but fair at least. Can’t say the same about some of the other professors.”
“Like Coach Hook,” Constance said, tapping her pen on the desk that folded over their laps. “Why do all of the strict professors have to be hotties? Totally not fair. I hear Professor Hatter is hot…like movie-star hot. Not that Beth cares. She’s still hung up on Chess. The purple-haired freak. Why would you want to date a Cheshire cat shifter, anyway? Gross.”
“Well, he is quite dreamy. I would have scooped him up if Beth hadn’t first,” Lora said. Then, she lifted a brow. “Have you heard from him, yet?”
Shaking her head, Beth sighed inwardly. She knew they’d bring it up. The fact that she hadn’t heard from her boyfriend all summer didn’t help her nerves or the fact that insomnia had reared its ugly head once again.
“Sorry, love. I’m sure he was just busy with his usual family stuff. But, look at how lucky you are. While I’m stuck with Rumpelstiltskin, you get Professor Hatter as your advisor. That must count for something,” Lora said.
“I don’t know how lucky she is. He’s Alice’s advisor as well,” Constance said with a frown. “She’s been copying poor Beth since freshman year. Like a little leech. I bet she requested him on purpose.”
Beth shrugged, feigning nonchalance. Yet, she curled her fist around a pen and nearly snapped it in half. The mention of Alice’s name sent ice through her veins. Of course, Alice requested him. She wasn’t surprised. It was that girl’s sole goal in life to be a pest to Beth.
“Whatever. I really don’t care what Alice does. I’d appreciate if we didn’t bring her name up again,” she said.
“Sure,” Constance said, giving Beth’s shoulder a squeeze. “One more year and you’re free of your little protégé.”
Beth grimaced. “All that matters is that I pass this year’s courses with straight A’s. My parents would kill me. I can’t come home and show my face unless I am valedictorian.”
“They can’t kill you. You’re the future queen of the Red Throne.” Constance snorted, a bit too loudly and several other seniors at Wonderland University of Supernatural & Combat Studies turned around to look at her.
“Keep your voice down,” Beth whispered.
“I’m just saying. No one would dare give you less than an A,” Constance said, turning her blue-eyed gaze on Beth. “And, of course you’ll be valedictorian. Even if you decide to stop showing up for class, no one’s going to not give you that title, your majesty.”
“Don’t give me that,” Beth said. “We’re all equals here.”
“As equal as a filet mignon and a hot dog,” Constance said with a snicker.
“Fair enough,” Beth said.
The double doors to the lecture hall opened, and in walked their professor—the wizard they’d all heard about since they began their first year at the University. Now, as seniors, this was to be their toughest course.
Dark Arts 101.
For most students, this single course could determine their place in the world. Consequently, Iracebeth, Lora, and Constance were all royalty, known around campus as The Princess Pack.
Constance was referred to by many as the Snow Princess, future queen of an icy land just north of Wonderland, and Lora preferred to keep her title as the Sea Witch, and not princess at all, despite her parents ruling much of the cluster of islands just south.
Their paths were set. That didn’t mean they didn’t sweat a bit thinking about the stories they’d heard about Professor Hatter.
Beth selected him for a reason. Not only was he from Wonderland, but he was the best dark wizard in the entire school.
All chatter ceased as he walked into the room, carrying a stack of folders and a laptop satchel at his hip.
Beth leaned forward and licked her lips. “Goodness, you weren’t kidding, Constance.”
Despite the glasses on his face, he was astonishingly handsome. He couldn’t have been more than thirty, with dark wavy auburn hair cut short, a tall athletic frame, and the style of a trendy librarian. With a collared shirt under an evergreen sweater and dark charcoal-colored slacks, he was just the kind of guy Beth avoided. She usually went for soldiers, or warriors-in-training.
But, there was something alluring about Professor Hatter, especially when he cast his green-eyed gaze directly at her as she were the only person in the room.
Her cheeks flushed red even though she tried to play it cool.
“Seems we have our future queen in this room,” he said, lifting his wire-rimmed glasses up.
Everyone turned to look at Beth and she gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. It w
asn’t a secret on campus. Most people knew exactly who she was and gave her the respect her title afforded her. Still, she wasn’t keen on being called out.
“Come on down,” Professor Hatter said, a mischievous smile coming to his lips. “You can be the first volunteer of the semester.”
Constance nudged her, and Beth tried to hide her fear. What was she volunteering for?
She came to her feet and sidestepped her way past the other students in her row to head down the narrow stairs that led to the front of the classroom. As she walked closer to him, her heart began to thump harder, louder inside her chest. From this distance, she noticed that he had freckles across his nose and cheeks, and a strong jawline. He was a warrior in geek clothing.
She absently smoothed the front of her red dress. “What’s the lesson?”
He held a hand out toward her, and a brief warning sparked in her belly.
The classroom was so silent, she could hear her own heartbeat and how her breaths quickened as she took his hand and he guided her to stand right before him.
“Right,” he began. “As you all must know by now, I am Professor Stuart Hatter, your guide through the most difficult subject you’ll ever learn. The Dark Arts.”
Beth didn’t like the change in his tone as he said those words. They were menacing. She looked down, realizing that he hadn’t let go of her hand and she held in a breath as he pulled her even closer to his chest.
Her mind whirled at the first whiff of his intoxicating scent. She was certain her lashes fluttered as she drew in another breath of the tangy aroma of cedar and mint. From what she knew, he was one of the greatest wizards ever to be born in Wonderland and lived in an old castle in the middle of the Dead Forest.
“Tell me,” he said, lowering his voice. “Do you feel this?”
Beth gasped as a rush of cold filled her veins. It was euphoric and exhilarating.
She nodded as her eyes went to his full lips. She licked hers and flickered her gaze back up to his. “Yes, what’s happening?”
He tilted his head and lifted her into the air. When he let go of her hand, she reached down to hold her skirt around her legs as a gust of wind blew her higher into the air.
Eyes widened, she looked down at the classroom as she hovered a few feet above their heads. A collective gasp of awe erupted from the students as Beth began to spin.
“Whoa,” she whispered as she spun and her hair wrapped around her face
“What you see here,” Professor Hatter said. “Is a simple levitation spell. Maybe one day, after years of practice, you’ll be able to master this art on both a willing subject and yourself.”
Professor Hatter flew into the air and wrapped his arms around Beth’s waist. Their eyes locked as he slowly led her back down to the floor.
She swallowed as her feet found their footing.
College just got exponentially more interesting.
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First Look: Court of Shadows
“You may not see us, but we are there; watching you, protecting you, and fighting the demons who want your soul.”
From my prison, I looked out to the dark world that stretched for miles below.
The White Tower had been home for ten years, and each year I had beheld the same landscape.
Snow. Ice. Darkness.
Sometimes the wind would howl so loudly that the echo on the stone walls would keep me awake for hours. Not even the fire could warm me, and so I was used to being cold. To being alone.
Mother had always told me that one day life would change—that I would be free.
Maybe even more than free.
That was before the humans had taken her and father away and burned them at the stake—before my grandmother convinced King Aerion to imprison me instead of executing me. No one found it particularly becoming of a man to kill a little girl, especially when she had yet to display any signs that she’d inherited the stain of magic.
He had agreed. But, the fear of death hovered above me like a black cloud.
Even as I finished hanging my washing above the fire, I wasn’t sure what to expect when the sound of horses broke me from my daydream. The heat of the fire warmed my face as I dried my wet hands on my apron.
For years, I had watched the world below churn with snow and darkness. But, that night, there was light.
I pushed open the window and shivered at the bitter wind as it swept in and lifted my golden hair. To my relief, it wasn’t the king’s soldiers.
It was a carriage of black and gold.
I leaned out the window, gawking at how the gold embellishments glittered beneath the bright moon.
“You don’t see one of those everyday,” I muttered.
“Aye,” Kala, my white dire wolf agreed. “Not in the Outlands of Pythra, anyway.”
In the midst of a snow storm, a beautiful woman stepped from the covered carriage in a gray fur cloak with a wolf’s head that reached the ankles of her black boots. She didn’t walk to the entrance of the White Tower.
She flew.
Her long hair cascaded down her back in red waves, and her green eyes glittered beneath her lashes. Even in the dark, I could see them, for they glowed.
“A fairy,” I said, eyes wide with awe. “Someone will surely kill her for showing off her magic in such a way. How is this possible?”
“We will have to see,” Kala said.
“I can’t believe it,” I said, closing the window against the cold. I leaned back against the wall, wondering if this was a dream. “A real fairy.”
“You’re a real fairy,” Kala said, glancing up at me with ice-blue eyes that glittered in the dim candlelight.
“Perhaps,” I said, taking off my apron and hanging it on a hook behind the door. “I may have a bit of fairy blood, but, not enough to fly.”
“We don’t know that,” she whispered.
With raised brows, I snorted. “Oh, but we do. I’ve tried.” I rubbed my elbow, remembering the pain of my countless failed attempts.
With my ear pressed to the door, I tried to listen in on what she said to the warden. It was fruitless. I was high up in the tower and the door was made of thick stone.
I jumped when it was unlocked for the first time in years, and two guards awaited outside.
Frozen, my eyes darted from one armored guard to the next. With their swords pointed my way, and shields held out to block whatever they feared I would do to them, I realized they were afraid of me.
That was odd. Why would anyone fear me? A more pressing question came to me as the guards made a passage in between them. “Come, girl,” one of them demanded.
Could it truly be the day I had dreamed of? Was I to be set free?
Still, I couldn’t move. All I could do was look to my right and my left at the place I’d called home since I was five years old. My grandmother had visited often. She’d brought me books, and furs, and knitted blankets. She’d tried her best to give me the comforts I needed to keep my sanity.
Nothing she sent was as valuable as Kala. She was my greatest treasure—my only treasure.
My only friend.
Kala stood beside me. While I tried to keep my fear at bay, there was strength and courage in her eyes.
“Is it time?”
Licking my cracked lips, I nodded despite the pain of the sting I’d awakened. “I think so.”
I mustered my courage and stepped from my tiny prison. The cold followed me outside into the corridor as we walked along the narrow hall to the staircase that led to the bottom of the tower.
There she was. The fairy. My heart skipped a beat as I remembered her face from long ago. The memory of her having tea with mother and father just the night before their arrest returned to me.
“My goodness,” she said. “What a lovely little lady you’ve grown up to be.”
Nervous and tense, I almost smiled at the compliment. But, the truth was, I wasn’t sure how to feel.
“Do you remember me? I am Queen Sorcha
of Faedryn.”
“I do.” How could I forget?
She’d taken a sample of my blood with the tip of her enchanted dagger. A little girl would never forget such a thing, no matter how much time had passed.
“The war is over, and you are free to leave.”
My knees buckled and with widened eyes, my breaths quickened. “Are you certain?”
“I am,” she said, stepping closer and taking my hands into hers. She stared down at them, stroking my rough skin with her thumbs. “I am sorry for how you’ve been mistreated for so long. But, your people have fought long and hard with the Pythrans. And, we’ve won.”
Picturing armies of magic-born fighting against humans left my stomach in knots. “They fought…for me?”
“Of course, they did. And now, I will take you to where you belong. To Allandria.”
When I noticed that the warden and the guards were nowhere to be seen, I knew it to be true. Despite my wariness, I nodded and was spirited away out into the cold. I did not ask questions, or delay my escape.
No. I was ready.
Whatever was before me would be better than a life of imprisonment. With Kala by my side, I climbed into the carriage and was wrapped in a heavy fur cloak.
If I was dreaming, I did not want to wake up ever again. I was free for the first time since I was a child.
A cold night with snow falling in torrents was the setting for my journey into the darkness of my fated future. My destiny. It was the day of my fifteenth birthday that night when the beautiful fairy took me away from the White Tower.
My heart continued to race, and my muscles remained tense even as Kala snuggled close and kept me warm—even as we said goodbye to Pythra.
The humans were never my tribe, and each day on their soil was one day closer to my death.
No, I wasn’t born to die such an uneventful death.
I was Princess Celeste Delacord of the kingdom of Mordigan.