Crown of Danger (The Hidden Mage Book 2)
Page 25
And that was even assuming the letter had actually come from Jareth. How had he managed to write it and give it to the maid? None of it made any sense.
And yet, now that I had read the note, neither could I entirely dismiss it. If Jareth’s intention had been to unsettle me, then he had succeeded.
The tiniest of thoughts wormed into the back of my mind. I pictured Jareth’s voice and face when he cried his brother’s name as Darius lay dying. And I remembered the sensation I had always had that there was something strange about Jareth—something wrong on some level that defied conscious analysis.
What if there really was something going on beyond surface appearances? What if some other threat truly did exist? The very fact that Jareth had found a way to get this note to me suggested he might not be as securely locked up as I had believed.
Again, that was if the note even came from him, although I couldn’t imagine who else would have written it or what reason they could have to forge such a letter.
And, perhaps more importantly than all, what if—impossible as it seemed—there was some explanation for Jareth’s actions? I knew I was grasping at anything, however unlikely, because I wanted to see the light return to Darius’s eyes, but the thought had taken root now. I couldn’t ignore this note.
I watched the walls of Bronton approach. Soon I would be back home among family, and I would have access to vastly more resources. I would ask for a law enforcement composition, the kind that could confirm if a letter was written by the signed name.
Once I knew if this was truly a note from Jareth, I could consider my next move. I had already decided on returning to Kallorway, now I would just return forewarned. If there was some threat we had yet to perceive, then Darius, Bryony, and I would find it together. If there was some excuse for Jareth’s actions—however slight—then I would help Darius to see it. And if this was just some mind game from Jareth, then I would put an end to that, too.
I wasn’t alone, and despite what he seemed determined to think, Darius wasn’t either. Second year hadn’t turned out how either of us expected, but we had still won a great victory. Darius would have his crown, and Ardann would have an alliance.
I pushed aside the grim sense of foreboding that lurked at the back of my mind. I had a new ability, more powerful than I had yet let myself fully contemplate. And while I couldn’t bring myself to commit it to the service of any one kingdom, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it to save my friends. If there was a threat lurking, waiting to pounce, then I would face it head on and defeat it. I was no longer powerless, and I defied anyone to hurt the people I loved.
Note from the Author
Read about Verene’s third year at the Kallorwegian Academy in Crown of Strength.
If you missed it, you can also read about the adventures of Verene’s mother, Elena, when she attends the Ardannian Academy as a commonborn and becomes the Spoken Mage, starting in Voice of Power.
To be informed of future releases, as well as Hidden Mage bonus shorts, please sign up to my mailing list at www.melaniecellier.com.
And if you enjoyed Crown of Danger, please spread the word and help other readers find it! You could start by leaving a review on Amazon (or Goodreads or Facebook or any other social media site). Your review would be very much appreciated and would make a big difference!
Acknowledgments
Verene’s second year at the Academy expanded the world of Kallorway somewhat, but I look forward to exploring it further in her third year. While I enjoy writing my standalone fairytales, it’s always nice to write a book where I’m coming back to familiar, established characters and settings. And it’s fun to weave in plot threads, knowing I’ll have the chance to explore them in future books, and to journey with characters through a longer arc of growth and change.
But at the same time, 2020 has brought plenty of challenges, and I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to keep writing and publishing through them all if it wasn’t for my supportive family and team.
My beta readers were a wonderful source of encouragement with this book, in particular, Rachel, Greg, Ber, Katie, Priya, and my mum. And my editors—Mary, Deborah, and my dad—went above and beyond to stay flexible and work with my timeline. It’s only because of your support that I can turn raw words into a published book in the midst of the current tumult of my life.
The further I get into this publishing career, the more I realize how valuable it is to find skilled and reliable professionals to work with, so as well as my editors, I want to give an extra big thank you to my cover designer, Karri, who has never let me down in any way.
And to my friends and family, your patience with me is appreciated so much, and I look forward to a new season in 2021. I intend to never again combine a pregnancy and house move with an intense, aspirational writing schedule!
And finally to God. Thank you for being reliable even when I am not, and faithful and loving when I need it most.
About the Author
Melanie Cellier grew up on a staple diet of books, books and more books. And although she got older, she never stopped loving children’s and young adult novels.
She always wanted to write one herself, but it took three careers and three different continents before she actually managed it.
She now feels incredibly fortunate to spend her time writing from her home in Adelaide, Australia where she keeps an eye out for koalas in her backyard. Her staple diet hasn’t changed much, although she’s added choc mint Rooibos tea and Chicken Crimpies to the list.
She writes young adult fantasy including books in her Spoken Mage world, and her three Four Kingdoms and Beyond series which are made up of linked stand-alone stories that retell classic fairy tales.
Also by Melanie Cellier
The Four Kingdoms
The Princess Companion: A Retelling of The Princess and the Pea (Book One)
The Princess Fugitive: A Reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood (Book Two)
The Coronation Ball: A Four Kingdoms Cinderella Novelette
Happily Every Afters: A Reimagining of Snow White and Rose Red (Novella)
The Princess Pact: A Twist on Rumpelstiltskin (Book Three)
A Midwinter's Wedding: A Retelling of The Frog Prince (Novella)
The Princess Game: A Reimagining of Sleeping Beauty (Book Four)
The Princess Search: A Retelling of The Ugly Duckling (Book Five)
Beyond the Four Kingdoms
A Dance of Silver and Shadow: A Retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses (Book One)
A Tale of Beauty and Beast: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast (Book Two)
A Crown of Snow and Ice: A Retelling of The Snow Queen (Book Three)
A Dream of Ebony and White: A Retelling of Snow White (Book Four)
A Captive of Wing and Feather: A Retelling of Swan Lake (Book Five)
A Princess of Wind and Wave: A Retelling of The Little Mermaid (Book Six)
Return to the Four Kingdoms
The Secret Princess: A Retelling of The Goose Girl (Book One)
The Mystery Princess: A Retelling of Cinderella (Book Two)
The Spoken Mage
Voice of Power (Book One)
Voice of Command (Book Two)
Voice of Dominion (Book Three)
Voice of Life (Book Four)
Power of Pen and Voice: A Spoken Mage Companion Novel
The Hidden Mage
Crown of Secrets (Book One)
Crown of Danger (Book Two)
Crown of Strength (Book Three)
Crown of Power (Book Four) coming in 2021
e(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share