No, a dark little voice whispered inside my head, you’ll be choosing your own selfish desires over the good of your family.
“It won’t be only music you learn,” my mother said softly. “You’ll learn to read. You’ll have a proper education.”
I could hear the persuasion in her voice, but it was entirely unnecessary. I already wanted those things – that wasn’t the problem. “The pigs need me,” I said, my voice sounding tight in my own ears because it wasn’t really the pigs I was talking about.
Nobody said anything for a long time.
“Don’t make this decision about the pigs,” Gran finally said, and I knew she wasn’t talking about the animals either. She was all but telling me to follow my heart, to do whatever it was that I wanted to do. If only I could be certain what my heart really desired. I wanted to go to Trianon. I wanted to be with my family. But I couldn’t have both.
Choose.
I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, Papa,” I whispered. “But I have to know what it’s like.”
His face tightened, but it seemed like he’d known what my choice would be even before I did. “I’ll make arrangements for the folks you send to stay at the inn,” he said to my mother. Then without another word, he turned around and left. Gran rose and went after him.
As soon as they were gone, my mother flung her arms around me, squeezing so tight my ribs creaked. Then she kissed me on both cheeks. “You made the right decision, darling. I knew you would.” She unclasped a golden pendant from her neck and fastened it around mine. Leaning down, she whispered in my ear, “Beauty can be created, knowledge learned, but talent can neither be purchased nor taught. And you’ve talent, my dearest girl. When you stand on stage and sing, the whole world will love you.”
Her words repeated over and over again in my head as I watched her pull back and away from me. “I cannot linger here, my love; I’m needed in Trianon tonight.” A soft laugh erupted from her throat. “I wish I could take you with me now, but it’s better if we wait. You need to be ready so that everything will be perfect.”
I watched her retreat to her carriage, my mind whirling with elation, fear, and excitement. I had four years to practice. Four years to learn. Four years to prepare.
And when I turned seventeen, I’d be ready to take on all the world had to offer.
A Character Guide to the World of The Malediction Trilogy
Aiden du Chastelier – (ay-DUH(n) doo shah-tel-YAY) Son of the Regent of Trianon.
Albert – (al-BAIR) One of Cécile’s guards.
Alexis de Montigny, III – (ah-lehk-SEE dih mohn-ti-NYEE) King of Trollus during The Fall.
Anaïs d’Angoulême – (ah-nah-EES dah(n)-goo-LEHM) Daughter of the Duke d’Angoulême. Close friend of Tristan, and key member of the sympathizer revolution.
Anushka – (uh-noosh-kaa) Witch who cursed the trolls to the confines of Trollus after The Fall.
Catherine – (kah-TREEN) Witch living in the Pigalle district of Trianon. Known by the moniker La Voisin (the neighbor).
Cécile de Troyes – (seh-SEEL dih trwah) Farm girl from Goshawk’s Hollow destined for the opera stage in Trianon.
Clarence – (clahr-AH(N)S) Full-blooded troll responsible for Trollus’s illumination.
Christophe (Chris) Girard – (kree-STAWF zhee-RAHR) Son of a farmer in Goshawk’s Hollow, and friend of Cécile.
Cogs – (cawgs) Half-blood miner.
Comtesse Báthory – (coh(n)-tehss bah-toh-REE) Famous murderess and member of the Duke d’Angoulême’s inner circle.
Comte de Courville – (coh(n)t dih coor-VEEL) Chief advisor to King Thibault. Marc’s father.
Comtesse de Courville – (coh(n)-tehss dih coor-VEEL) Famous composer and pianist. Marc’s mother.
Damia, Dowager Duchesse d’Angoulême – (dah-MEE-ah doo-SHESS dah(n)-goo-LEHM) Anaïs and Pénélope’s grandmother.
Édouard, Duke d’Angoulême – (ay-DWAHR, dook dah(n)-goo-LEHM) Powerful full-blooded troll and extremist known for his distaste of humans and half-bloods. Anaïs and Pénélope’s father.
Élise – (ay-LEES) Cécile’s half-blood maid.
Esmeralda – (ez-mer-al-da) Ship captain who does business with Trollus. Élise and Zoé’s human aunt.
François Bouchard – (frah(n)-SWAH boo-SHAHR) Banker living in Trianon.
Frédéric (Fred) de Troyes – (fray-day-REEK dih trwah) Cécile’s brother. Second-lieutenant in the Regent of Trianon’s army.
Fleur – (fluhr) Cécile’s horse.
Genevieve de Troyes – (zhawn-vee-EHV dih trwah) Cécile’s mother and star of the Trianon Opera.
‘Gran’ de Troyes – (grah(n) dih trwah) Cécile’s paternal grandmother.
Guillaume – (ghee-yoam) One of Cécile’s guards.
Jérôme Girard – (zhay-ROAM zhee-RAHR) Farmer in Goshawk’s Hollow who does business with Trollus. Christophe’s father.
Josette de Troyes – (zhoh-SET dih trwah) Cécile’s younger sister.
Julian – (zhool-yah(n)) Opera singer and ward of Genevieve de Troyes.
Justine – (zhoos-TEEN) Soprano at the Trianon Opera House.
Lamia de Montigny – (lah-MEE-ah dih moh(n)-ti-NYEE) Wife of King Alexis de Montigny, III, and Queen of Trollus during The Fall.
Lessa – (less-A) Half-blood servant in the Angoulême household. Illegitimate daughter of King Thibault de Montigny.
Lord Lachance – (lah-SHA(N)SS) Advisor to Regent of Trianon.
Louis de Troyes – (loo-EE dih trwah) Pig farmer in Goshawk’s Hollow. Cécile’s father.
Luc – (luke) Young man who kidnaps Cécile.
Madame Delacourte – (de-lah-cohrt) Cécile’s vocal teacher.
Marc Biron – (mark bee-ROH(N)) Heir to the Comte de Courville. Tristan’s first cousin and closest friend. Leader in the sympathizer revolution.
Marquis – (mar-KEE) Genevieve de Troyes’s patron.
Martin – (mar-TAH(N)) Librarian in Trollus’s library.
Marie du Chastelier – (mah-REE doo shah-tel-YAY) Wife of the Regent of Trianon.
Matilde de Montigny – (mah-TIL-deh de MON-teh-knee) Queen of Trollus and Tristan’s mother.
Pénélope d’Angoulême – (pay-nay-LOHP dah(n)-goo-LEHM) Well-regarded artist, and daughter of the Duke d’Angoulême.
Pierre – (pee-yair) Full-blooded troll scientist who tracks earthshakes and their impact on the magic supporting the rock above Trollus. Tristan’s mentor.
Regent – (ree-jent) The Regent of Trianon.
Roland de Montigny – (roll-AH(NG) de MON-teh-knee) Tristan’s younger brother.
Sabine – (suh-BEEN) Innkeeper’s daughter in Goshawk’s Hollow. Cécile’s best friend
Souris – (soo-REE) Dog belonging to the witch Catherine.
Sylvie Gaudin, Duchesse de Feltre – (seel-Vee goh-DAH(N), doo-shess dih fehltr) Seer and conjoined twin of Queen Matilde.
Thibault de Montigny – (tee-BOH dih mohn-ti-NYEE) King of Trollus and Tristan’s father.
Tips – (tips) Half-blood miner and leader in the sympathizer revolution.
Tristan de Montigny – (treess-TUH(N) dih mohn-ti-NYEE) Crown prince of Trollus. Secret leader of the sympathizer revolution.
Victoria de Gand, Baroness de Louvois – (veek-TOR-ee-ah dih gah(n), bah-ron dih loo-VWAH) One of ‘the twins’. Close friend of Tristan, and a member of the sympathizer revolution.
Vincent de Gand, Baron de Louvois – (van-sant dih gah(n) bah-ron dih loo-VWAH) One of ‘the twins’. Close friend of Tristan, and a member of the sympathizer revolution.
Xavier de Montigny, II – (gzah-VYAY dih mohn-ti-NYEE) Known as The Savior. Ascended to the throne at sixteen after Anushka killed his father, Alexis III
Zoé – (zoh-AY) Cécile’s half-blood maid.
Acknowledgments
The Broken Ones is a story that has been sitting in my head for many years now, because much of it is the history that motivates both the plot and characters of the Malediction Trilogy. For a long time, I thought it
was a story that would exist only in my mind, perhaps shared in bits and pieces on the Internet, as the world I’d created came to a conclusion at the end of Warrior Witch. The Malediction Trilogy consumed six years of my life, and when it was finished, I was ready to move on to different projects.
Or so I thought!
But once the post-release exhaustion of Warrior Witch had faded, and fans filled my ears with their sadness that the series was over, I found that I was no more willing to let go of the world than they were. There was still a story that needed to be told – a story that would allow readers a greater depth of understanding of why certain characters made the choices they did. And when scenes began to form as vividly as though they were unfolding before my very eyes, I knew it was a story that I was damned and determined to have published.
To that end, I am more grateful than words can say to my agent, Tamar Rydzinski, who is a pillar of support and bookish wisdom, and who moved swiftly to make my dreams for this little novel a reality. So much thanks to Marc, Phil, Mike, Nick, and Penny – the awesome team at my publisher, Angry Robot – for enthusiastically agreeing to publish the novel, and for putting The Broken Ones on the fast track so that readers could have it as soon as possible. A big thanks, too, to Amanda Rutter, my original acquiring editor, for taking on the editorial while Phil was on sabbatical – the story was so much better for your involvement.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the support of my family – Mom, Dad, Nick, Pat, and Steff – who not only helped take care of my kids so I had time to write, but also listened to my whining about how hard it was to work on such a tight deadline. Never mind that I’d inflicted that deadline on myself! The biggest thanks go to Spencer, who never complains about the demands of my career, and who ensures our family eats more than just endless pizza and toast!
I’m not sure whether to thank my daughters for being a constant source of inspiration and motivation, or to apologize for being the busiest mother ever! But I do hope that as you grow, you’ll see my novels as proof that dreams can become a reality if you work hard enough to achieve them.
To my dear friend, Elise Kova, a thousand thanks for always being there to lend an ear when I needed to vent or share some exciting news. I have no idea how I functioned without you! I will never stop being grateful to you for empowering me to take charge of my career and to create my own success! You are a bigger inspiration than you know!
To my readers, especially the bloggers and reviewers who’ve stuck with me from the beginning, thank you for your endless enthusiasm for the world I created. Most especially, thank you to Melissa Robles for your passion for my characters and the endless hours you dedicated to helping me make this novel all we wanted it to be!
The Broken Ones is the last chapter of Trollus, but I hope you’ll all join me with the new plots and characters that I intend to bring to you in the years to come!
About the Author
Danielle was born and raised in Calgary, Canada. At the insistence of the left side of her brain, she graduated in 2003 from the University of Calgary with a bachelor’s degree in finance. But the right side of her brain has ever been mutinous; and in 2010, it sent her back to school to complete an entirely impractical English literature degree at Mount Royal University and to pursue publication. Much to her satisfaction, the right side shows no sign of relinquishing its domination.
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danielleljensen.com • twitter.com/dljensen_
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An Angry Robot paperback original 2017
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Copyright © Danielle L Jensen 2017
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Danielle L Jensen asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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UK ISBN 978 0 85766 696 3
US ISBN 978 0 85766 697 0
EBook ISBN 978 0 85766 698 7
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This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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ISBN: 978-0-85766-698-7
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