Winter Heiress

by Skye MacKinnon

  The nice-looking man in the suit who was speaking on Wyn’s behalf suddenly had ropes that burned. Rose rubs her arms, still hurting. Thick red welts have formed all over their bodies, but right now, she’s more concerned about her daughter.

  Wyn had been gone for weeks with no word whether she had managed to reach her mother. Rose grimaces at that thought. She’s Wyn’s mother, not that Goddess. She’s raised her for twenty-two years, she’s held Wyn when she was sad, she taught her how to walk and talk, she worried when Wyn was experimenting with her magic. And James, of course.

  When the suited man arrived and he could prove that Wyn was with him somehow, Rose was overjoyed. She was worried, of course, that the stalkers would find out, but that didn’t matter then. Talking to her daughter was the only thing that mattered.

  She shakes her head. Her mind is sluggish, somehow, and it’s hard to think. The darkness around them doesn’t help either. She can’t even see the floor she’s sitting on. Nor can she see James, but she knows he’s here with her. She’s tried to get to him but there’s something between them; glass, maybe.

  “Whatever they do, let’s just be glad they don’t have Wyn,” James says softly and she nods. Yes, as long as Wyn is safe, it doesn’t matter.

  Suddenly, someone is next to her.

  “We need to send Wyn a message,” a high-pitched voice says close to Rose’s ear. “Do you volunteer to be the messenger?”

  “No, I will do it!” James shouts from afar, but all Rose can think of is seeing Wyn again.

  “Yes,” she whispers and the voice next to her cackles.

  “Good girl.”

  Something glints through the darkness, something metal.

  At first, she feels no pain.

  Then it overwhelms her.

  Warm blood runs from where her arm was a moment ago. Then another pain, in her heart. For a second, she can see the rod of metal sticking out of her chest.

  James screaming in the distance is the last thing she hears before death claims her.

  Chapter Fifteen

  When I resurface from the memory, I’m on the floor. Beira’s holding me in her arms, her eyes filled with worry. So unlike her.

  “What happened?” she asks. Of course, she doesn’t know. For them, it’s just a hand. A bloody hand where you can see the bone sticking out on one end. But the tattoo around the wrist gives it away. A bracelet of delicate hearts that mum got tattooed when she adopted me. There’s no doubt that it’s her. Even without the tattoo, the thick red marks on her skin tell of the fiery rope she was bound with.

  “She’s dead,” I whisper, my words making it even more real.

  “Are you sure?” Gwain asks from behind my mother. “They could have… taken the hand while she was still alive.”

  “She’s dead,” I repeat. “I saw it, I felt it.”

  “But why?” Gwain starts walking up and down the room. “There was no demand, no threat. Why kill a hostage without warning?”

  I hate how logical he’s thinking. Why isn’t everyone crying along with me. Wait. Am I crying? I gingerly touch my cheeks. No tears.

  I’m not crying over my mum’s death.

  I should be a wreck, crying my eyes out, but instead, I get up and look at the arm again. I’m cold, clinical. Ice is starting to rise up in me, covering my heart. It’s necessary. I need to rise up to be the person I was born to be.

  The Winter Heiress.

  Cold. Emotionless. A true ruler.

  I get up and one last time, I confirm what I already know. Yes, it’s my mum’s hand. She’s dead.

  Next step.

  “Search the man who brought this here,” I tell Ada. “Maybe he had a message for us that the guards didn’t see.”

  “Princess…” she starts but one cold look from me shuts her up. She gives me a sharp salute and leaves.

  “Gwain, retrace the man’s route. If he’s come from the Morrigan, maybe we can find her through him.”

  I know that chance is miniscule, the Goddess of War would know better. But no matter how small the chance, we still need to find out.

  “Yes, ma’am.” The old Guardian salutes me, but his expression is one of sadness. He knows things have changed. And he also knows they’ll never be as they were before.

  I feel the ice harden around my heart as I turn to my Guardians. I hate what I’m about to do.

  “Crispin, write down all you know about the Morrigan. Any weaknesses, any strengths you think are important. Then write down what you think isn’t important.”

  It’s going to hurt. He’s not ready yet to put his past into words. He just about managed to show me. But for him to actually write about it, word by word… it’s going to break him. The cracks in his soul will widen and break and it will be my task to put him back together again. If I am still able to by then.

  I am getting colder by the minute. The bond I feel with my Guardians is slowly freezing. I can’t think of them as mine. They are tools that I need to use to find the Morrigan. And then to kill her. Only once that is done can I let my heart thaw again.

  By then, it might be too late for us.

  “Wynter, you need to stop.”

  My mother is looking at me strangely, almost as if she’s worried. She should be proud of me right now. I’m trying to be like her. It’s killing me inside but it’s necessary. She’s herself is the best example that it’s possible to shut out the world, to be cold to everyone around you.

  “Arc. If it was the Morrigan who put the spell on the dragon’s mind, can you somehow follow it back? Find out more about her and why she did it?”

  “I dinnae think so and it could hurt the prisoner, but…”

  “Do it. I don’t care if it hurts him.”

  I turn to Storm, but before I can say something, he speaks.

  “Wyn, you are not yourself right now. You’ve just lost your mother, you’re grieving.” He takes a step towards me but I instinctively move away from him. I don’t want him to get too close. He sighs as he notices that I’m not going to fall into his arms as he’d probably hoped. “You just told Arc to hurt a prisoner. That’s not you. You need to take a break, you—”

  “And what good will that do?” I snarl, frustrated that he can’t see the idiocy of his request. “She has my father, she is threatening us all. We need to do something now, not later. There is no time to rest. We still don’t know what she wants. There is so much to do, why can’t you see that?!” I shout the last sentence, shocking the room into silence.

  I ignore them all and walk out of the room, then break into a run. I can’t be inside, I need air. I run up the stairs, ignoring the magic that could transport me up a lot quicker than my legs can. There are people following me, probably my Guardians, but I don’t wait for them.

  When I reach the top of the tower, I don’t stop running and jump into the air, my wings expanding immediately. I fly, soaring on the icy wind, driving all thoughts and emotions from my mind. All I can feel is the elation of the flight, the cold wind on my cheeks, the little ice crystals forming on my skin.

  I fold my wings close to my back and dive down, towards the snowy landscape before. There are some moving shapes below, snow hares maybe?

  I follow them as they race over the frozen ground. Yes, it’s hares, jumping fast from one snow drift to the next. I watch them, amazed at their speed and agility. They’re so free…

  Suddenly, there’s a tree in front of me and I swerve to the side, almost crashing into it. Watch where you’re flying, Wyn. I can’t believe I let myself be distracted by bunnies. But at least I managed to think of something else than death and destruction. The cold air has helped clear my head a little.

  I manage to land, not very elegantly but at least I didn’t fall. This place looks familiar. That tree…

  Oh no.

  “Are you here for more sparklies?” Blaze’s melodious voice makes me swirl around. The unicorn is blending into the white landscape around us, its silver fur shimmering in the sun.r />
  “Yes. I think I am.” I offer him a grim smile. “Give me the strongest stuff you’ve got.”

  Epilogue

  Chesca

  The guards are just as surprised as me when I stumble through the Gate into the Winter Realm. I never thought it would let me through. It’s unheard of for a demon to travel to one of the Realms of the Gods. Especially not Beira’s.

  But I’m here now and the guards are beginning to gather their wits. Weapons are pointing at me and one Guardian steps forward, his hands extended. Something grabs me from behind, pressing my hands and wings against my body, but when I look, there is nothing. Magic.

  “I come in peace!” I shout and the guards look even more confused. “I have an urgent message for your Queen.”

  And her daughter. Wyn. But I assume that Beira will be the one who’s still responsible for what happens in her Realm. I can’t imagine Wyn being concerned with any of that. Even when she was about to head into battle at Calanais, all she had eyes for were her Guardians.

  “What would a demon have to say to the Mother of Gods?” the Guardian at the front of the crowd shouts. I don’t know much about the Queen’s military, but I’m sure the golden stripes on his shoulders mean he’s important.

  “I say we kill her now,” a scarred soldier next to him says loud enough for me to hear. “She’ll only attack her Majesty as soon as she has a chance.”

  “I know who sent the demons who attacked the Gate at Calanais and who tried to kill Princess Wynter and her Guardians!”

  That makes them listen.

  “Because you’re one of them?” the Guardian in charge sneers and I laugh.

  “No, because I killed most of them. Now let me speak to Beira.”

  Some of the soldiers gasp in shock. I sigh.

  “I mean her Majesty.”

  “She doesn’t have any respect,” the scarred man snarls, his eyes filled with hate. “If you won’t, I’ll kill her. You know what demons did to my family.”

  “Stand down, soldier,” the leader commands icily. “Nathan, inform the Queen that we have a demon in custody.”

  A lanky blond Guardian runs to one of the huts to the right of the Gate and disappears inside.

  “What’s your name, demon?” the man in charge asks me.

  “I am Chesca, Demon Queen of the Topaz Zone in the Demon Realm.” I say my name with pride. I don’t often get the opportunity to use my title and usually avoid it when talking to other demons. I’ve been in exile for centuries and haven’t been to Topaz for just as long. And with the Morrigan taking over the Realm, I’m not even sure if my queendom is still like it was when I left.

  “I didn’t know demons had queens,” one of the soldiers mutters. “Maybe she’s lying to make herself sound important.”

  “No, Topaz exists alright.” The scarred man approaches me. There is nothing but hate in the look he’s giving me. “Do you know a Cristian?”

  I freeze. I haven’t heard that name in a long time. Not since I left and he tried to force me to return.

  “Yes,” I say slowly. “He’s my brother.”

  The man comes closer.

  “Stand down, Kahol!” the commander shouts.

  “Just checking her for weapons, Sir,” Kahol replies with a short salute and walks around me until he’s standing behind me. I can feel his breath on my neck as his hands roam over my back.

  “Cristian slaughtered my wife,” he whispers so only I can hear. I’m beginning to struggle against the invisible bonds holding me in place. This man is deranged, he won’t listen to his commander. He’s out for revenge. “He raped my daughter before killing her. He almost managed to kill me. See the scars on my face?”

  He steps in front of me and begins to pat me down.

  “He made those. I could have had them healed, but I wanted a reminder of what he did to my family. And now I’ve got his sister standing in front of me.”

  “I hate him just as much as you,” I whisper frantically. “He—”

  He punches me in the stomach before I can continue. I gasp for breath, struggling for air.

  The other soldiers are watching dispassionately. Their commander has disappeared, he’s probably in one of the huts. But his bonds are still holding me in place. I can’t escape.

  Kahol steps behind me once more and I feel something sharp against my back.

  “I wish it was him instead of you, but you will do.”

  Without further warning, he slams the dagger into my chest. Bones crunch and I know it pierces my heart before I feel the pain.

  Blood fills my mouth and my vision is getting blurry.

  But I need to pass on my message.

  Need to.

  “It’s… the Morrigan. Tell… the Queen… the Morrigan controls… demons.”

  Death is close.

  “They’re… coming.”

  ~ The End ~

  (Well, not really the end. This story continues in Winter Queen, which you can pre-order already. Subscribe to my newsletter to get regular news about this and other books.)

  Author’s Note

  I hope you enjoyed reading this book! It was a lot of fun to write; Wyn is one of my favourite characters ever who keeps surprising me.

  If you’re wondering what happened to Chesca between the end of Winter Princess and Winter Heiress, you can find out in Demon’s Revenge, a spin-off available to read for free.

  There’s also a prequel to Winter Princess called Mother of Gods, telling the love story between Beira and Colan, available to read in the Breaking a Myth anthology.

  Set in another universe, but no less magical is the dystopian reverse harem Polar Destiny featuring some very sexy bear shifters (including a polar bear!).

  Then there’s From the Deeps, a paranormal reverse harem with kelpies, wraiths and a rather cute incubus that I’ve co-written with the amazing Laura Greenwood who has also organised this anthology.

  And finally, another co-written story (this time with the lovely Arizona Tape) is Partridge in the P.E.A.R., a satirical sci-fi reverse harem, available for free if you sign up to our newsletters.

  Also By

  Daughter of Winter Series (Paranormal RH)

  Winter Princess

  Winter Heiress

  Winter Queen (2018)

  Prequel: Mother of Gods, published in the Breaking the Myth anthology

  Spin-off: Demon’s Revenge

  Ruined Heart Series (Fantasy RH)

  Heart of Time

  Heart of Four (2018)

  The Drowning Series (Dystopian RH)

  Polar Destiny

  Polar Fates (2018)

  Seven Wardens Series (Paranormal RH co-written with Laura Greenwood)

  From the Deeps

  Into the Mists (2018)

  Spin-off: Through the Storms, published in the Breaking the Myth anthology

  The Mars Diaries (Sci-fi RH)

  Alone – Once Upon a Twist (Sci-Fi RH)

  Hidden (2018)

  Standalones

  Partridge in the P.E.A.R. (Sci-Fi RH co-written with Arizona Tape)

  Highland Butterflies, published in the United in Love anthology (FF romance)

  Streets of Winter, published in the Snow and Seduction anthology (contemporary RH)

  About the Author

  Skye MacKinnon is an International Bestselling author with a slight obsession with Scotland, bunnies and dried mango. And when she says slight... her friends are trying to find ways to trick her into not having a book set in Scotland.

  You'll often find Skye bribing herself into writing words using cake and tea, but whatever works, right?

  Whether it’s set in space (Scottish space, obviously), fantasy worlds (Scottish fantasy worlds, obviously), or Scotland, Skye's tales are full of magic, romance and adventure. Oh and unicorns. There's a few demons too.

  To find out about my current and future books (yes, I just switched back into first person), you can subscribe to my newsletter or follow me on social media. />
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  Sample: Polar Destiny

  “I've got a polar bear in my bed. Didn't think I'd ever get to say that. A very warm, soft, cosy polar bear.”

  About to be sold off to the highest bidder, Isla chooses instead to escape over the frozen sea to an unknown Scottish island. There, she finds herself surrounded by four mysterious men. They seem to care for her, but Isla soon discovers she's not as safe as she thought. The four strangers are bear shifters; very hot bear shifters with an aversion to wearing clothes. In the midst of winter, the bear within takes over, leaving Isla wondering if she is safe with them. Can she get her hormones under control and tame her four shifters? And is it possible to stay human when living with bears?

  A full-length dystopian reverse harem novel set in Scotland. Be warned, this book contains four sexy bear shifters that will make your blood boil and your ovaries scream. 18+.

  (In Chapter 1, Isla escapes from a dystopian Scottish island because her uncle wants to marry her off. It's the middle of winter and she almost dies from hypothermia by the time she reaches another island.)

  I'm no longer cold. In fact, I'm nice and toasty. A little sore, but I’m alive.

  Something soft is wrapped around me and heat is warming my face. I blink my eyes open. Orange and red burst through my vision. A fire is sitting in the middle of - where am I? I try to sit up, only to notice that I can't move. Trapped! I panic. In my muddled state of mind, it takes me a minute to think of looking down at myself. I sigh in relief. I'm wrapped in furs, lots of them. I really rock the caterpillar look. I try and squeeze one arm out of the fur burrito, then the other, until I can finally sit up. I'm lying in the middle of a wooden room - wooden ceilings, wooden walls, a wooden floor, wooden shelves and furniture. It even smells of wood. Everything is brown and rustic, in a charming way. In the middle of the room is a fire pit. A little dangerous to have an open fire in a house made from wood, if you ask me. But it's warm, so I don't care. After last night, all I care about is no longer being cold.