Chapter 1
I knew something was wrongthe moment I stepped onto Main Street. Normally clogged with early-morning commuters, the streets are nearly empty this morning. Even the shops lining the street, usually filled with humans, Fae, and hybrids alike, are barren. Some shops are even closed, their interiors dark and ominous.
Thankfully, the bookstore comes into view, its emerald exterior a comforting sight. I beeline for the front door, desperate to escape the eerie, empty streets. I wince at my reflection in the bay window. My messy bun is entirely too messy, not even centered between my ivory antlers. I sigh and enter anyway.
The wooden front door creaks open to reveal rows of overflowing bookshelves. The earthy smell of the custom oak shelves dances with the musk from the books, immediately wrapping around me like a warm hug.
A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.
Bound is like my second home. Cally and I have poured so much love and work into this store that I would be surprised if our heartbeats weren’t tied to its very foundation. When Cally first proposed quitting our jobs and opening a bookstore, I laughed and immediately dismissed the idea. But then the idea kept coming up over bottles of wine and drunken conversations. Then over coffee. Before long, it morphed into something more serious. We began saving every spare coin we could—enough for a down payment on the storefront in the quaint downtown of Pinebend.
Mornings in the bookstore are my favorite time of the day. The quiet inside offers a welcomed juxtaposition from the busy square just outside. I’m usually here well before we open, shelving books or tidying up in preparation for our usual trickle of customers. Truth be told, I can’t remember the last time I was late to open the store.
But last night was different. It was the first time I couldn’t maneuver my way out of Killan’s request for me to stay the night at his place. And I woke up this morning regretting it. Bumping into him all night and not being able to sprawl out were enough to make me never want to do it again. By the time I finally got comfortable, the sun’s rays were already filtering through his curtains, meaning I was late.
While I wait for Cally to arrive, I sort through the unopened mail she threw on the desk yesterday. One letter in particular snags my attention. Its creamy envelope is closed with a forest-green seal, and the image of a stag is pressed into the hardened wax. My name is scrawled in neat penmanship on the front.
Odd. Normally, the recipient listed is “Bound.” How did my personal mail get here? I shove the envelope into my bag and continue sorting through the rest.
Once the mail is sorted into neat piles of bills, customer requests, and junk, I set them aside on the front desk and head toward the back of the store. It’s always dark back here, but it feels particularly ominous today with the empty streets. As I turn the corner into my office, my heart stutters in my chest.
Someone stands at my desk, cloaked in darkness. A scream erupts from my throat as light spills from the palms of the figure’s hands, revealing…Cally. Her warm brown eyes are wide, and her curly chestnut hair tangles in the glow of the light.
“It’s me!” she shrieks, throwing her hands up. The light from her hands extinguishes, narrowly avoiding blinding me. I place my hand on my chest, feeling the rapidthump, thump, thumpof my heart beating against my chest.
“What are you doing standing back here in the dark?” I ask, sagging with relief.
With a flick of her wrist, the antique lamp in the corner switches on. “Sorry!” she exclaims, a grimace on her face. “I thought I’d actually get here before you for once and surprise you.”
“Yeah, well. You did a great job,” I say drily. With the lights now on, I notice two mugs of coffee and a fresh copy ofThe Daily Deer Tribunesitting on the antique wooden desk.
I snatch one of the ceramic mugs from the desk. “You owe me that. You almost just literally scared me to death. I thought I was about to have a hea—”
“Have you heard?” she asks.
I eagerly take a sip and stifle a moan at the taste. “Heard what?”
She plops into my desk chair, grabbing her own cup of coffee, before motioning to the newspaper. “The entire royal family was found murdered this morning.”
That can’t be possible. Not only was the High Family beloved, but they were also powerful. Plus, the Woodland Kingdom has been at peace for centuries. Who would want them dead?
“What are you talking about? How do you even know?” I eye the newspaper skeptically. “You know this newspaper isn’t reliable.”
She scoffs. “All of the newspapers are reporting the same thing. You know I have a weak spot for theTribune’s gossip columns, though, so I grabbed this one. Read it for yourself.”
She hands me the newspaper and my jaw drops at the jarring title.
HIGH FAMILY FOUND SLAIN IN THEIR PRIVATE RESIDENCE
I still. Well, the empty streets and closed shops certainly make sense. Cally slurps a sip of her hot coffee and watches me skim through the article. “The entire family, including Princess Etta. The throne is empty. Nobody knows what’s about to happen.”
“Are there no other heirs?” I ask, still skimming the article.
She rolls her eyes at me and says, “No, Mae. You should know this stuff. Etta was the only heir.”
I slowly set the newspaper back on the desk as if to treat the article with a bit more respect, given the grave nature of its contents. There wasn’t any information that Cally hadn’t already told me other than some background information on the High Family.
“So, who’s going to rule?” I ask.
