Page 1 of Kingdom of Death and Hope

CHAPTER 1

An intense, searing pain spreads throughout my body as Avira takes another step toward me. How does she know I took the magic book?

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

“You know that you took the magic book from my room,” she says.

“Avira, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve never been in your room in the palace. I don’t even know where it is, and what magic book? Is there even such a thing?” I continue on with ignorance.

How did she find out about it so fast? Can she track where it is right now?

Kieran, be careful with the book, I tell him. I know you already know, but don’t let anyone you don’t trust hold it or get close to it at all.

I take a deep breath and slowly let it out as Avira and I continue to look at each other. I thought we were still going to have time before anyone found out that the book was missing. A day at least… not a couple of hours.

Are you okay? Kieran asks. Your emotions are all over the place.

I’m okay for now. Avira is asking me questions.

Is Henry still with you?

No. My voice cracks, showing how I truly feel.

Nerves and terror run through me with each passing thought. What if Avira finds out that I actually took the book? There are so many things that could happen to me. I have no doubt that she will turn me in to the witch.

We might be sisters but we aren’t that close, and she always chooses work over family.

Take a deep breath and calm down. Nothing bad is going to happen to you. Just continue with what you have said and eventually she will leave you alone, Kieran tells me. Everything is going to be okay. You said no one saw you enter or exit the room besides Henry and he won’t tell anyone. You’re safe.

But I don’t feel safe. The glare Avira is giving me tells me she is not going anywhere until I tell her the truth.

Okay, I whisper.

Kieran tugs on the bond and relief washes over me, my shoulders dropping.

“Don’t play dumb with me. You know what book I’m talking about. Your scent was everywhere in the palace when we got back,” Avira says.

She takes another step closer to me and I take one back, trying to maintain the distance between us.

“Avira, you have to believe me. I don’t have it,” I practically beg her. “I was in the palace earlier with Henry because the prince wants me to get familiar with the layout before we get married. I knew he wasn’t going to be there so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity since he wouldn’t be able to stop and distract me.”

“The smell of the book is all over you. I know you have it so tell me where it is right now,” Avira demands.

I clasp my hands together, taking a shaky breath in. “I don’t know what book you’re talking about.”

I have to keep up with this lie and hope that soon she will forget about it and everything will go back to normal.

Avira cocks her head to the left and searches for something on my face. “I don’t think you’re telling the truth.”

“Avira, I would never lie to you about something like this. I didn’t take anything from the palace. I don’t want anything from there,” I lie again. “You know that I don’t want to be anywhere near the palace so why would I take something from there?”

“Because you are trying to help the Fae,” Avira declares.

I suck in a breath, everything around me is muffled and blurred as I look at her.

Shit.

Have I not been good enough at hiding what my true intentions were the whole time? I have never mentioned anything to Avira about wanting to help the Fae. The closest I got was when I talked about liking someone else that wasn’t the prince.