VS: Today’s snippet is from my new fantasy romance novella “The Swan and Her Wolf” in THE SWAN PRINCESS REIMAGINED, which my daughter and I just released. We each took the fairy tale of the swan princess for a writing prompt and then wrote our own stories, set in our respective fantasy worlds.
The excerpt – Princess Mairi has just arrived at the castle of the Witch Queen in Azrimar and her curse is overtaking her:
When Mairi heard the door close behind the last of the overly helpful, chattering servants she walked to the window and leaned on the sill. Slowly, she unclenched her fists. She’d managed to hold it together during her welcome to the castle of the Witch Queen of Azrimar and managed not to break while being shown her rooms and while her things were unpacked. She’d heard the servants gossiping about how few gowns and accessories she’d brought.
If they only knew…
Her family had invested all they could afford in this last chance effort to break the curse afflicting her. They’d sent her to Azrimar with only her maid as a companion and hired mercenaries as guards. Her welcome here had been warm only because the authorities were aware she was high born and assumed she was rich. In truth, although she loved her homeland, they were impoverished and desperate. She had to be freed from this terrible fate which had fallen upon her or the neighboring duke wouldn’t marry her. Without her marriage, there’d be no rich settlement for her parents. The Duke was even willing to take her without more than a pittance of a dowry. But if he learned of her secret all was lost. No one thought he’d be fool enough to bed a bride who was cursed.
She stared unseeing over the lush gardens of the castle. Duke Humphri was old and cruel. She’d be his third wife, the previous two having perished in mysterious ways, but she could not let that daunt her. It was up to her to save her people. And her family. Not for her the romantic love the bards sang of or the happy ending the old poems and scrolls promised. Duty was her fate.
She stiffened her spine and raised her chin. I can do this. I must do this.
The terrible urge was cresting inside her, the need to become the other, to escape this room and whatever the witches of Azrimar were planning to do to lift the curse. It would so easy to–
There was a knock at the door and she spun around, heart pounding. “Come in.”
Sall, her maid, peeked her head into the room then entered. “There’s a grand dinner this evening, with the king and the court. You’ve been invited. Then I suppose an evening of making nice with the local nobility. Your appointment with the witches is midmorning tomorrow, after breakfast.” Head cocked to one side, Sall eyed her critically. “Can you manage the dinner?”
“I’d better. Shake the wrinkles out of the turquoise dress—it’ll have to do. It’s my best, with the new lace. And we can do my hair up. I do have those jeweled pins my mother lent me.” She could hardly form words, as the power of the curse increased inside her body. “I—I have to go.” Taking one step away from the window, Mairi let her hands drop to her sides as the power swept over her, bone chilling and inexorable.
Her travel-stained clothing fell to the floor as an empty shell, and she flew out the window, sheathed in the glory of thousands of glistening white feathers. The wind whistling around the tower where her rooms were located provided an updraft, and Mairi soared over the trees and intricate gardens, driven by instinct to find the others.
To swim with the other swans.
Depositphotos
THE SWAN PRINCESS REIMAGINED by Veronica Scott and Eli Donovan
~Two fantasy romance tales by USA Today bestselling author Veronica Scott and Eli Donovan~
***The Swan and Her Wolf by Veronica Scott
An exciting new novella from USA Today Bestselling author Veronica Scott!
Princess Mairi has been cursed by an unknown enemy, forced to turn into a swan at random times of the day and night. Desperate to be free of her affliction, she goes to the Witch Queen’s court to beg for help. An all important marriage of state is pending for Mairi, and her family is counting on the rich suitor’s bride price to fill their coffers. But the would-be groom would never marry her if he knew of the curse.
Wolf Shifter Cade senses something uncanny about Mairi when they meet at Court, and he’s fascinated by the charming princess. His attempts to learn her secret and then to help Mairi with her troubles bring the two of them dangerously close together. His wolf insists she’s his fated mate, and Mairi finds him irresistible…but her duties as princess stand in the way of any true happiness. Will the curse be lifted? And will the couple be able to achieve their Happy Ever After?
This is a Magic of Claddare novella and can be read as a standalone.
***The Swan’s Prince by Eli Donovan
An irresistible new short novel in the beloved fairy tale world of Eli Donovan…
On a remote island, the swan-shifter Odette grapples with her father’s dark schemes as he forces her to use her magic for his own ends. When he steals her power to sink a ship and kill almost all hands onboard, she resolves to thwart his future plans by any means necessary.
Meanwhile, Tristan, a nobleman from a neighboring country, survives the uncanny shipwreck and soon finds himself entangled in Odette’s world of mystery and danger. Odette is irresistibly drawn to Tristan, but she’s cursed to be a swan by day and a human only by night. How can they possibly be together if she’s living only a half-life as a human? As their bond deepens, they must confront their pasts, trust each other with their secrets and, hopefully, find their way toward a future together.
Amazon Apple Books coming Kobo Nook GooglePlay
VS: All 3 of my Magic of Claddare books…Nadelma, the castle’s cook, is a supporting character in book one, the FMC of book two and supporting again in book three.
