**** From the 2016 Watty Award winning author of White Fire****
Burst into this fantasy fairytale and journey to the land of Noch where everyone is born with a soul gift. Some are born with extraordinary visions, others with speed or strength. The g...
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Everything was moving too fast, a whirlwind of uncertainties and fear. Two days ago, Sun was living in her cottage, enjoying the sweet songs of nature while dreaming of life outside of her little world. But shortly after her eighteenth birthday, the realm of her world grew into a huge kingdom full of new faces and grandeur.
She hadn't even sorted through the thoughts of Cale's violent intent to make her hideous-looking. She hadn't the chance to wonder about her father's reaction to her being discovered. He'd fought so long to keep her tucked away in that cottage. The thought of him finding out about her residence in the castle made her heart rage against the fabric of her soft, golden gown.
Sun stared in the mirror at herself, mesmerized by the floral gold lace that decorated the top half of her body, gracefully spilling onto the floor in silk waves, capturing the essence of flowing water.
It took all of her strength not to lose her mind in the presence of her two maids, but with great effort, Sun managed to keep the only sign of her panic to her trembling hands. Her image glanced back at her from the mirror, promising that all who would look upon her would not find a frightened girl, but a blossoming confident woman. A rose in a meadow of wild flowers. She turned toward her maid with a faint smile.
"I'm ready," was all she said before being escorted into the grand, pillared passageways that led to the ball.
As she neared the ballroom, she began hearing the sounds of a sad violin intertwining with a victorious trumpet. And somewhere in the midst of the madness, a piano soothed each instrument, creating a sound that made the soul feel calm and relaxed. As she approached the marbled, double door, the song changed to a more triumphant tune, as if the King himself knew she was about to enter. The maids opened the heavy doors and stood aside, allowing her to peer inside.
Golden arched windows ran along the walls. Luminous chandeliers hung from the ceiling, matching the gold statues placed between each pilar. Buoyant people were lively and lighthearted as they mingled- some drinking from goblets, others enjoying the small delicacies passed around on gold platters. In the middle of the ballroom was a dance floor, and partners were already twirling about, gowns sweeping the hard, marbled floor.
A heartbeat later, the music died and the crowd stopped moving, turning toward the archway where Sun stood. Their eyes were wide and alert, assessing her from the floor, and stopping at her face. Sun took in a huge gulp of air, grateful that the corset she wore earlier hadn't been pressing against her. If Prince Crow was right, she was a small fish about to enter into a tank full of sharks. Her back stiffened in response, taking in the various eyes, wishing she could shy away.
She had been alone for so long, she didn't know how she was even supposed to move or look. She silently questioned if she should smile at them. Should she walk toward the tables of food and help herself to a treat? Should she introduce herself? Panic was truly taking over, and yet she dared a step into the ballroom.
