CHAPTER ONE
Nova
The sun was bright at midnight, forced by magic to overpower the moon. Golden rays poured through the castle’s stained-glass windows, coloring the white marble floor and tall columns of the interior courtyard. A rainbow of red, yellow, green, and blue shimmied and danced over still surfaces. Nova squinted, still half-asleep, standing in the empty courtyard, looking for the floating orb that woke her.
“Where’d you go?” she asked herself, afraid she’d lost the orb in the sunlight. She’d chased it from her dark bedroom, through windowless halls and stairways, and wasn’t about to lose it now.
A guard appeared from behind one of the many columns that lined the courtyard. Nova jumped, suddenly aware she wasn’t alone. She was barefoot and wearing pajamas— an old tunic that thankfully covered most of her thighs.
“How can I help, my Queen?”
His salutation took a moment to sink in. Nova wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to her royal title. After escaping the island of Gelida and her demented grandfather, King Mortuus, Nova fled with Jade, back to Sterling, where they were both considered monarchs. So far, Nova had spent a month in Sterling, in the castle, but still wasn’t used to being referred to as Queen.
“You can go back to your post. I’m fine,” she replied, feeling oddly exposed in her worn tunic. When she’d jumped from her bed to chase the mysterious orb, Nova hadn’t considered what she was wearing. She wasn’t sure why. In her time in the Larkspur castle, she was rarely alone. There was always someone keeping tabs on her— guards, attendants, cooks. It was as though no one believed she could take care of herself.
As if her life before Sterling never happened.
“Your Majesty,” the man started again. A group of guards began gathering behind him.
“Please,” Nova urged, but opted for a more direct approach when she finally spotted the glowing orb. It was twinkling near the grand staircase that led to the second floor. “By order of the Queen. Go back to your post.”
Nova started to run. The guard looked like he wanted to follow. She gave him one final stare and he surrendered to her request. Turning away, the guard shooed the rest of the men off.
Nova didn’t blame him for being alarmed. She was sprinting through the castle at midnight following a mysterious ball of light. Yet Nova knew she was safe. The glowing orb was the same entity she’d encountered the first time she was in the castle— when she’d been kidnapped and imprisoned by Katrina. The orb had appeared and led Nova to the menagerie— the caves under the castle that housed an array of wild beasts. And just as it did the last time, the orb’s presence warmed Nova’s insides, like a mug of hot tea. It made her feel safe, protected. It called to her silently. The need to be near the orb was intense, like it was a piece of her she couldn’t live without.
“Slow down,” she breathed, chasing the white radiance of the floating ball. It bounced up the grand staircase, illuminating the red carpet and intricately carved railing. Nova bound after it, taking the stairs two-by-two. She followed the ball down a long hall lined with closed doors, but when she sprinted around a sharp corner, Nova crashed into another moving body. The sudden whack abruptly knocked her on her butt. She smacked against the ground. The other half of the collision squealed and landed in a heap as well. Before Nova could make sense of anything, she was yanked to her feet.
“Ouch!” Nova huffed, pushing against a guard’s hold.
“Your Majesty,” the guard replied, and dropped his grip as soon as he realized who he was assaulting. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was you. Please accept my apologies.”
He immediately stepped back, a sheepish look on his face. Nova gave him a grimace, but she didn’t blame him for grabbing her. He’d obviously been running alongside Jade— who was now at Nova’s feet, sprawled on the ground.
“It’s fine. I’m okay,” Nova said to the guard.
Jade put a hand over her heart. Her gaggle of guards helped her to her feet and she stood, her raven hair spilling over a long, white nightgown.
“What are you doing out here?” Jade asked, as though she was accusing Nova of being up to no good.
“I’m—” Nova twirled around, looking for the orb. She pushed wild blonde curls from her eyes, knowing she looked a mess. “I was chasing that thing,” she muttered out of frustration when she couldn’t find it. She didn’t care what Jade thought of her midnight rousing. What was Jade up to, anyhow?
Jade’s emerald eyes went wide. “You see it, too?” she breathed, and Nova met her bewildered gaze just as Jade jumped and pointed. “There! There it is!”
Nova spun again, nearly losing her balance this time, and spotted the white orb. It hung in the hallway like an ornament. Only now it was joined by a second orb which glowed with a yellow light.
“Did you follow that here?” Nova asked Jade sharply, referring to the yellow orb. Jade didn’t answer. Instead, she grabbed Nova’s arm and wrenched her into a stumbling run.
“Easy,” Nova said, nearly jerking her arm from Jade’s hold, but the orbs moved and instantly distracted her. The two bright orbs flew down the hall like tossed balls and Nova chased them. Jade was at her side and the guards were close behind them. They followed the orbs down the staircase and through the courtyard, bounding toward the back of the castle where they were ultimately stopped by a giant, closed door.
“Where are we?” Nova asked, nearly out of breath, amazed at the maze of halls, tunnels, and hidden rooms in the Larkspur castle. She knew she’d only explored a fraction of the massive castle.
Before Jade could answer, the orbs melted through the closed door like ghosts, and disappeared.
“Open it!” Jade yelled. The guards that had been running with them raced ahead, fiddled with keys and locks, and finally opened the door.
A stone staircase was revealed. Jade gave pause before answering Nova’s question. “The dungeon.”
Jade’s reply unsettled Nova, but she needed to be near the orbs. As soon as the orbs were out of her sight, Nova longed to be near them. They gave her a sense of peace. She didn’t understand why, but Jade must’ve felt the same, because she sprinted through the open door. Nova followed, and they descended into a dark, windowless spiral staircase. They ran, glimpsing the edge of the orb light that was just out of their reach. A thunder of boots followed them until they all spilled out into a damp, dank cave lit only by the orbs. They were beneath the castle and their presence awakened whatever lived there.
Moans and groans quickly turned to shrieks. The eerie cave was lined with iron bars. Nova gasped when hands and arms appeared, pushing between the metal rods.
“Are there people down here?” Nova asked, her heart lurching when dirty faces pressed against the bars. She turned to Jade. “Did you know that?”
Jade shook her head back and forth. “Katrina,” she started, looking alarmed.
“How do we—” Nova asked, immediately wanting to release these people. How long had they been down here?
“I thought Katrina sold all the prisoners,” Jade said, turning to one of her guards, accusation in her tone.
“No, my Queen,” the guard replied, quickly. “Not all of them.”