Frost’s Forfeit Read online

  Frost’s Forfeit

  The Fae Queen Of Winter Prequel

  Laura Greenwood

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  Also by Laura Greenwood

  About the Author

  © 2018 Laura Greenwood

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  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or otherwise – without prior written permission of the published, except as provided by United States of America copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher at “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the email address; [email protected].

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  Visit Laura Greenwood’s website at:

  www.authorlauragreenwood.co.uk

  www.facebook.com/authorlauragreenwood/

  Cover Design by Olivia Book Designs

  Frost’s Forfeit is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Created with Vellum

  Blurb

  Duty and motherhood don't go well together, at least not for the Fae Queen of Winter.

  * * *

  With the Fae Queen of Summer itching for war, a daughter to protect, and a kingdom to run, things are already complicated for Nieves. When she calls the annual frosts and discovers she's being watched by a mysterious man, things only get worse.

  * * *

  Faced with an almost impossible choice, Nieves has to make the best decision for her people, her daughter and her heart.

  -

  Frost's Forfeit is a Standalone Paranormal Fantasy Romance set in the Paranormal Council Universe and is prequel to Saving Eira.

  1

  Waiting for the Summer Fae's next move had always been something she hated. But Nieves had known since she was a little girl that they'd do anything to bring the Winter Fae down. Even if that meant ruining the balance in the world. At least she could recognise that Summer and Winter needed each other. They needed Spring and Autumn too, otherwise the human world would starve. Or drown. Or burn. Whatever the consequences, not having all of the seasons wasn't going to end well, and it’d probably take centuries for them to fix it.

  Much to Nieves’ disappointment, Augusta didn't seem to care about that. Though maybe she would when she finally had a child and realised there was more to life than power. Her thoughts slipped to her daughter, safely hidden away in the human world. She'd bring her back to court when they weren't on the brink of war anymore. Luckily, she was too young to be performing any of the duties she needed to as the Fae Princess of Winter, so there was no real harm in her being away. Even if Nieves did miss her dearly. Her daughter was the only family she had. She'd never met her fated mate and refused to take an unwilling man like many of the other fae would. She knew it was tradition, but it made her feel physically sick to imagine it. And it was common knowledge. Many of the other fae women at her court had stopped the practice too. Or maybe they were just doing it a little more discreetly so she wouldn't notice and do something about it. Having known some of them since birth, she suspected that was probably the case.

  She wished she knew how the fae had become this way. It didn't seem like a very productive way to live. At some point, they must have lived in complete harmony in order for the human world to be as it was. But that time was long ago. Even so, it hadn't been that long since the courts were at relative peace. She didn't remember any of this turmoil when she was a child. Or even when she was in her twenties.

  But now wasn't the time to think about it. She had the frosts to call on, and then she could go and see her daughter for the first time in three months. She hated leaving it this long, even if she had no choice. Keeping Mila safe was her number one goal. Even more so than making sure the frosts came and the Winter Fae behaved themselves. Which is how it should be. Her child would always come first.

  More than her daughter's father had. The bastard. He'd walked away from the two of them after convincing Nieves he loved her. Turned out, he’d been using her to force his actual wife into submission. She'd almost frozen him solid at that point. A little part of her was still surprised she hadn't, she'd been that white cold with rage.

  "Are you ready, your majesty?" her handmaiden asked. Nieves nodded her head.

  "As ready as I'll ever be."

  "You say that every year, ma'am."

  She cringed. Being called ma'am was never a good feeling. Even if she was over a hundred years old, and to the younger fae, she probably was a ma'am. Especially given her royal status. That one she couldn't get away from.

  At times like this, she missed her mother. She'd at least understand what she was going through right now. The anticipation and dread of calling the frosts never seemed to fade. There was too much riding on it for her to just dismiss it as unimportant, and if it went wrong...

  If that happened, it was probably Augusta trying to steal winter magic again. She didn't know how she'd actually manage to succeed though. Summer and Winter magic didn't mix very well, even if there was a folk tale about that happening to one of the future princesses. Personally, Nieves kind of hoped it would happen again. It might even bring some unity to their people. Other than the actual magic they wielded, there was very little difference between them. Despite popular human belief, not all winter fae were blonde. Though Nieves was the exception to that and not the rule. But being part of the royal line did influence some features like that.

  "Your Majesty?" the handmaid prompted.

  "Sorry, lost in thought," she replied, coming back to the present and noting the concerned look on the other woman's face. She smiled blandly. Despite the fact Bree had served in this role for years, Nieves didn't know her very well. She should probably change that, but she didn't trust very easily and it seemed like a bad idea to start changing. Trusting too many other fae tended to end badly; with a knife stuck in someone's back and a broken heart.

  "The door is due to open any moment."

  "Thank you," Nieves responded, glancing in the mirror once just to check everything was in place. Not that anyone would see her, but that was hardly the point.

  She spun on her heels, her dress swishing out behind her as the train brushed against the cold hard floor. She walked from the room towards the boundary between the fae's home and the human world. What most fae didn't seem to realise yet, was that she held the power to open this portal herself, she didn't need to wait for it to arrive. One of her ancestors had decided the common people didn't need to know that though and had told them the portal had to be waited for every year. Everyone since had just run with it.

  Dozens of fae lined the walkway. She smiled at them all, wishing she could just get to the room in private rather than it being a spectacle. She was trying her best to seem serene and happy, like she had no cares in the world and enjoyed nothing more than ruling them.

  She couldn't let them know that she'd give it all up in a heartbeat if it meant spending every day with her daughter. Mostly because she wouldn’t and couldn't
do that. She would also lay down her life for her people.

  Duty and motherhood never seemed to fit well together.

  Ignoring the unpleasant direction her thoughts had taken her, she summoned her powers so they rested near her skin. Frost crackled around her finger tips as her skin cooled further, and she smiled again. More genuinely this time.

  Concentrating on what she needed to do, the portal began to form in front of her, it's wide arch and frosted blue centre exactly like it'd been the year before. Exactly how it looked every time she called it up in private too. Mostly just to stare at it and consider what stepping through and disappearing would be like. Though she never ended up doing that.

  But this one time a year, she could step through, and she fully intended to make the most of it.

  2

  Why the spot to call the frosts from was so bizarre, she had no idea. But standing in the middle of a field, completely alone, never stopped feeling odd. At least she wasn't cold. She couldn't be when she was the cold. One of the advantages of being a fae.

  Nieves centred her thoughts, readying herself for the overwhelming sensation of the frosts moving through her and exploding into the world.

  The tell-tale tingle started in her toes, and spread through her legs, engulfing her entire body. Her hands and arms began to ice over, the ice crystals cracking as she moved her arms upwards.

  Cold air began to swirl around her, with minute snowflakes floating on the breeze around her. There was a kind of rush about this bit. Something she couldn't quite get over, and actually did kind of enjoy.

  She moved her hands around in the air, causing the snowflakes to dance. Yes, this definitely was the best bit. Almost mesmerised, she began to move her hands faster, the snow following and creating a little tornado of white.

  It was never clear quite how long she stood there for, and this year was no different. But with every passing moment, the urge to release it intensified. But Nieves knew she couldn't just yet. Not until the temperature dropped a little more. If she did, it'd still work, but there may be complications. Or a snow storm in Kent. That seemed more likely. And slightly confusing for the humans who'd gotten used to autumn's reign.

  Finally, she knew they were ready to unleash, and she simultaneously unleashed her control, and pushed it out of her. There was no way of knowing which the right way was to unleash the frosts, but it was what felt right, so she went with it.

  Breathing a sigh of relief, she collapsed into a heap on the trampled grass. It was exhausting summoning them. And she'd be tired and on edge for the next three months, until Spring took over. It shouldn't be like that at all. But with the fae in such disarray, there was very little that could be done to change it. Maybe one day. Or maybe for her daughter.

  So long as it got better.

  "That was quite some show," a lighthearted voice said from behind her. She squeaked, and spun around, her pale grey skirts swinging out around her. Maybe not practical for spending a lot of time in a field, but considering she travelled via portal, it didn't really seem that important.

  "Who are you?" she demanded, sinking as much of her royal breeding into her voice as she could. She hated being watched from afar, it made her skin crawl, and knowing he'd seen her do magic wasn't such a good thing either. Especially as he wasn't giving off any more-than-human vibes.

  If he were a shifter, or a vampire, then magic could easily have been explained away. Revealing magic to a human...well it was frowned upon. Though there was no one that actually had the power to punish any paranormals that did get it wrong. Someone should probably do something about that.

  "Jack. Who are you?"

  "Nieves," she replied, thinking it best not to mention her royal status. It'd only cause questions about why she was alone in a field. Though given the magic, that may not be so much of a problem.

  "Unusual name. You don't sound Welsh." An impish grin spread over his face as he studied her.

  "I moved after I was born," she lied, glad she even knew what Welsh meant. A lot of fae wouldn't. They really didn't care about the human world, even if it was close to their realm, and especially since the kidnapping stopped.

  "And you're noble, no doubt." He turned his nose up slightly, and dread filled her. What did her nobility have to do with anything?

  "I don't see how that matters," she replied.

  Surprise crossed Jack's face as he looked her up and down. Probably taking in the soft grey fabric of her dress, which was nowhere near thick enough for the weather this time of year. Nor was it sturdy enough to be dredged through the mud. Alright then, she could see his point. She did look noble.

  "I've not met many of your kind that think that way."

  "My kind?" She tried to clamp down on the panic inside her thinking he knew she was fae. There was no need to feel it really. Even if he did know, he'd have to prove it. Though she'd heard rumours that the witch hunters weren't particularly discerning about who they captured.

  Maybe she'd send Lady Olga to capture one of them. She knew the woman was still kidnapping men, she may as well put herself to good use and grab one that could give her some answers. But no, she couldn't condone that. It wasn't a good example for her to set.

  "Noble. Normally they just want to prove how much better than me they are." He studied her warily, probably trying to work out how she was going to react. If she was honest with herself, then she didn't really know herself. She'd not been in this situation before. And realistically, she was more than noble on top of not being human. That wasn't something she could ignore.

  "I guess I'm not like the rest," she replied with a shrug. She'd long ago decided she wanted to judge people based on their actions and not what they appeared like, and she hoped the same was true in reverse. If anyone judged her as just the Queen, then she'd actually be very disappointed in them. And in herself. It'd mean she wasn't doing a good enough job at presenting herself properly.

  "I'm starting to get that. But what brings you to this lovely, err, field." He looked around dramatically, before waving around him, indicating his true thoughts on their location. He wasn't impressed by it at all.

  "The view." Her reply was instant, maybe too much so for him to believe, but she'd try anyway.

  "Oh yes, the lovely brown view. Nothing but dead crops and withering trees for miles." He laughed, the sound light and airy. Nieves liked it far more than she should.

  "Yes, lovely and brown," she agreed with a sweet smile. "Though soon it'll be white," she added quietly, thinking about the first morning frost that'd likely cover the fields at dawn. She'd have loved to see it, but her time was limited, and couldn’t spend it waiting for an overnight weather phenomenon.

  "So other than staring at brown fields, is there anything you plan to do?" He was still smiling easily, and it was still tugging at something deep within Nieves. It made her want something more than he was offering. More than she should take. She was fae, her mate could only be another paranormal. And this man definitely was not. Unless he was just good at hiding it.

  "I'm going to go visit my daughter," she replied absentmindedly, thinking of Mila's wide innocent eyes, and broad smile.

  "Oh."

  He turned away as if to leave.

  "Don't go," she blurted out, despite knowing it would probably be better to just let him go. "Why don't you come with me?"

  He faced her again, with wide, happy eyes. It was clearly something he liked the sound of then.

  "I'd like that," he said.

  "Good."

  She held out her hand to him, and reluctantly, he took it. He may end up regretting this, especially if he wasn't ready to see magic. Though given his lack of questioning on her previous display, that wouldn't be an issue.

  She smiled at him once, then opened a portal with her spare hand, getting ready to step through and blow his mind.

  3

  The colours of the portal swirled around t
he two of them, and she wasn't surprised at the look of awe on Jack's face. A lot of fae looked that way when they travelled through the portals for the first time too. There was something truly magical about it. The place was steeped in magic. So much so, she could feel it soaking into her skin and recharging the powers she'd lost.

  The other Fae Courts didn't have this way of travelling, as far as she knew anyway. Some of them even used doors straight from one realm to the next.

  "What is this place?" Jack asked, the awe seeping from his expression into his voice.

  "The inter-realms," Nieves answered simply.

  "Because that answers everything." He snorted his derision.

  "The answer will depend on how much you're capable of suspending your disbelief." She motioned to the left, seeking out the way to her daughter.

  "I'm here, aren't I?" A slightly cheeky grin spread over his face.

  "True."

  "You going to tell me?" He looked about, as if wanting something to lean on. Unsurprisingly, he found nothing.

  "It's how we travel between the fae and human realms," she answered, smiling serenely as she played with some magic in her hands. In the inter-realms, it had a mind of its own, and would often seek out a fae to play with. It reminded her of all the beauty in the world.

  "We?"

  "That's what you're going to question?" She chuckled softly, enjoying his accepting nature.