Fairest of All (Princesses Uncovered Book 1)

Life as a princess isn't easy for Blanca. Her mother died years before her time, and Blanca has been left to herself. Her mother's death came because of an illness developed while caring for the poor and sick. Watching this and knowing why her mother died had sown a seed of anger and bitterness in Blanca's heart. With no one to guide her, darkness had free reign.

She had fought the darkness growing in her soul, but when she met Brenn, it was impossible to keep fighting. He taught her everything he knew about magic and honed her gift.

But keeping her nightly lessons and her forbidden love a secret from her father and the rest of the kingdom isn't an easy feat, and she soon realizes that she'll need to figure out what she truly wants.

She's fallen in love with her tutor, and he's the one person who makes it bearable, but he is a man she can never have if she wants to remain heir to the throne. A dark, mysterious creature of shadows. But their union is impossible. Her father wouldn't allow it. Throne and black-magic are not to mingle. So they say... But things are rarely as they seem.

Everyone has a different image of her. Her father sees a sweet, innocent young girl. Her stepmother sees a capable, misguided young woman. The White Council sees a dangerous rival. But only Brenn - the dark mage who has trained her and fallen in love with her - sees who she really is.

While unsure and misguided in many ways, she is not the weak, innocent girl many think they know. As the White Council sends assassins after her and Brenn, will she be strong enough to save both herself and Brenn? She has no idea what it will take to survive, and when her stepmother is thrown into the picture, she wonders if she can trust her.

Anna says she's on Blanca's side, but at the same time, Blanca knows that if she doesn't choose what Anna believes is the right choice, Anna will eliminate her. Knowing that, she holds back, a choice that could cost her life.

Meanwhile, Brenn fights to protect her from the assassins of the White Council, and as he fails time after time, he wonders if they can make it.

The question is, will he be her downfall or her salvation? And will she ever learn to love others again?

Excerpt:


Blanca had stood beside her mother, gazing at the poverty before her eyes. A tear had slipped down her cheek.

“Mother? Why are these people this way?”

“Because, Blanca, they don’t have enough to eat. They cannot survive on their own, and that is why we must help. Many of them are sick because they have no money to afford proper food and housing,” Queen Mililani had answered.

Her green eyes had been sad beneath her dark lashes. Those dark lashes had been so like Blanca’s own. Splashes of ebony against ivory. Dark against light. But Blanca’s mother had been all light. She had radiated purity and goodness. There had been no malice within her heart. She had loved with simplicity and goodness, using her magic and love to heal the broken.

A boy had stood there among the poor, passing out a few meager loaves of bread. He had glared at Queen Mililani. But when his eyes lit on Blanca, he had given a cocky smile. His eyes appraised her. Fifteen at the time, Blanca had not known what to make of the darkly handsome boy before her. She had stared back, eyes piercing into him.

She had seen no malice in him then. Only a beautiful wish to help those around him. But he hadn’t emanated a pure white glow as her mother had. Instead, he emanated a powerful aura of dark. It had scared Blanca. She had hung back from him, standing beside her mother.

Ten minutes later, her mother and the guards had begun passing out the food to the poor folk. Blanca had been giving a few loaves of bread to several peasants a few feet away. The boy had been at her elbow before she could run. For some reason, he had both frightened and attracted her.

“Who are you?” She had whispered, lips quivering and slightly parted.