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    Empress Ascending: Moonlight Dragon, #0
    Empress Ascending: Moonlight Dragon, #0
    Empress Ascending: Moonlight Dragon, #0
    Ebook89 pages1 hour

    Empress Ascending: Moonlight Dragon, #0

    By Nicolette Andrews

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    About this ebook

    The emperor is dead, and the empress shall rise.  

    When the emperor is murdered, Eveline becomes Empress overnight. No woman has ever ruled the empire. And opposition mounts against her while forbidden magic seeps into through the cracks of the palace.

    To bind her power, she must find allies and a husband to appease her counsel. Alexander is handsome, charming and a dangerous temptation. While she agrees to marry him to keep her crown, she swears to keep her heart locked away.

    The empire teeters on the verge of civil war as monsters emerge from the dark to terrorize the capital. Eveline cannot win this battle alone. Can she open her heart to Alexander before it's too late, or will her distrust destroy the kingdom?

    Get the prequel to the Moonlight Dragon Trilogy and be swept into a passionate and dark world of marriage of convenience, powerful women, and steamy romance… 

    LanguageEnglish
    Publishernicolette andrews
    Release dateNov 12, 2024
    ISBN9798227424389
    Empress Ascending: Moonlight Dragon, #0

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      Book preview

      Empress Ascending - Nicolette Andrews

      1

      Stardust’s hooves struck the cobble, ringing like thunder. Please let the note be wrong . Shadows cast by the mountains loomed like the specters of long-gone giants. The setting sun felt like a bad omen. Night was the domain of the Nameless Goddess. The hour of death. If General Frey’s letter was correct, Eveline was running out of time.

      She leaned forward and whispered encouragement in Stardust’s ear. You’ve worked hard, and when we get home, I’ll make sure Gunnar gives you a sugar cube for your efforts.

      Though she must be weary from their race down the mountain, the promise of sugar cubes spurred Stardust. As she galloped through the market square, a merchant pushing a cart filled with produce crossed the narrow road, and she weaved past him to avoid a collision. But then another pedestrian had to leap out of her path seconds before being trampled. He shook his fist at her as she sailed past.

      Princess! Falko, her guard, shouted after her.

      She dared not look back. He must not have made it past the cart and would be dealing with the angry citizens. Falko would be furious. He’d only agreed to this race home if they stayed together. She didn’t need her guard to protect her within the walls of Atrira. And she’d never forgive herself if she didn’t make it to Father in time. Stars above, hear my prayer, spare Father. He was merely in his fourth decade and built like an old oak. In his youth, he’d driven the elves into the feral lands in the north and founded the Midnight Guard to protect the kingdom from the Moon Corrupted. When she’d left court three days ago, he’d been besting the newest recruits in sparring matches. How could illness strike a man filled with such vitality? She thought she knew the answer, but she dared not say it aloud. The sun sank behind the pointed turrets of the palace as the massive oak and iron gates inched closed. Eveline dug her heels into Stardust’s ribs.

      Hold the gate! she cried out.

      The gatehouse guards recognized her and held them open long enough to allow her to pass through. A stable boy rushed over and took Stardust’s reins. Eveline swung down from her saddle and gave Stardust a quick pat on her lathered neck.

      Be sure she gets plenty of sugar cubes, and a bucket of oats. We had a long hard ride here.

      The grooms assured her Stardust’s needs would be met, and she headed through the inner courtyard into the great hall. Her leather hunting boots thudded on the polished floor and left a trail of mud behind. The palace normally buzzed with activity, but an uneasy hush settled over it as night crept in. Eveline climbed the stairs two at a time, and the courtiers she passed gawked at her. They’d never seen this side of her, dirty and wild, her hair in a simple plait and her face smeared with road-dust. Her persona, the carefully crafted mask, slipped, and she would suffer the rumors for weeks. She’d been returning from a hunt when Catarina, her maid, had presented her with the message. There hadn’t been time to change out of her tunic, boots, and slacks. They’d gossip about her outlandish behavior and her outrageous clothes, but she’d gladly endure it as long as she wasn’t too late.

      At the end of a long, window-lined hall, clusters of courtiers gathered, their heads tilted together as they whispered. The doors opened, and they swarmed it like flies on a carcass. The emperor’s attendant Levi pushed his way through the crowd as they peppered him with questions. Dark smudges marred his pale face as he ran a hand through his mussed hair.

      The emperor is with the Vice Premier. There is nothing to worry about, Levi said with a heavy sigh.

      Their eyes met, and gazes turned in her direction. And then the vultures descended. They surged forward, and she braced herself as they encircled her.

      Dear Princess, tell your father I’ve lit candles at the temple in his honor, said Lady Bohm, a middle-aged woman who’d been trying for weeks to arrange a meeting between Eveline and her unwed son.

      My condolences, Princess, Lord Sulzer said, cutting in front of Lady Bohm. Five days ago, he’d written her the most obnoxious poem, comparing her white-blond hair to a lamb’s wool and her brown eyes to a meat pie.

      He’s not dead yet! She wanted to scream but bit her tongue. Not because they deserved it, but because she knew how they would talk if she let her mask slip further. These sycophants always surrounded Father, seeking the opportunity to grasp a higher position at court. The whiff of carrion had brought them circling, and their numbers swelled to three times their usual amount. As if they delighted in the prospect of his demise.

      She’d sought escape from them in the mountains. Away from the swarm of suitors who descended upon the palace since Father declared her his heir. At twenty, she was past the age to be wed. And as future empress, she was too tempting a prize to be ignored.

      She’s not here for your empty condolences. Step aside so the princess can see her father, an unfamiliar voice cut through the din.

      Heads swiveled toward a handsome lord with raven-dark hair and startling blue eyes. He cleared a path through the press of bodies. She’d noticed him from a distance. How could she not? His features were carved from marble, a sharp cold beauty that foolish girls broke themselves upon. Before today, they’d never spoken, and she’d never bothered to learn his name. There’d never been a reason. She wasn’t naive enough to be entranced by a handsome face. Eveline narrowed her eyes as she assessed him. What game was he playing?

      Levi took over from there, extending an arm and ushering her into the inner chambers. She didn’t have another moment to waste on the nameless lord. The doors closed, blockading her from the rest of the court.

      Princess, we were not expecting you so soon. Duke Meissner ordered an escort for tomorrow. It’s not safe for you to travel alone this close to dark. Levi looked anywhere but at her.

      There was

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