Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Shadow Prince: A Mortal Enchantment Prequel Novella
    The Shadow Prince: A Mortal Enchantment Prequel Novella
    The Shadow Prince: A Mortal Enchantment Prequel Novella
    Ebook104 pages1 hour

    The Shadow Prince: A Mortal Enchantment Prequel Novella

    By Stacey O'Neale

    5/5

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    THE SHADOW PRINCE is the prequel novella to the award-winning YA fantasy series Mortal Enchantment. Discover a world of elemental powers, courage, duty, sacrifice, forbidden romance, and a war for the very elements of life. 

    Sixteen-year-old Rowan is an elemental prince. Banished to the mortal world, he doubts he will ever return to Avalon and claim the fire court throne. Until he receives a challenge from his estranged mother. If he slays Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental princess and heir to the court of air, she will abdicate her throne. Is he capable of completing such a heinous task? And what price he will pay if he refuses? 

    Perfect for fans of Holly Black and Sarah J. Maas. 

    "Filled with betrayal and intrigue, The Shadow Prince is a dark and twisty novella from an exciting new author!" 

    Katee Robert, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author 

    "The Shadow Prince is a well written, powerful story with a unique premise and an exciting plot. Stacey O'Neale is one hell of a storyteller." 
    Rachel, Parajunkee 

    "The Shadow Prince is a fast-paced, action-packed, exciting introduction to a world of intrigue, and danger. I think fantasy and paranormal readers are going to love meeting her sexy male lead, Rowan. I'm a fan of both, and I enjoyed this book. I cannot wait to get my hands on Mortal Enchantment!" 
    Katie, Mundie Moms

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherStacey O'Neale
    Release dateMar 4, 2014
    ISBN9780991451906
    The Shadow Prince: A Mortal Enchantment Prequel Novella
    Author

    Stacey O'Neale

    Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter.Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing.Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.

    Related to The Shadow Prince

    Related ebooks

    Children's For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Daughter Of The Moon Goddess

      Jan 26, 2022

      RELEASED OUT NOW! 496 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Sue Lynn Tan Publisher HarperVoyager On paper, this story has so many familiar elements (a plucky runaway protagonist trying to help an imprisoned parent, cruel monarchs, a handsome prince

      1 min read

    • Article

      Child Of Light

      Oct 6, 2021

      Child Of Light
      1 min read

    • Article

      Our Lady Of The Rockies

      Aug 7, 2023

      Our Lady Of The Rockies
      13 min read

    • Article

      Yara And The Witch Queen

      Oct 1, 2019

      I knew the dangers of witchcraft. My parents had told me about the time before I was born, when magic plagued our desert kingdom of Bahati. Untrained witch doctors trying to cure warts ended up paralyzing their patients or turning them into crocodile

      10 min read

    • Article

      100-WORD-STORY COMPETITION Winners

      Aug 16, 2022

      We’ve been delighted by the huge response to our 100-word-story competition. The entries have flooded in thick and fast during the past few months, but while we’ve enjoyed reading every story, only a few can come out on top! You, our readers, voted t

      5 min read

    • Article

      Watership Down

      Nov 6, 2017

      Watership Down
      6 min read

    • Article

      Family Ink

      Mar 28, 2021

      Family Ink
      6 min read

    • Article

      Three Poems

      Jan 1, 2020

      In class, I stared because of the blood going blue.The chalk that coated our fingerly teeth.The way we lapped each other (on the shorewhere the flowering). I gave away our location. Smacked my lips in the coat closet.Sucked at her teeth. We, on all e

      4 min read

    • Article

      That Particular Sunday

      Jul 6, 2023

      That Particular Sunday
      26 min read

    • Article

      The Last Friend on Earth

      May 4, 2023

      It was as if Doreen Saunders had been waiting for me, passing the time until my arrival. She might as well have been sitting in a rocking chair, knitting needles clicking, jam tarts cooling on the side, the door wide open, waiting for the next visito

      6 min read

    • Article

      The Silence of Witches

      Dec 10, 2019

      The Silence of Witches
      6 min read

    • Article

      Warden Of The Coast

      Feb 2, 2023

      Warden Of The Coast
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Family Plot

      May 7, 2020

      The Family Plot
      10 min read

    • Article

      Intelligent Creatures

      Jul 6, 2023

      Intelligent Creatures
      19 min read

    • Article

      Worlds Of Ink And Paper

      Nov 22, 2022

      As a young girl, I still remember my dear mother, smile on her face, curled up with Family Circle magazine in her lap. She was engrossed in an article titled “Butternut Wisdom,” written by Gladys Taber. At my age, it didn’t mean a thing to me. But as

      6 min read

    • Article

      A Year In Reading: Garth Risk Hallberg

      Dec 18, 2021

      Simply put, Yoon Choi is the most ambitious and accomplished practitioner of the Chekhovian short story to appear in many years. The post A Year In Reading: Garth Risk Hallberg appeared first on The Millions.

      9 min read

    • Article

      ‘Cygnet’: Featured Fiction from Season Butler

      Jun 25, 2019

      A excerpt from Butler's debut coming-of-age novel, set in an appealingly rich world with quirky, flawed characters and a dramatic oceanfront landscape. The post ‘Cygnet’: Featured Fiction from Season Butler appeared first on The Millions.

      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Shadow Prince

    5/5

    1 rating0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Shadow Prince - Stacey O'Neale

      Chapter One

      Headlights flashed, illuminating the darkness. I shifted around as a line of cars approached. This place wasn’t a popular spot. Most mortals didn’t know this forest hid a secluded beach, which was why I liked coming here to sleep under the stars. Branches snapped as they rode over the dirt road. Somehow they managed to squeeze their vehicles into a narrow clearing. One by one, they poured out wearing football jerseys and t-shirts with the same school logo.

      Judging by the excitement level of the group, they’d just come from a winning game. They headed for the shore with their coolers and a beer keg. A few of the guys dropped their stuff in the sand, found a decent spot, and started digging a pit. A beach bonfire? Cool. Maybe I don’t mind sharing my beach, after all. Minutes later, some girls showed up with baseball-sized rocks, handfuls of leaves and twigs, and arranged the sticks into a pyramid.

      There was only one ingredient left that they needed: fire.

      A smaller, non-jock-looking mortal tried several times to spark the flame with a lighter, but the wind coming off the ocean blew it out. The poor guy looked embarrassed, peering over his shoulder at a couple of cute girls in a cluster. He was going to need some help. Hidden behind a glamour, I knelt beside him. He made another attempt. Touching the twigs with the tip of my finger, I set the pyramid ablaze. The crowd cheered as the fire rose into the sky. The scrawny kid walked away smiling, holding the hand of one of the girls.

      Mission accomplished.

      The sound of a familiar chuckle rang out above the crashing waves. I turned around. As soon as I saw my best friend Marcus leaning against a distant tree, I made my way through the crowd to join him. The salty breeze rustled his curly brown hair, but he didn’t seem bothered. He tucked the wild strands behind his ear. In his red cashmere sweater and khaki pants, he could easily pass for a mortal. Looking at him now, it was hard to conceive what slept dormant within him.

      He stood at my side. ‟Working hard, I see."

      I hadn’t seen him in months. Not since his father ordered him back to Avalon. ‟What can I say? I’m a workaholic."

      ‟Yeah, he snorted. ‟I’m surprised to see you haven’t joined their celebration. He bent down in a mock bow, ‟Your Majesty."

      I smirked. ‟You know me better than that. I’m a total professional."

      ‟Ah, yes, he agreed, sarcastically. ‟You’re completely above partying with the mortals. It’s not like you’d ever break the rules.

      ‟Never."

      We were both full of shit.

      ‟It’s for the best, you know. These poor mortal boys can’t compete. You’ve got that whole sad-boy-with-a-tortured-soul thing going for you. He reached out as if he wanted to touch my face. ‟And those radiant blue eyes—

      Laughing, I swatted his hand away. ‟You’re a dick. You know that, right?"

      He let out a hearty laugh.

      The mortal girls did seem to enjoy my company. And, yes, I occasionally removed my glamour and pretended I was one of them. Why not? It sucked spending all my time in their world without ever being part of it.

      Marcus pointed to the silver barbell in my right eyebrow. ‟Nice piercing, by the way. Has your mother seen it?"

      ‟Why would she? I shrugged. ‟Where I go and what I do has never been of any importance to her.

      He raised an eyebrow. ‟Do I need to remind you that you’re the sole heir to the fire court throne? I’d say that makes you important."

      I may be her only biological child, but she has no interest in passing her crown onto me. Prisma has ruled the fire court for centuries. ‟Not to her."

      ‟With everything going on, his tone turned serious, ‟how could you possibly feel this way?

      Prisma exiled me to the mortal world. There was no love between us. ‟What are you saying? What’s going on?"

      ‟Come on, Rowan. Be serious."

      There had been no word from Avalon. No messages from her. I crossed my arms. ‟I have no idea what you’re talking about."

      ‟The queen sent me. His eyebrows furrowed as if he were genuinely surprised by my ignorance. ‟She’s abdicating her throne to you.

      Total astonishment didn’t begin to explain how I felt hearing those words. Part of me was too shocked to do anything but stand here. On the rare occasions I’d been invited to visit her in Avalon, she’d never once expressed any interest in abdicating her throne. ‟What about Valac and Selene?"

      ‟We both know they have no real claim to the crown."

      My older, adopted siblings have always been her favorite. They had been together for centuries, and if she passed the crown to anyone, I fully expected she’d fight to give it to one of them. ‟None of this makes any sense."

      Marcus shrugged. ‟Who cares why she’s doing it? I say go with it."

      I wasn’t naïve. There was a purpose to her decision. She wouldn’t hand the court over to me unless she got something in return. Something she couldn’t get without my help, but what could it be? ‟You don’t find any of this the least bit strange?"

      ‟I see where you’re coming from, but I’m looking at the broader picture. He placed his hand on my shoulder. ‟As king, you’ll be able to run the court as you please. You can make all the changes we’ve been talking about since we were kids.

      This was personal for Marcus.

      Prisma ruled with a ruthlessness unlike any of the other courts. They were in constant fear for their lives. Severe punishments were handed out for the smallest of crimes, along with plenty of violent executions. But it was the gabriel hounds who received the worst treatment. Hounds weren’t considered equal members of our court because they couldn’t control the fire element.

      Centuries ago, before the decrees were in place, Prisma created the shape-shifters as a means of protection. The other courts weren’t pleased, but there was nothing they could do. To this day, the hounds continue to be the most dangerous members of our court, controlled by her alone. The strongest hounds were trained to be guardians for high-ranking elementals, while the rest worked in homes as cooks, cleaners, and in other domestic positions.

      If I were king, I would put an end to all of it. ‟Are you sure she’s serious?"

      ‟There’s only one way to find out."

      Marcus was right. If she wanted something, I had to go back to Avalon to find out what. ‟Why did she send you to deliver the news? I assumed you’d be busy training to be a guardian."

      ‟I completed my training, he said, lowering his head. ‟I am now yours to command.

      An ache burned in the center of my chest. Prisma had assigned my best friend to be my protector. She had made it clear she didn’t approve of our friendship years ago, but this was going too far. This move was made solely to

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1