Ember Queen

Reckoning


The sun is blinding when I step out of the mouth of the cave on weak legs. I lift a heavy, aching arm to shield my eyes, but the effort of even that small gesture makes the world around me spin. My knees buckle and the ground comes up to meet me, hard and sharp with rocks. It hurts, but oh, it feels so good to lie down, to have fresh air in my lungs, to have light, even if it is too much all at once.

My throat is so dry, it hurts to even breathe. There is caked blood on my fingers, on my arms, in my hair. Distantly I realize that it s mine, but I can t say where it came from. My memories are a desert--I remember stepping into the cave, remember hearing my friends voices begging me to come back. And then . . . nothing. 

Theo, a voice calls, familiar but so far away. A thousand footsteps beat against the ground, each one making my head throb. I flinch away from the sound, curling tighter into myself. 

Hands touch my skin--my wrists, the pulse point behind my ear. They are so cold, they raise goose bumps on my skin. 

Is she . . . , a voice says. Blaise. I try to say his name, but nothing comes out. 

She s alive, but her pulse is faint and her skin is hot, another voice says. Heron. We have to get her inside.  

Arms scoop me up and carry me--Heron s, I think. Again, I try to speak, but I can t make so much as a sound. 

Art, your cloak, Heron says, his chest rumbling against my cheek with each word. Cover her head with it. Her eyes are oversensitive.  

Yes, I remember, Art says. Fabric rustles and her cloak falls over my eyes, wrapping my world in darkness once more. 

I let myself fall into it now. My friends have me, and so I am safe.

 

The next time I open my eyes, I m on a cot inside a tent, the bright sun filtered through thick white cotton so that it is bearable. The pounding in my head is still

Laura Sebastian grew up in South Florida and attended Savannah College of Art and Design. She now lives and writes in New York City. Laura is the New York Times bestselling author of Ash Princess, Lady Smoke, and Ember Queen. To learn more about Laura and her books, go to laurasebastianwrites.com and follow @sebastian_lk on Twitter.

Praise for the New York Times bestselling Ash Princess series:

Sure to be one of the summer's most talked about YAs. . . . A darkly enchanting page-turner you won't be able to put down. Bustle

Tense and imaginative, this story of a diminished yet vengeful princess inciting a rebellion to recapture her rightful place of power strikes a timely chord. Ash Princess is a smart, feminist twist on a traditional tale of a fallen heroine, with plenty of court intrigue, love, and lies to sweeten the deal. Good luck putting this one down. Virginia Boecker, author of The Witch Hunter series

The story leaps and twists like a swordswoman, and its blade carves the characters anew and divides them against themselves. This searing page-turner is a compelling examination of the complexities of both evil and resistance. Sarah Porter, author of Vassa in the Night

"Laura Sebastian has created a dark and spellbinding epic in Ash Princess. Brace yourself, because Theodosia Houzzara wounded, driven, and deadly is going to carve out a place for herself in your heart." Sara Holland, New York Times bestselling author of Everless

"Emotionally complex, breathtakingly suspenseful"-Booklist

"For fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy strong female protagonists, this book will be an easy sell. Theo is tough, honorable, and relatable in her emotions [and] Sebastian has built a beautiful and complex world."-VOYA

"A rebel queen fans the sparks of revolution...[and] Theo's first-person narration remains enthralling with emotional immediacy...[while] packed to the brim with intrigue."-Kirkus Reviews

"Through unexpected allies and daring escape plans, [Theodosia's] trip from downtrodden princess to queen is an engaging one that fantasy fans will enjoy...[as well as] fans of The Selection series by Kiera Cass and The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne