Prince of Never (Black Blood Fae, #1)

by Juno Heart

Forever waiting. Waiting. Waiting for her…

She isn’t. Relief flows warm through his fouled blood.

She who is foretold to come. One day. The girl he doesn’t want. Every day. The girl he already hates. Forever…

But one day—one very unfortunate day—under that tree is where he shall find her, the queen who can make him king. And when he does…under that tree is exactly where he’ll kill her. For Everend Fionbharr will never be king. Never. Never. Ever. After.

“Hope it wasn’t another one about those creepy fairy things again.”

I’ve been plagued by those dreams since Mom’s death. They may frighten and unsettle me, but I’ve never admitted to her how much I like them.

“Excuse me, miss, can you help us? Please come here.”

“We can’t bear the sight of blood,” Aer continues. “And Ether needs tending to.”

“You, Lara, can put it on her. We’ve drunk too much, and we don’t like blood. We might faint and hit our heads.”

Then everything is black. My mind, my heart, my soul. Black. Black. Black…

The throne I plan to shun. The court I wish to abandon. The care I no longer have for…well…for anything.

Unless, of course, I find my queen, stop the poison, wear the crown—and let the air mage win. That will never, ever happen.

I think of Mother, and of the girl she wants me to find. The king she wants me to become.

dark magic infuses the air, curling around my calves like a hungry cat. I breathe deeply, tasting the flavor, unfamiliar and strong. No way that’s a fallen troll sleeping in the creek—their magic is next to useless. With each step I take toward the sodden heap, pain radiates from the tattoo in the center of my chest, the symbol of air, burning and no doubt glowing brightly beneath my clothes.

Dana be damned. What is this extraordinary thing?

it must be presented to the queen—my mother and her stupid rules—and the court will decide what to do with it—what to do with her.

“Hello, goblin girl. So, tell me, from which tree stump did you crawl out?”

It’s weird how he seems so familiar, like an indistinct face from a fading dream.

As crazy as it sounds, I’m starting to think he’s a goddamn faery!

It’s real. He’s real.

I cover my mouth, swallow bile, and the huntsman steps forward. Closer. Then closer still. Say hello to forever, the strange girls had said last night. Say hello to forever, like an incantation. A curse. And, now, here I am in Faery.

“I’m a human girl. Haven’t you seen one before?” I mimic his patronizing tone. “What? A human?” The huntsman’s lips twist, and he bends forward to inspect me.

“Well, I confess I’m astonished,” he drawls. “The last time I saw one of you, I was a brawling boy. Are you quite sure you’re mortal and not a shaggy hobgoblin?”

“Ah, so you’re a peasant just as I reckoned. A sweaty human-goblin peasant.” “Stop saying goblin.

“No, that’s my donkey,” he quips, then flinches violently as his fingers press into his temple. The sort-of-lie caused him pain, but somehow, he was able to push the words out of his mouth.

“My horse’s name is Jinn.” “And yours is?” “Never mind.” He presents his hand, extending calloused fingers toward me. “Come.

“Nevermind is an unusual name. In case you’re interested, mine is Lara.”

“Take my hand, human called Lara, and mount the horse.”

He snaps his fingers and, suddenly, I can’t draw air in. My hair lifts and weaves above my head, and all I can do in response is gape and choke and convulse. With dawning horror, I realize I’m suffocating, and the beautiful fae huntsman is somehow making it happen.

And this arrogant, psychotic huntsman, who I’ve come to think of as Never, looks exactly like the boys in her paintings. Which means my mother has most definitely been here. And this place must be Ella’s Land of Five. Think, Lara. Think.

“Fine,” I say, tucking strands of hair behind my ears. “I promise to travel with you without fuss for a simple trade.” His eyes light up. “A trade? But what need do I have for a bargain when I can make you do my bidding?”

“Never is a good name for you, because if I could help it, I’d prefer never to call you anything. I wish I’d never met you and that I was never found and stolen away by you and your scary dog, and I wish—”

I’ll try to talk him to death.

I cannot fathom why she doesn’t fear me.

How did you get all those tree bits down so quickly, Never? Was that air magic? And where did all those flowers come from? What are you doing now? Never? Why aren’t you answering? I ignored her as best I could, but that ridiculous name she calls me whirled on the breeze like sylphs’ whispers. Never. Ever. After.

“Hey, pup. You’re not so bad, are you?” she says, taking his giant gray head between her palms and shaking it playfully.

In surprise, I look down at my leg as something solid thumps against it. Balor is wagging his tail like a milk-fed whelp!

What an embarrassment of a hunting hound. I never imagined he could be so easily won over. And by a human of all creatures.

“Let’s test the lying theory,” she suggests, her eyes narrowing to jade slits.

“About my hideous appearance, do you really think I look like a goblin or a wasp?” My shoulders stiffen. “There are some similarities.” “So that’s a no, then?” She laughs,

“Do not think to taunt a fae to anger, human. Have you no sense at all in your pale-red head? There is a wise phrase you mortals used to chant: ‘be kind to a vagabond for he may be a faery prince in disguise’. What think you of that?”

“As if a prince would be as ill-tempered and badly dressed as you are.”

Can I come and watch?” “No. Stay there. This is your chance to prove you can stick to our bargain. And, while I’m away, I shall devise terrible things to turn you into if you’re gone when I return, and I have to waste time catching you.”

Creatures that should long ago have started their days shiver, entombed in nests and burrows, hoping I do not stop as I pass by. I lash them with tiny whips of wind, to let them know I’m aware. That they are mine. Mine, pumps my black heart. Mine. All mine.

“Quiet, Balor. You’re ruining everything this morning, putting the human at ease, chasing fish. What’s next? Will you want to ride atop Jinn, snuggling in the girl’s lap like a babe?” He barks loudly and wags his tail.

As I draw near the clearing, voices drift toward me, the girl’s musical lilt and a deeper rumble. Seems the wasp has company.

“Why won’t you give me your name?” he asks in his slithering tenor.

“I’ve already given it,” she says brightly.

Recently, I’ve heard much of her voice—last night, it even invaded my restless dreams—so I recognize the fear present in it. She’s doing well, thoug...

“Wasp? What kind of name is that for a young lady?” “My companion tel...