Today Mallory McCartney and Rockstar Book Tours are happy to announce that QUEEN TO ASHES, is available for pre-order! Check out all the book info and enter the giveaway!

Chapter One

Adair

The vastness of the sky consumed him. It always had, ever since  he  was  young,  but  tonight  seemed  different.  The  churning dark clouds cast a purplish hue, bleeding with the softness created from the moon. The stars shone between the pockets, obscuring the scene and making it beautiful. Far below him, the Ruined City laid in its grave, quiet and still, the broken buildings reminding him of splintered  bones.  The  wildness  of  the  forest  beyond  that  seemed entrancing,  calling  him  into  its  depths,  whispering  its  secrets  to only him.

Adair Stratton tugged his button-down jacket tighter around him, trying to block the wind from his lookout post. It had taken years  to build his kingdom to what it was now, but he was relieved for  the  hidden  lookout  posts  that  led  outside,  on  the  edge  of  the mountain, and, to him, the edge of the world. Because it was here, and  only  here,  that  the  voices  started  to  ebb,  the  darkness  in  his veins  smothering  ever  so  slightly.  In  this  brief  and  flickering moment of clarity, his mind wandered to the girl who was locked in  the  cells  of  his  kingdom,  waiting  for  him.  Emory  Fae,  the Princess of Kiero.

He  popped  his  collar  up,  shaking  his  head  and  sighing. Under the blanket of night, he could trace back to the man he used to be, the echo of his humanity. Thinking of her, he could see the splaying  of  memories  come  back  to  life  all  around  him,  of  his friends,  of  the  Academy.  And  it  was  in  these  sparse  moments  of lucidity,  he  allowed  himself  to  remember.  Relishing  it,  pushing back  that  yearning  for  destruction,  pushing  back  on  the  voices, trying to lock  them  away. And like every other night, he lost. The wind howled, making the edges of his coat and pants tug upward, his hair standing on end from the sudden chill.

His  boots  kicked  against  the  slick  mountainside,  his  heart racing  as  the  smooth  voices  filled  his  consciousness.  “Adair,  this kingdom is yours. Make her bow, make her bleed and pay for what she has done.”  He closed his eyes for a beat, digging his fingernails into his flesh.  “Why  do  you  wait?  You  know  what  you  want.  What  you  have always  wanted.”   Images  were  thrown  at  him;  so  quick  and enthralling, it swept his breath away. The inky crown, embedded with  roses  and  thorns,  laid  delicately  on  top  of  her  ebony  hair. Memphis  Carter,  the  once  commander  of  the  Black  Dawn Rebellion,  bowed,  pleading  for  his  life  as  Adair  smirked.  His darkness  whisked  away  any  trace  of  rebellion.  Emory  was  by  his side as they watched the world continue to burn, until it was only them. Always, for  them.

Adair  snarled,  then  said,  “Leave  me  alone.  Please.”   Their snickers bounced around him, their whispers tugging at his heart. “Do  not  falter  now,  our  Dark  King.  You  have  come  so  far,  achieved  so much. The binds your father tried to keep you in, you broke. The Academy kept you in, you turned it to ash. We are a team. We know the desires of your  soul,  how  you  revel  in  watching  the  world  shudder  in  your  reign. You have always been more. A reckoning force that no one can stop. Can never stop.” 

He became still, his muscles taut. Opening his eyes, his gaze fell  a  thousand  miles  away,  to  where  the  Academy  had  stood. Where a boy that once wanted to explore the world and not shackle it had lived. He knew both were dead now. Ice coursed through his body, spreading through his core faster than he could register. His pulse  slowed,  the  roaring  emotions  he  felt  slowing  as  well. Darkness  encased  him,  pulling  him  down,  down,   down.  Locking him  away,  roaring,  snarling,  and  clawing  at  him.  A  slow  exhale escaped  from  between  his  dry  lips,  and  as  he  stood,  every movement was precise, a predatory grace. Flicking his gaze below him  once  more,  and  instead  of  the  dark  beauty  that  he  was  met with earlier, the world around him was bleeding. Dark, black blood gushed  from  the  mountainside,  thickly  caking  the  field  and  the Ruined  City.  Echoes  of  screams  filled  the  air,  and  Adair  was transported, reminded of his bloodshed, of his control and power. “Do not disappoint us, our King.”

The  corners  of  his  lips  tugged  upward  as  he  whispered  to the wind, “I won’t.”

Inside  he  screamed,  ripping  at  his  mind,  battering  against the  iron  wall,  only  to  be  drowned  entirely  by  it.  He  turned smoothly, walking back into his world, each step anchoring him to his intentions.  Make them bow and make them pay. Make  her  pay.  He didn’t  look  as  he  stepped  off  the  side  of  the  cliff,  freefalling.  He plummeted, the wind howling, the cool night air stinging his skin. He  laughed,  relishing  in  the  exhilaration  of  adrenaline,  before  he was wrenched up, his body breaking down into particles of smoke and the darkness. Cutting through the sky, he didn’t think, he just reacted to the power inside of him, and everything else bled away. Arching, he cut through the clouds, moisture collecting around him like  glinting  crystals,  before  they  exploded,  and  he  cut  down, racing towards the mountain range. The moon bathed his path in luminescent  light,  and  it  was  mere  seconds  before  he  slammed through the wall, through stone and wood. The smoothness of the throne  room’s  granite  made  his  footfalls  silent  as  the  guards  on their rotation jumped at his arrival.

He scoffed. “You all seem uneasy.”

They  bowed  their  heads,  their  low  murmurs  cutting  over one another.

“My King, we weren’t expecting you.”

“The losses, my King.”

“What is our course of action?”

“Enough!” he snapped, his cold voice bouncing off the walls and silencing them instantly. He looked at the black marble and his throne, smooth, each curve carved precisely, the bones of monsters long forgotten inlaid in it. Taking a steadying breath, he looked at each guard, quietly stating, “You will all do your duties and leave the Rebellion to me. As for the girl, bring her tomorrow, along with the  other  prisoner.  Each  decision  I  make  has  a  purpose,  and  you aren’t  doubting  your  allegiance  to  me  now,  are  you?” Shifting uneasily, the guards paled in the soft light, swallowing nervously. Their silent answer enough. Pacing, he snapped, “Now, leave me. Return to your stations.”

They  bowed,  each  footfall  a  distant  tick  against  his  mind, until  the  stillness  of  the  night  filled  him,  and  he  was  alone  once more. Striding, he threw himself on his throne, legs hanging over the  edges,  hands  propping  his  head  up.  Far  above  him,  the  stars glinted  down,  the  sky  opening  him  up  to  the  thousands  of uncharted miles in between space and time. And he thought of the girl who had defied it all.

Chewing his lip, he started to count down the seconds, the minutes,  and  the  hours  until  he  was  alone  with  her.  And  they would both see what side of him would decide her fate.