Dove's Solstice

Published by EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ® at Smashwords

www.evernightpublishing.com

Copyright© 2024 Faedra Rose

ISBN: 978-0-3695-1091-4

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Editor: Melissa Hosack

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

DEDICATION

This series is dedicated to all those who seek out the ancient wisdom and magic which lies hidden within the pages of fairytales. The tales of Faery have long intrigued me, capturing my heart from an early age, and continue to enchant me to this very day … So, my fellow fae lovers, and to those who practice their magic, or appreciate the power of the solstices—this story is for you.

DOVE’S SOLSTICE

The Winter Court, 3

Faedra Rose

Copyright © 2024

Chapter One

Dove

The wilds of Faery stretch out before me, white, crisp, and breathtakingly beautiful. I shiver against the bitter cold and watch in a state of awe as my hot breath whorls away into the night. Glittering snowflakes fall all around me like tangible magic, their perfect and unique formations catching the radiance of the moon. The natural splendor of this hidden realm is unlike anything I have ever seen.

The land from which I come is dull and mundane by comparison. Even the air here is somehow purer, each heady breath more invigorating than the last. What am I going to do? My father, one of the village Elders, has warned me against the perils and treachery of the fae all my life. He says they are the emissaries of the Devil himself—that they were locked away here beside us, separated by a mere Veil to act as a test. The passions, debaucheries, and delicacies of Faery are believed to be the ultimate test in temptation.

If his wisdom is to be trusted, then I am in grave danger. But what if he is wrong? The thought sprouts unbidden in my mind like a bud bursting through the dark earth seeking the sun’s light. I am helpless to stop it. What if Faery is a paradise afforded to only a scant few? What if those who are lost or ensnared by its grasp are blessed? Perhaps not by God but blessed all the same.

In Faery there is no starvation or endless toil, there are no forced marriages, just perpetual beauty, and dark, heart-slaking desire. The thought of returning home to our humble log cabin to scrub floors, wash feet, and slave over a stove has my stomach churning and my soul revolting. Whatever part of me longs to return to the safety of what I have always known, I stamp down, quelling my fear. My mind has never felt more clarity.

I am going to find a way to remain here, I decide. I am stronger than anyone back home can imagine. And now that I have escaped my cage, I will never go back. I would rather explore the grandeur of Faery and die, having filled my soul with more beauty than any mortal could dream of, than return and slave away my youth. I will not submit. My father had intended for me to marry one of the Elders, his friend, a man well past his prime and with a heart as hard and cold as iron.

My conviction swells