This book is the SEQUEL to 'All The Queen's Horses'. READ THAT BOOK FIRST.

Chapter 1 – Ever After Never Came

Eve

'Ever After' never came. At least not for me. Somehow, my fairytale had gone horribly wrong. For just a lingering minute, I indulged memories too painful for everyday reflection: A full moon had shown down brilliantly, as if agreeing with the vows spoken and held sacred. Every surface seemed to have a glistening sheen, even the guests. But that could have just been the unfiltered joy in my eyes. Destiny shifted as I exchanged my status of only one, and became an equal measure of two instead.

It was the moment I had become Mrs. Michael Glass.

That was ten and a half years ago.

As it turned out, destiny was a cruel bitch that would not be manipulated, because I had been only one, for what seemed like an eternity. I swallowed the familiar taste of bitterness on my tongue. My back bowed and my eyelids fluttered against the tears that threatened. I had cried thousands of tears, surely I would have run dry by now. But no. I felt an all too recognizable prickling dryness, which only a tear could soothe. I blinked in silent resignation, the salty wetness making trails over my cheeks. Gulping in a few ragged breaths, I forced the beautiful memory back where it belonged, into my tightly locked broken heart.

"Mama?" a quiet voice whispered behind me, breaking my tortured reverie – Faeryn. Somehow, her speech never lost its musical enunciation, even when overshadowed with concern. Every word she spoke was beautifully articulated, a lilting Welsh accent caressing each syllable. Her education had been without limit. As a result, she wove Welsh, English, French and Romanian effortlessly, as the inclination took her.

"Faeryn," I murmured, swiping the remaining tears quickly from my face, before I turned toward her; my features naturally relaxing into the expression of happiness I felt whenever she was near.

She stared silently. I knew she worried about me. Her brow furrowed. This wasn't the first time she had caught me in a reflective moment. In most instances, I would just lose track of my current reality, my eyes glazing over while memories from so long ago played a broken record in my mind. But it was rare that she caught me in such a weak moment as this. Her unfathomable crystal blue eyes – so much like her father – searched my face for any kind of clue that would reveal the reason for my distress. I could see the curiosity burning behind her eyes, but she had given up asking a long time ago, as my response had been always the same – it was nothing. I couldn't tell her the truth. It wasn't that I didn't want to. I literally could not say the words – thanks to Gwion's compulsion.

He would not allow anything to be spoken to her, which had the potential to cause her pain – or cause her to want to leave. On this point, he had been severely unmoving.

He had taken a different approach with me. He let me choose whether or not I wanted to feel my suffering, offering me the opportunity to forget all that had come before. I had fiercely rejected him, snarling that I would rather be dead than forget Michael. I could still recall the uncontrollable shaking that had rattled through my bones as I glared at him, terrified that he would steal the only thing I had left – my memories. Unaffected by my anger, he had simply replied, "As you wish," before continuing quietly, "but if in the future, you find yourself rethinking your decision, the offer remains."

Since then I had come close, many times, to seeking his brand of relief; fearing that if I didn't, the pain of my loss would leave me irrevocably broken. It was in those devastated moments, I found myself wishing that I actually did have a choice, but there was simply no option. Michael remembered, so I would remember.

I pushed away my rambling thoughts.

"You look beautiful," I said, forcing more life into my tone. By any standards, she was exquisitely striking. Her long blonde hair curled haphazardly and untamed around her face. It was a few shades lighter than Michael's, and seemed to glow almost white in the moonlight.

Her growth rate had been double that of a human, so it had only taken ten years for her to reach her full maturity, and now she actually stood a few inches taller than me. By human standards, she was twenty years old.

And she would stay like that until the end of time.

Her destiny did not include death. She was an Immortal.

She flushed, pleased with my assessment and spoke excitedly, "Gwion is taking me to the Louvre tonight!"

My heart twisted. I knew she was falling for the man I hated. I could see it in her eyes.

At first, I had worried that Gwion would try to take Michael's place, and become a father figure to her. But it had quickly become apparent that he had no intention of physically engraining himself into her life. While he coordinated every aspect of her expensive and elite education, he left everything else up to me. She had seen him only a handful of times in passing, and had never even once spoken with him. I enjoyed many years of relief at his distance.

However, she reached her full maturity six months ago, and three months later was the first time Gwion had shown any interest in spending time with her. By that point, of course, I had expected it, because her maturity represented the turning point in relationship to her education. During her childhood, her schooling had been unlimited in regards to her mind. However, once she became of age, she would learn how to use her gifts.

And the only man with enough skill to teach her was Gwion.

I forced my expression into enthusiasm, but couldn't help my repeated warnings, "Faeryn, please be careful with him. You know his age and experience is vastly different than yours." I wasn't able to say anything specifically negative about him to her, again due to his compulsion.

"Mama, you worry too much. He won't hurt me," she sighed.

She was right on that note. Indeed, she was his most prized possession. All who came into contact with her, feared for their life if they took any misstep, or treated her with less than the exceptional quality and care that Gwion demanded. He had killed more than one vampire, in proof of his point. Faeryn never knew, but I did.

I remembered the first time it happened. Gwion had restricted her educators to only an elite level of scholars. Doctors and scientists taught her how to read and write. Of course, her level of accelerated learning meant she had transitioned from reading and writing, into complex mathematical theory and scientific study, within a matter of months. Not satisfied with just teaching her established principles, Gwion often sought out leading-edged researchers, and had been pleased to find a professor successful in the field of micro-biologic healing. He acquired the professor to share and explain his thesis to Faeryn.

She had been quite small at the time. In human years, she was eight. I knew right away that I did not like the new professor. He looked at her too closely, hungrily examining her features from head to toe.

I had never bothered to use the phone Gwion had given me before.

Why would I?

It only contacted him.

He answered on the first ring, his voice subtly panicked by my out of character call. I murmured my desire to have the professor removed from her course of studies. His tone was lethal when he demanded, "What has he done?!"

The hairs on my arms rose, and I hurriedly explained, "Nothing! But he looks at her...wrong."

"I will take care of it," Gwion growled as he hung up.

In under a minute, four of the largest vampires I had ever seen, appeared and physically withdrew the too-curious researcher. It wasn't until later that I overheard he had been tortured and killed. I shivered, regret for his death washing over me, because I knew that it had been my words that had condemned him. It was the first time I realized the severity of the punishment Gwion would inflict, if anyone even had so much as a wayward thought toward her. I had been careful since that day, not to call him, unless I had no other option.

His standing rule of protection and excellence included me as well...Because I was her mother. If something happened to me, it would cause Faeryn distress, and he simply would not allow that. Gwion had provided me unlimited resources to obtain anything that either of us desired, and ensured that every vampire who crossed my path, catered to my every need. Frankly, their attention had been revolting as they fawned over me, overtly willing to fulfill even my slightest whim. I didn't want their help or their attention. I just wanted to be left alone to raise my daughter. My feelings on the matter had quickly been accommodated. They never approached me unless it was out of necessity. But I was always present whenever there was a vampire attending to or instructing Faeryn. I think Gwion relied on my watchful eye, because her well-being was the one thing we agreed upon.