Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses Read online

  Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses

  A W Cross

  Anna Santos

  Anne Stryker

  Clara Winter

  Jacque Stevens

  Angelique Anderson

  R. Castro

  Kelly N Jane

  Majanke Verstrate

  Contents

  Of Carousels and Dragons by Angelique Anderson

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Forget Enchanted Castles by R. Castro

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Epilogue

  A Note From R. Castro

  Join R. Castro’s Mailing List

  Beauty Unmasked by A.W. Cross

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Mistress of More by Anne Stryker

  Untitled

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Anne Stryker

  About Anne

  Thieves and Monsters by Kelly N. Jane

  1. Stella

  2. Stella

  3. Ben

  4. Stella

  5. Stella

  6. Stella

  7. Stella

  8. Stella

  9. Stella

  10. Ben

  11. Stella

  12. Stella

  13. Stella

  14. Stella

  15. Stella

  16. Stella

  17. Ben

  18. Stella

  19. Ben

  20. Stella

  21. Stella

  22. Ben

  23. Stella

  24. Ben

  25. Carson

  The Dragon Prince by Anna Santos

  Synopsis

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Read More from Anna Santos

  Cry Wolf by Jacque Stevens

  1. Beast

  2. Beauty

  3. Beauty

  4. Beauty

  5. Beauty

  6. Beast

  7. Beauty

  8. Beauty

  9. Beauty

  10. Beauty

  11. Beauty

  12. Beauty

  13. Beauty

  14. Beauty

  15. Beauty

  16. Beauty

  17. Beauty

  18. Beauty

  19. Beast

  20. Beauty

  21. Beauty

  22. Beast

  23. Beauty

  24. Beauty

  25. Beauty

  26. Beauty

  27. Beauty

  28. Beauty

  29. Beast

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  Other Works by Jacque Stevens:

  A Monstrous Beauty. by Majanka Verstraete

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Blood Rose by Clara Winter

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  If you enjoyed Kingdom of Sand and Wishes

  Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses is a multi author boxset published by Enchanted Quill Press Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved. Individual books are copyrighted by the individual authors.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Design by Enchanted Quill Press

  Created with Vellum

  Mirrors and Roses

  Beauty and the Beast, but not how you remember it...

  Deep in the forest, a castle hides. No one knows who lives there, but rumors of a beast keep people away.

  Cloaked in shadows, hidden from view, a prince destroyed by a curse shuts himself away from the world, ashamed of the beast he’s become.

  And in the village, a beautiful girl with her nose in a book, yearns for something more.

  True love is the only thing that can break his curse. True love is the one thing she’s looking for, but how can they find true love when neither knows the other exists?

  Find out if love really can defy all odds in this set of thirteen captivating retellings of the classic fairytale, filled with love, hope and the strength of two people willing to do whatever it takes..

  Other books in the Kingdom of series...

  Kingdom of Salt and Sirens (Little Mermaid retellings)

  Kingdom of Sand and Wishes (Aladdin retellings)

  Kingdom of Mirrors and Roses (Beauty and the Beast retellings)

  Of Carousels and Dragons by Angelique Ande
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  1

  With his nostrils flaring, and powerful muscled legs stretched out across the stone floor cooling his iridescent scaly underside, the coffee colored beast shifted again trying to get comfortable. His wings tucked tightly against his stomach, the smell of rodent caught his attention. He lifted his large regal head, and looked around, noticing the furry critter quickly running by without so much as a squeak.

  The beast opened his powerful jaws, saliva dripping from the pointed fangs. He emitted a short powerful burst of flames that singed the little critter before he even knew what was happening. Extending one nail, the dragon poked it through the tiny beast and tossed it in his mouth, swallowing without chewing.

  “No one, human or rodent alike, shall set foot in my castle,” he said with a low grumble, painful memories of lifetimes passed flashing in his mind, before his cat-like yellow eyes blinked sleepily. He yawned and fell into a deep slumber.

  Bella Luna rubbed her eyes as she sat up, the brilliant sunlight peeking through the wooden shutters that were in desperate need of repair. If only father were still here. She tilted her head back, chestnut waves of hair hanging care-free down her back. She swung her legs to the side, stepping onto the aged stone floor. In her mind, she could still picture his kind face, kissed with salt and pepper hairs along his jawline. His slightly rotund belly protruding out, as he hammered away at one thing or another. She sighed, how I miss him.

  On the worn oak dresser her father had built before he passed, a hand-carved carousel sat. Each delicate horse unique. Every curve and hair painstakingly carved by Thomas Luna, father, friend, and woodworker extraordinaire. The gift he possessed to create art from wood still rendered her breathless.

  She lifted the carousel and turned the winder for the music box he had set inside the base, and it played her favorite melody. Little mirrors behind the horses twirled as the carousel turned round and around, reflecting the details so lovingly crafted into the item. Her heart twanged with pain. The ache she felt through her being was still too new, too fresh for her to wrap her mind around. Every morning was the same as the one before it.

  “Good morning, father,” she whispered to the music box, as it was the last item he had created with his own hands, and he had spent so much time on creating it, she could still the smell his soap and the hint of cedar that never seemed to leave him. It was as if he was right there, hand on her shoulder, telling her good morning right back. She set the carousel down and closed her eyes for the moment.

  No time to grieve, today, Bella. So much to do.

  All of the barn animals needed fed, and there were vegetables and fruits ripe for picking. With any luck, she could gather enough to take into town to sell. If not, the alternative was to sell off the livestock that her father had carefully kept and raised on his own, and her heart could not bear the burden of that. She was going to have to get creative.

  She’d already been down to the workshop several times, pieces of furniture, toys, and various other things lay strewn about. He hadn’t been able to finish them before he passed, as whatever affliction had taken his life had quickly taken his health, and ability to work in the last weeks before he died.

  If only I had help, if only I could hire someone to aid me with the farm and help me with my father’s workshop. Bella had been strong since his passing, but the responsibilities were quickly catching up.

  Opening her eyes and pushing stray tendrils of caramel colored waves out of her face, the carousel caught her attention. The item was none like she had ever seen, and in the right place, it could fetch enough coin to help her get ahead and keep the farm animals on. Maybe even hire some help for a short time.

  The stress of the decisions she had to make weighed so heavy, she gave up trying to come up with a solution at all.

  “I’ll feed the chickens, horse and cows, gather what eggs I can, and vegetables, and see what that fetches me. Then, I’ll go from there.” She spoke to no one but the carousel, which managed a little half-turn from gesturing of her arms and movement in the air. With that, she gave a little nod, and set about getting dressed to go into town.

  A knock at the door, as she grabbed her basket nearly frightened her out of her boots.

  Who could that be so early?

  She slid open the heavy wood, which creaked loudly under her hand. Another thing in desperate need of repair.

  “Gustavo,” she said softly. Her dearest and best friend, and closest companion after her father had passed. She had long since overlooked his strong chin, and long hair that reminded her of the night sky.

  “Bella Luna,” he took her hand, pressing it to his lips softly, as he did every morning. “How are you this morning?” His slightly furrowed brow emanated his concern as he watched her facial expressions.

  “I’m…” her voice trembled, and she looked away. No matter how strong she thought she might be, or how much she tried to fight the brokenness from having lost her father, he always managed to pierce right through.

  “Hey, hey…” he said, patiently, stepping into the humble home, and grabbing her hand in his. “It’s okay, I’m here. What can I do to help?”

  Bella lifted her eyes to meet his. His strong chiseled chin, and naturally caring features always set her heart fluttering. He had been the best friend and brother she had never had, after her father passed. Even as he asked for more.

  "Oh Gustavo, your kindness during all of this has been more than I could have asked for."

  "Well, you know I'm secretly only being nice because I hope that one day, you'll marry me," a large grin lit up his olive toned complexion, and it caused her to laugh outwardly.

  "You can't fool me," she laughed. "You're kind, because that is who you are. You can't help it. You already know I won't marry you, you're my best friend."

  Gustavo shook his head sadly, letting her go to move about the cabin so she could gather what she needed for that day.

  "Yes, well, you can't blame me for trying," he winked at her, causing her to erupt in a small burst of giggles.

  "What's gotten into you?" she pressed, "You're more obnoxious than usual," she was teasing of course.

  "Oof, that hurts, kind of."

  "Yeah right," she teased.

  "I guess I'm just nervous. I've been working on this new water wheel for the creek that would help distribute the river more evenly to the villages. So many of our people live in poverty, and I thought quicker access to fresh water would help with that. There's a symposium of sorts not long off, I thought if I could finish it by then, it would help not just our village, but so many others." The look of concern in his eyes, was one of the very reasons he was her best friend and confidant.

  "That is such an incredible idea," she encouraged him, I'm sure you're figure something out. You always do."

  He nodded, "not going to give me any answers, huh?"

  She laughed, "I don't know what to tell you! I have issues of my own!" her face quickly turned serious.

  "Anyway, those can wait for another day. Care to help me with these?"

  He grabbed the baskets of fruits and vegetables she had already gathered.

  "What are you doing?"

  "Gustavo, I still have bills to pay, animals to feed, and in between that I have to feed myself as well. I'm taking these into town to see if I can fetch anything for them."