Page 1 of Snow White

Chapter One

Azura

Alighting from the carriage, I clap my snow-white gloves together. The air of the Lithelle Kingdom is crisp, making my lungs burn ever so slightly from the purity. Every inch of the picturesque castle in front of me is groomed meticulously. A branch dared not grow too far out of line in the hedges, or it would be snipped by the gardeners standing at attention with shears at the ready. A footman jumps forward to place a carpet beneath my feet before they can touch the manicured grass. I wondered if they would fling themselves to the ground and allow me to walk across their backs if a rug was unavailable.

Now, now, those kinds of thoughts won’t help in maintaining my disguise. I’m not here as myself. I’m here as the docile Lady Azura to compete for the king’s hand. The white silk of my skirt dances around my ankles, hitting the edge of my snowy boots. From head to toe, I am clad in virginal white. With my pale hair, I glow like a shining beacon of hope.

In reality, I am the viper in their midsts.

My clap summons the two maids and three footmen who have traveled with me. Their eyes are glazed from the spell I have cast over them, but they jump to attention. The maids make sure my white dress is wrinkle-free and perfectly arranged as I glide up the stairs. The footmen scurry to take down my trunks, using the servants’ entrance to enter the castle. At the door, the maids back away and follow the footmen, allowing me to make my entrance alone. I do not need any further help, not that I needed them in the first place. They are merely pawns to dissuade prying questions or annoying insights. Everything can be done with a wave of my hand.

As I glare up at the dual doors, the massive tree carved into the wood splits down the middle. My blood-red lips curl as I shove them open, not waiting for the footmen or the butler to announce me.

I wait for no man.

The opulent entryway is filled with women, some noble, some even royalty, all of them primping and preening, hoping to catch the king’s eye. The doors bang hard against the walls, making several of them jump in response. My powers leech from me, slithering unseen through their vapid thoughts, gathering the intel I need. Between my first and second step into the foyer, I’ve soaked up all the necessary knowledge, and I recall my magic with them none the wiser.

Several of the women look me over and then dismiss me as if I am beneath their notice. But I see the way their hands clench and their eyes pinch. Some of them instinctively know that I’m more than what I seem. Not that it will do them much good. I’ve been practicing for this role my entire life, and I have far more on the line than some silly title. I make my steps unsure at first, faltering to a stop in the center of the foyer.

The pale dress lends a deceptive soft blush of innocence to my ivory skin, and my white hair is coiled high on my head as if awaiting the crown. My fingers twitch. It is so tempting to release my magic and send all these insipid misses home, crying to their mothers. But that would be too suspicious, not to mention it would require far too much power.

I must play the game and not reveal my position. I can’t afford to be found.

I will walk over their corpses without hesitation, but I have to win first. Each step has been carefully evaluated and considered. I have to discard each of my competitors without gaining notice from within the castle or attention from without. I will succeed and claim what I need, what I crave.Power.Even dark magic has limits, but marrying into this royal lineage will give me access to elemental magic.

My eyes trail over the competition as some look me up and down. I don’t speak to any of them. None here are worth my attention.

A butler rushes forward and leads me to the grand staircase. I glide up the steps, following him to my allotted suite for the month. A particularly loud and obnoxious girl ascends behind us, and I can’t stop myself from flicking my fingers. She teeters back and forth at the top of the stairs, and I smile as I shut the door to my room. I wonder if anyone will be quick enough to catch her before she plummets to her death. Not that it matters to me if they fail.

They’re all fodder, anyway.

I take the time to refresh myself and change, but I am eager to get back downstairs. I take a few moments to check myself in the mirror. I am satisfied with how the gown hugs my curves lovingly, and the deep violet color enhances the mesmerizing shimmer of my eyes.

I step outside my room but pause at the top of the stairs. I watch as a woman with beautiful ebony skin in a pale blue dress runs into another woman. My magic leaches out to study their minds. The first is a pernicious viper, but the second… My magic slams into a mental wall of ice.

Only one woman here has that kind of mental shield.

The viper hisses, “Watch it!”

I glare down at the scene as I slowly descend the steps.

“Apologize.” My voice leaves no room for argument. It has frozen armies in their tracks. Men and women bow when they hear it, even if they don’t understand why. I should work harder to appear insignificant to them. Most women wouldn’t demand such attention, but I’ve never been like most women.

The beautiful woman bows her head. “I-I’m sorry.”

The other woman sniffs, turning her nose up in the air. I continue down the stairs, a predator surrounded by prey. The closer I get, the more compelling the woman in the blue dress becomes.

I am taken aback by her beauty. Her hair and skin are unbroken midnight, and I imagine stars shooting across the velvet darkness. Her hair is rebelling from the clip that holds it, tight curls already springing free around her face. I can’t stop my gaze from moving down her body, and I barely prevent myself from licking my lips at the sight. I meet her eyes and almost miss a step. They are glacial, an icy blue, hinting at the power she holds within. Everything about her screams warmth and welcome, except for those eerie eyes that have the power to freeze people in their tracks.

I’ve seen eyes far colder.

“Not you. Her,” I snap.

The other woman sputters, “M-Me?! She ran into me!”

My steps are graceful, almost unnatural. They are the only warning of the serpent beneath. “You will apologize now.”

The beautiful woman shakes her head, whispering, “I-It was m-my fault.”

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