Rose Garcia - Fae Fractured

Fae is the word!

I am so very glad I started writing fae fantasy because I am LOVING IT! Theres something so incredibly exciting about a world that overlays our own and is filled with beautiful people, breathtaking scenery, and magical creatures. If Faevenly were real, Id want to go there! I hope you feel the same way!

Now, about Fae Fractured My favorite part about this book was writing Malena and Draven. It was so much fun breathing pure and unadulterated wickedness into everything they said and did. Mwahaha. Im really looking forward to expanding on this in Fae Hunted. Please make sure to continue the series to see what I mean!

Now, on to the acknowledgements...

First and foremost, I have to give thanks to God for keeping me and my family safe and healthy. I dont mention religion much because I consider it to be a very personal thing, but faith is a big part of my life. Much like it is with the Avila family!

I also want to give a HUGE shoutout to my husband, and heres why. Im not gonna lie when I say Fae Fractured was a challenge to write. I wanted to take you, the reader, on a journey to new and incredible heights with this world, these characters, and this story. But it wasnt easy. I actually had a lot of writers block. EEP! Luckily for me, my husband is my secret weapon! (I guess, not-so-secret weapon, lol.) He is extremely well read and is a great resource for me. Always has been. So, when I needed help, I closed my laptop, turned to him, and together we hashed out the story. Im so very thankful for him!

My writer besties, the Queens of the Quill, once again provided much needed cheering and motivation when I needed it most. I honestly cannot imagine muddling through writer life without them. Theyre the best!

To my reader group, The Rose Bud Society! Rosebuds, thank yall so much for all the love, support, and encouragement! I am blessed beyond measure to know each one of you. Thank yall so much for hanging with me on the FB page and, most importantly, for reading and loving my books! You make this whole writer thing so worthwhile for me!

To my INCREDIBLE editor, Liz Ferry! Liz, honestly, you complete me! Lol You are the bestest editor ever, and Im so grateful to have you on my team. And, like the dedication says, Im so glad your early is my late! Lol I appreciate you more than I can say!

To my wonderful formatter, Courtney Knight, thank you for always being available when I need you. You make last minute seem so easy!

A huge shoutout to Sanja Balan for doing my covers for all of my fae books! Thank you for bringing my vision to lifeeven when my vision is muddled and all over the place. Youve got mad skills and I appreciate your professionalism and expertise!

I can go on and on with thanking people, but Im sure you dont have all day or night to read these acknowledgments. So let me just say, for those whove cheered me on and supported me, thank you, thank you, thank you!

T he sky had darkened, yet the sprinkling of fireflies that hovered over the Strong Haven palace grounds, and the moonlight and stars overhead, illuminated the area well enough for me to see the lifeless form of my favorite maid servant on the ground. Maid Rells eyes were wide, her mouth open, and an arrow pierced her head. She was devoid of life, looking as if she could have been a statue tumbled over. A statue with blood smeared down its face. I turned away from the sight, hating that I had ordered her death. But I hated even more that she had made me do it.

She had supported Celyse, the person I thought was my twin sister, and Celyse and Rook and their band of traitors had attempted to overtake my mother and my father. But they were not successful. Rook lay dead in the Great Hall, and Celyse and her rebel survivors had been banished to the Sublands. My father had also been sent, but for different reasons. He had consorted with a human, produced an illegitimate heir, and held her out as my twin. He had misused the shimmers in the most egregious way and violated the highest law in the land.

My gut twisted tight.

How could he have done that? And how could my mother have gone along with such a horrific ruse? Humans were our mortal enemy, inferior in every way. If I could, I would ask her why she had tolerated Fathers wrongdoings, but she had fallen into a state of undeath when Rook took her name from her.

Now, I was alone, my family name thrown under a dark cloud. I was going to do whatever I could to shine a light on it again. And my first step would be claiming my birthright.

My Lady Malena, what do you want to do with the body of Maid Rell? asked one of the guards.

With my head held high, I turned to face him. I moved slowly and deliberately, keeping my expression smooth and inscrutable, each step filled with foreboding and purpose. If I was to solidify myself in my new role, I would have to do so now. It is what Mother would have done.

You will address me as High Queen, I commanded. Understood?

The guard bowed low, as did the others around him. Yes, High Queen, he responded, his words laced with fear and apology.

One of the wolfbeasts licked my hand, then pressed his large body against my legs, as if approving of my decision to put the guard in his place. I slipped my fingers through its thick fur and stroked its head, plotting my next move. I had ordered the execution of Maid Rell. I had obliterated the shimmer Celyses vile human had stepped through during his and Celyses attempt to escape to the human realm. But I needed something bigger. An overt act to declare my position. Everyone needed to know that I was the High Queen and ruler of Faevenly. Even with my mother in her current state, and my father turned out, the Strong name would hold.