Heir of Amber and Fire by Rachanee Lumayno (read aloud books .TXT) 📕

Heir of Amber and Fire

Kingdom Legacy, Book One

Copyright © 2021 Miss Lana Press

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without permission from the author. This is a work of fiction. References to historical people, organizations, events, places, and establishments are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to living persons is purely coincidental.

Editing and proofreading by Tom Loveman

Cover art by Fiona Jayde Media

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Three

Chapter Thirty-Four

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-One

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Five

Epilogue

Dear Reader: YOU ARE AWESOME. | Thank you for reading this book.

Read on for an exclusive excerpt from the next book in the Kingdom Legacy series

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Chapter One

THERE WERE TIMES I really hated magic.

This was one of them. I was working on a new spell I had recently learned, one that was proving to be particularly challenging. I couldn’t seem to get the hand motions exactly right. If I could eventually master that, then I wasn’t able to hold my concentration long enough to marry the gestures to the spoken part of the spell. I had been working on this for the greater part of an hour, and my head was throbbing.

“Your Highness!”

Gracefully, I sketched a figure in the air —

“Princess Jennica! Where are you?”

And then I — Oh, never mind.

I stood up, brushing the leaves off my dress, and moved away from my little hiding spot in the palace gardens. I turned the corner, trying to make it appear like I was just strolling among the roses. As soon as she spotted me, Taryn, my lady-in-waiting, rushed over to me.

“Your Highness, there you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Taryn said breathlessly. She dropped into a belated curtsy that somehow conveyed respect and hurry up all at the same time. Her blond curls bobbed around her face as she straightened and took a good look at me. “What have you been doing, sleeping in the bushes?”

I smoothed my hands down my long, straight black hair. My hands found a twig, some leaves, and a little fuzzy prickly bur. “No, I was practicing my magic.” I aimed for dignity but ended up sounding faintly defiant. “Is there a problem, Taryn?”

She clicked her tongue at me, her green eyes dancing in mild disapproval. “Just as well you were practicing out here. You know how His Majesty feels about you learning magic.”

“Don’t remind me.” King Hendon’s hatred of magic and magicians was widely known. Earlier this week, Father had dismissed my magic tutor. That was the fifth one he had sent away, for no concrete reason other than a vague dislike of all things magic. I often wondered how he was able to tolerate ruling in Calia, a kingdom known for its magicians. Pretty much everyone in the land was born with some innate magical ability, although only those who could afford lessons were able to cultivate their talents. Of course, Hendon had inherited the kingship when he married my mother, Queen Melandria, and my grandfather had passed away. But still, for him to hate the very thing that set Calia apart from the rest of the Gifted Lands.... Well, there were many things about my father that, even after nineteen years of being his daughter, I have never understood. “Well, if you’re not here to stop me from practicing, then why were you looking for me?”

“Your Highness, we need to get you ready for dinner right away,” Taryn said. She stopped just short of grabbing my hand and tugging me, but we both knew she was thinking about it. Taryn wasn’t the type to be easily flustered. Whatever sent her out here in a panic to find me must be pretty important.

“All right,” I acquiesced. “I’m coming.”

We left the gardens, hurrying through the ornamental rose garden and then past the fruit and vegetable patch used by the kitchen servants. Taryn chattered at me as we walked, catching me up on the latest news and gossip. Passing by the stables, we entered the courtyard. As we walked, various courtiers and servants saw us and dipped low, bowing or curtseying and murmuring variations on, “Greetings, Your Highness.” I barely noticed. My attention was captivated by the sight of the palace, as it always was when I saw it.

My family had ruled Calia for at least ten generations; I believe we had founded the kingdom, although after all those generations the history gets a bit fuzzy. Somewhere in our family lineage we had a water mage, who loved water (obviously) and had designed the Calian palace accordingly. Cool grey stone shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting off the blue and green cobblestones which were laid out in an eye-catching pattern in the courtyard. It gave you the sensation of swimming. Two impressive stone fountains flanked the front doors of the palace, always flowing with pure, clear water. Although the overall effect was very calming, it didn’t quite resonate with me. I could appreciate the palace’s beauty, of course, but privately, I would have preferred something more... exciting.

And speaking of exciting... I pulled my attention back to my one-sided conversation with my lady-in-waiting. “Excuse me. What was that, Taryn?”

Taryn paused mid-ramble. “Sava ate too many blueberries, and now the kitchen staff is unsure there will be enough for the dessert Cook had planned, but I doubt Sava will be punished for it?”

“No. Before that.”

“Oh! Sava’s brother came home. Sort of. They found him sleeping on the street, in an alley in the town, just a few blocks from my brother Rufan’s house.”

We entered the palace, the guards standing at attention as we passed them. The Great Hall stood before us, its imposing wooden doors firmly closed. The room had been used by generations of Calian kings and queens