It’s common knowledge that my boss favors Tiffany Mellers because of the way the V-neck of her uniform fits in that area.
A silver snowflake pendant drops neatly from my neck—a gift from my mother when I was too little to remember. I’ve always worn it and my fingers almost involuntarily lift to it at that exact moment. I shiver.
Ordinarily, I don’t mind saying yes to helping more at the office because it means a bigger paycheck. I’m also hoping by demonstrating my dedication to the Force, I’ll be reconsidered for the police branch. But it’s my birthday and spending another minute of it with demon jerk nuggets is not my idea of a good day.
With my shoulders drooping, I head back to my desk and make generous use of my red stamp.
Because of the blotch on the sun, twilight comes early to New York City. The shorter days also mean the demons have more time to play at night—their preferred hours of operation.
I don’t even bother changing out of my uniform when the bell rings. It’s long past dark by the time I get home to the apartment I share with my mother—yes, I live with my mom, but we’re best friends. She raised me by herself and although she can be overprotective—like forbidding me from telling anyone my first name—she’s a really cool lady. Whereas my hair is dark, hers is perfectly white with silver streaks. She says we’re the perfect pair, like an Oreo cookie. My stomach rumbles.
I toss my keys on the table by the door. The lights are out and I secretly brace myself for a crowd of my friends from, school, work, and the karate dojo to pop up and yell surprise. Maybe she planned a party and even got an Oreo cookie ice cream cake.
I rub my hands over my arms. It’s chilly in here and when nothing exciting and celebratory happens, I find the light and turn it on. My brow furrows because as I step into the living room, it’s really cold. Like Arctic temperatures. The windows are closed and the heat indicates that it’s on—not that we keep it very warm in here since heating fuel is expensive.
“Mom,” I call as I walk down the hall. The light in the bathroom is on and the door is only opened a crack. “You will never believe it. I got a love note from a demon on my birthday.” I drop the hint in case she forgot.
She’s been preoccupied lately, but Allie said it’s probably because I’m getting older. Her mom had what’s called empty nest syndrome after she moved out.
It never really occurred to me to move out. In truth, I’d never leave my mom.
I knock gently on the bathroom door. “Mom?” I repeat.
She’s not in there. I take the note out of my pocket. She’ll get a laugh out of this. Her bedroom door is partially open too and the light is just enough for me to read the message. But I stop myself mid-word.
Demons shadow thieve,
while the fae court grieve.
Four sisters to find.
One compass to bind.
Four crowns to take.
One curse to break.
Before twelve moons turn,
else the realm will burn.
This is not a love note from some desperate demon. It’s just weird. So is the absolute quiet in the apartment.
I push the bedroom door open and my heart stops.
My mother is lying in bed, eyes closed, arms across her chest with her palms down. Her skin is the color of frost, almost the same as her hair...and a pair of crystalline wings hang limply over the edge of the bed.
The puffy demon from work appears from the dark corners of the room. Without hesitating, I launch at it, pulling my blade—though smaller than a demon-slaying sword, but fairly effective—from my uniform belt. “What did you do to my mother?” I wail.
“Read the note, Ineke,” it hisses.
I intend to make quick work of ending its existence, but it combusts before my eyes.
My stomach turns, flips, and my heart hurtles toward the woman lying motionless in the bed. “Mom?” I whisper.
I take her hand and it’s frozen. Tears pierce the corners of my eyes. As my palm presses against hers a surge of heat rushes through me and then everything turns gray. Neon. Waves of light flicker and dance like the aurora borealis.
Then blackness closes around me like a curtain.
Chapter 2
Ineke
Icy death creeps in, chills my blood, and forms crystals on my skin. The air is like a winter night, my heart covered in frost. The world is cold liquid, vapor, and I am no different. It’s as though I’m passing through it or from it. What feels like greedy fingers pull the warmth from me.
“Ineke, what do you believe?” asks a voice as cold as the wind.
“I believe in love.” I gather the answer from a remote part of my awareness. It was something my mother always told me. Love is the ultimate truth.
“I believe in you. We all do. I want you to believe me...” This time, it’s my mother’s voice breaking through the other one as though my answer granted her permission to speak with me.
Tears spring to my eyes. Is my mother dead? Am I? But I can’t ask the questions. My tongue freezes in my mouth.
“You are on the shores of the Sea of Dreams. This is where we part ways. You must seek silver king and stop the Shadow Army. This skyn tethers you and your sisters to the past, present, and future,”
