The Chronicles of Whynne Series by Bethany Anne Lovejoy

It had been night far longer than anyone could remember…I had never known the sun, nor had my parents or their parents before them. It had been stolen from us, blocked long ago by the spiteful fae king.There is a glimmer of hope when the Night King announces to the country that his son will take a human bride. A contest is to be held to decide the future queen, one which draws in hundreds of entrants from across the country... moreIt had been night far longer than anyone could remember…I had never known the sun, nor had my parents or their parents before them. It had been stolen from us, blocked long ago by the spiteful fae king.There is a glimmer of hope when the Night King announces to the country that his son will take a human bride. A contest is to be held to decide the future queen, one which draws in hundreds of entrants from across the country. But only nineteen will be chosen to go to the palace and meet the prince. I am thrown into the competition against my will, the first one chosen.Unfortunately, I have no wish to marry a fae, let alone one like Prince Edwyn who by his own admission is incapable of love.But once I am there I find I cannot leave, not that easily. I am tested by the bonds of friendship and devotion to my country. I can not let the kingdom of Whynne remain shrouded in darkness, not when I alone hold the key to lifting the veil of darkness. less

It had been night once…Long before I was born, a human queen ended the endless darkness and drove out the Unseelie, pushing those that remained back into the forest surrounding the Kingdom of Whynne. Ever since, there have been whispers from humans and Seelie alike that the beasts will return to reclaim the stolen throne.I heard the rumors, but they seemed so far away... moreIt had been night once…Long before I was born, a human queen ended the endless darkness and drove out the Unseelie, pushing those that remained back into the forest surrounding the Kingdom of Whynne. Ever since, there have been whispers from humans and Seelie alike that the beasts will return to reclaim the stolen throne.I heard the rumors, but they seemed so far away. As a human girl adopted by fae nobility after my mother’s untimely death, I felt safe behind the bars of the gilded cage gifted to me.That is, until Luka Kinsley returns; a man who I could just as easily go a lifetime without ever seeing again and a fae noble whose lineage is far from perfect. Luka cashes in a debt owed by my adoptive parents, dragging me into his employ. That’s when I became suspicious. There have always been rumors about Luka’s parentage, that he’s part Unseelie, but he’s hiding a secret far greater than that…One which could topple a kingdom. less

Normally, there is a fairytale ending...Normally, the King is not the hero’s enemy.I knew that I would not have a fairytale ending from the moment my story began, that there was no way to ride off with my lover and vanish into the sunset. Not when my lover is Luka Kinsley, a man who I could not bear to be parted with, even though I once despised him with every fiber of my being. A man with Unseelie blood running through his veins... moreNormally, there is a fairytale ending...Normally, the King is not the hero’s enemy.I knew that I would not have a fairytale ending from the moment my story began, that there was no way to ride off with my lover and vanish into the sunset. Not when my lover is Luka Kinsley, a man who I could not bear to be parted with, even though I once despised him with every fiber of my being. A man with Unseelie blood running through his veins.King Theo is convinced that war is imminent and that the Unseelie are rising up to claim the throne. He’d do anything to stop it, even if that means sacrificing his own people.I was sent to the camps to train, honing my powers for the upcoming war. Only, I didn’t do that, instead I threw every fight and incited the King’s rage. Now my time at the camps is over, and I am sent to the highest mountain in Whynne, where the Unseelie roam unchecked and the nights are full of terror.But there’s more than meets the eye to the mountain and the forests of Whynne, a story buried far beneath the ground; one of how Whynne was made and how, inevitably, it will fall. less

The King’s days are numbered.They have been since the day Luka and I walked down the mountain with our group of misfits in tow. Since the petulant king and his ambitious bride tried to use my powers to end the Unseelie, threatening to upend the balance of Whynne.Now the forest burns at the hands of The King, and acrid smoke fills the air—harming both Unseelie and Seelie alike. The King is looking for me, and he will tear apart the whole country to find me... moreThe King’s days are numbered.They have been since the day Luka and I walked down the mountain with our group of misfits in tow. Since the petulant king and his ambitious bride tried to use my powers to end the Unseelie, threatening to upend the balance of Whynne.Now the forest burns at the hands of The King, and acrid smoke fills the air—harming both Unseelie and Seelie alike. The King is looking for me, and he will tear apart the whole country to find me. Little does he know, I’m right under his nose, and my companions are making plans to leave the country as soon as possible.But I do not wish to abandon the Kingdom of Whynne, not while The King grows closer to his goal of eradicating the Unseelie. When an unforeseen betrayal leads to the capture of my lover, I know that I have reached my limit. I cannot let the Kingdom of Whynne fall, nor can I risk losing the love of my life, Luka.But getting Luka back won’t be easy. I’ll have to not only use my powers, but rely on an old foe that I swore to never see again. less