THE LAST SONG OF GRIMMOOR

Book One: Moon & Blood Chapter One: The Alpha Who Burned the Pie The pie was on fire. Kai Grimfang stood in the kitchen of Highfang, arms crossed, watching the flames like they were old friends. Around him, servants threw sand. Grella, the head cook, screamed curses in a language no one had spoken for three hundred years. But she wasn't screaming at Kai. “You!” Grella pointed a ladle at a shaking kitchen boy. “You left the lard too close!” The boy stammered, “The Alpha said to make it hotter.” Grella spun on Kai. “You told him to make it hotter?” “Warmer,” Kai said. “There's a difference.” “There is no difference!” “Fire is chemistry, Mother. You taught me that.” Grella threw the ladle. Kai caught it without looking. The boy gasped. No one caught Grella's ladle. Ever. Kai set it down gently. “Leave him. The recipe was flawed.” “The recipe has fed kings for three hundred years.” “Then kings have suffered.” Grella's scowl softened. She wasn't his real mother. His mother died giving birth to him, but she had raised him. She taught him to walk, to fight, to never cry. She kissed his bruises and never called him Softpaw. “You're an Alpha now,” she said quietly. “Stop burning my pies.” “Alpha heir,” he corrected. “And I'll burn a thousand pies before I let you blame a boy.” She cupped his face. Her hands were rough and warm. “You have your mother's heart.” She kissed his forehead. “Now go. The vampires are coming. Don't die, or I'll kill you myself.” Kai laughed. “Yes, Mother.” He walked out. Alphas didn't run. He had killed twelve vampires before he turned eighteen. He could bite through a daylight ring. But he couldn't bake a pie. And Grella loved him anyway. His brother Dax leaned against the wall. “You burned it again.” “The oven is cursed.” “The oven is stone. You're cursed.” Dax fell in step beside him. “Father wants your head on a pike.” “He'll need a bigger pike.” Dax laughed. They entered the great hall. Their father, King Theron, sat on the Wolf Throne. His yellow eyes missed nothing. Beside him stood Jorrik, the scarred captain, and Lyra, a seer who never lied. In the shadows, leaning on a spear, was Kael, a lowland wolf faster than anyone. “Kai,” the king said. “I smell smoke.” “A small fire, father. No one died.” “Yet.” Theron's eyes narrowed. “The vampire queen crosses the Bone Bridge within the hour. You will meet her.” “Me?” “You're the Alpha heir.” Theron smiled thinly. “If they kill you, bite their heads off first.” “I'll take Kael,” Kai said. The quiet wolf’s head snapped up, surprised. “Fine,” said the king. Kai walked toward the exit of the throne room. “Don't start a war,” the king said. Kai paused at the door. “What if they start one?” “Then finish it.” The Bone Bridge arched over the Sunder. Mist rose from the black river. Kai stood at the midpoint, Kael behind him. He needed this meeting to not end in blood. Grella would never forgive him if he tracked it into her kitchen. “You're nervous,” Kai said. “Keeps me alive,” Kael replied. “Your mother?” asked Kai. “Vampires killed her. That's why I'm here.” Kai nodded. No more words. Then the vampires came. Twelve guards in black leather, daylight rings glittering. A litter carried by pale servants. And at the front, walking alone, was Nova Starborn. She was tall, silver-eyed, red lips with a sword at her hip. She stopped ten feet away. “You're the Alpha,” said Nova. “You killed three of my cousins at the Split,” Kai said. “They were slow.” Kael’s spear tip dipped toward Nova. Kai didn’t look back. “Easy,” he said. “She's trying to make me angry.” “Is it working?” Nova asked. “No. I save my anger for people worth it.” From the litter, Queen Elara laughed. “I like him, Nova. Don't kill him.” Queen Elara Starborn is the queen of vampires. She's 3000 years old. “Mother, please.” “No, no. Wolf,” Elara said, “why did I come myself?” “Because you're tired of war,” said Kai. “Because I'm tired of winning.” She smiled. “I came to see if wolves can be interesting.” “We burned a pie today,” Kai said. “That's fairly interesting.” Nova snorted. Elara laughed fully. “Bring him to dinner.” Nova sighed. “You promised no matchmaking.” “I promised no forced matchmaking.” Kai looked at Nova. She looked at him. The mist swirled. “Your mother is strange,” he said. “You have no idea,” Nova replied. He turned and walked toward Highfang. “Come,” he said. “Try not to start a war.” Nova fell into step beside him. “I make no promises.” “You said that already,” Kai said. “I meant it both times.” Behind them, on the far side of the Sunder, a figure watched. Yellow eyes. Black veins on his neck. He smiled with fangs too long. “The last song begins,” the figure whispered. Then he vanished into the mist. (highfang is the kingdom of werewolves)