Before Beauty Read Online Free PDF Page A

in years. The pain in her eyes and her look of utter
heartbreak broke his heart. He might have been able to ignore her
in his wakeful hours, but at night, he was hers.
    He wasn’t yet completely recovered
from the queen’s death when his father had announced that it was
time for him to pick a bride. All the eligible women and girls of
proper status and bloodlines from the surrounding kingdoms were
invited, and within a week, they had arrived at the steps of the
Fortress, each aspiring to be the next princess of the most
powerful kingdom in the land. Ever had watched them descend from
their great coaches, each girl glittering more brightly than the
one before her, decked with diamonds and pearls and
silks.
    “ You look as if someone has just
handed you a prison sentence,” Garin had teased him while they
prepared.
    “ Any chance my father will rely on
the Fortress tradition to choose one?” Ever had asked glumly.
Garin’s smile vanished, and he shook his head.
    “ I doubt it. As much as your
father loves the Fortress, there hasn’t been a queen chosen the old
way in three generations. Your father will be evaluating the
political strengths of each union, rather than the girl herself.”
Ever could only nod. He’d suspected as much.
    His mother had been a duchess from
a neighboring country, and her marriage to his father had joined
their armies as allies. It was a wise political match, to be sure.
Still, Ever was decidedly against having the same relationship with
his wife as King Rodrigue had fostered with his mother, one of
polite greetings and farewells in passing. And yet, it seemed an
unavoidable fate. Within an hour, he was presented to the court and
was obligated to begin dancing.
    The weather was fair, and the moon
shined brightly on the balcony on which dozens of couples twirled
in time alongside him. Fortunately for Ever, though there were
many, many girls, he was a good dancer, and making conversation was
easy for him. Beautiful faces and lovely smiles surrounded him, and
sweet greetings and giggles filled his ears, blending together
despite his attempts to remember which princess or noble lady
belonged to which land. He’d had no idea as to how he would choose
one, but as always, he worked to honor his father’s wishes. His
confusion aside, the evening was fairing tolerably until he
suddenly found himself face-to-face with a woman he more than
recognized.
    Princess Nevina was indeed a
beauty, but not in the typical sense. Nothing about her was
delicate. Her dress, made of black, silky feathers sewn together
tightly with gold threads, was cut low to reveal her generous
proportions. Her arms were also bare, and boasted sturdy muscles,
not large, but rock solid. Her hair was dark like her dress, and
her eyes were a surprising green against her bronze skin. Every
move she made was lithe, and her eyes glowed brightly as she looked
Ever up and down shrewdly before accepting the hand he’d
automatically extended.
    “ Everard,” her low voice was
smooth. “It has been a long while since we’ve met on such amiable
terms. I think in our separation you might have outgrown your
father.
    “ Perhaps so,” Ever’s voice sounded
strange in his own ears, tight. He had not expected the Tumenian
princess to be among the invited guests that night. As they began
the dance, he dared an accusatory glance at Garin, who shook his
head ever so slightly. That meant his father had invited her. Had
he lost his mind?
    The princess of Tumen and the
prince of Destin had not last parted on pleasant terms. Introduced
as young children, as most of the royal children were at this ball
or that tournament, they had gotten to know one another well
enough. Nevina was unlike the other children, however, in that the
moment Ever had laid eyes on her, he’d realized she had a deep
strength akin to his own.
    But where Ever’s strength had
always been one of light and life, the young princess’s power was
heavy, nearly sickening. She’d