Tera Crowns Novels & Stories

“You should have seen the look on Tiffany’s face when they declared you the winner. Her mouth puckered like she was eating sour lemons.” Everyone snickers and settles down. Juliet takes the large crown with its glimmering rhinestones, places it over her head, and waves around her as if she’s waving at a real crowd. The crown is at least eleven and a half inches with a swirling heart pattern. A beautiful Waterford teardrop dangles in the center of it, gleaming with the light of the moon. Kell turns the crown on Juliet’s head, playfully tilting it to the side. “There you go. Now you have a gangsta crown.”

he said. The warmth in my chest died so fast it left me dizzy. "I want to be clear, so listen carefully, because I will say this once. I claimed you because the law recognizes what you are to me, and allowing my mate to be chained as a breeder would humiliate the crown before every pack in the kingdom. That is the only reason you are here."

Renee nodded slightly at Mandy in the audience and said, "This is my birthday crown design, 'Star and Moon.'" At the mention of a birthday crown, the audience's first thought was of the small, gold crowns typically worn while blowing out birthday candles—an image that's hard to innovate on. Annie allowed herself a barely noticeable smile. What could possibly be special about a little crown like that? But the very next second, Renee lifted the cloth covering the tray, revealing its contents. The crowd peered curiously at what lay inside, their faces filled with confusion. Annie chuckled softly. "Renee, are you feeling okay? Where's the crown? All I see are a few scattered pieces. If you could

The freaky end of days was coming. I faced the camera, my voice steady for all the people in the city to hear. "The freaky apocalypse is here, folks. I'm going to help you out as best I can. First up, find cover where the wind can't get you, subways, basements, factories, banks, any safe spot." Lights flickered on in every underground parking lot. The ground rumbled with a deep roar, setting the stage for Jim as he led his crew of infant spirits into a clash with the Haunts that sliced through the wind.

Kael protested. "You need titles for formal occasions," she insisted. "Traditional or innovative?" Through the bond, we considered. "The Broken Crown," Lyra said suddenly. "That is what we are. Five pieces of what should be singular authority, shattered and reformed into something new." Silence. Then slow nods. "The Broken Crown," Queen Elara repeated, testing the phrase. "The Council of Five, known as the Broken Crown. I approve." She stood, and the Court stood with her.

She did not know if that was supposed to comfort her or frighten her, so she just nodded. Marco arrived at noon with two guards. His expression held the same tired seriousness he had worn the night before. He told Elena they had four hours to prepare her for the wedding. The shopping trip felt unreal. Boutique owners opened their stores just for her. Sales associates carried out dresses that cost more than she wanted to imagine. Elena tried on white silk and ivory lace dresses while Marco watched from a chair, giving subtle approval or disapproval with a simple look. Finally she told him she did not want white. Wearing white felt like pretending this marriage meant something romantic. She wa

“We regret the haste.” Alina met her gaze steadily. “Then leave.” Elowen smiled thinly. “We cannot.” Cael shifted half a step forward. Elowen’s eyes flicked to him. “Captain.” He did not answer. The clerics moved past Elowen and toward the center of the sanctuary, where a low stone table had been hastily cleared. One of them carried a covered object wrapped in thick cloth. Alina’s chest tightened. The Crown. Not the symbol the court liked to display, polished and framed by banners, but the true thing. The Ember Crown, modest and unassuming, dangerous precisely because it refused spectacle.

Her crown fell to the marble floor with a clear clang, there seems also to be a clanging sound of someone's sword falling to the ground outside the palace gates. The deep red gem on the crown shattered and scattered. Warm blood down the steps on the cold ground, slowly spreading, reminiscent of the shallow creek she used to play in barefoot as a child. This golden hall of Avalon became her grave, swallowing her bones, burying her life. Outside, the sun shone on the snow, melting it bit by bit…