Misrule

Chapter One


Age of the Dark Court, 99

Do you think she s dead?

She s breathing, you idiot.

Tinny voices permeate the twilight space between sleeping and waking. I groan and pull the thick covers over my head.

See? I tolds you.

Something hard thunks onto flesh and the screeching wail of an Imp stabs through my skull, erasing any hope that they will find some other entertainment before I m fully awake. I throw a pillow in the direction of their noise. It s too early for your nonsense.

Not nonsense, Mistress. Their squabble ceases. I open my eyes to discover two vermilion faces peering at me, only tall enough that the tips of their hooked noses hover above the edge of the bed. We ve brought you something.

With a chorus of grunts, the Imps heave a text onto the enormous mattress and slide it toward me. I push myself to sit up, curiosity overriding my irritation. Where did you get this?

Valmar says to bring it right to you. Says we weren t allowed to wait, case it gots lost.

Which occurs more often than not with the Imps. I run my hands over the book s cover. It s not a material I recognize, like leather, but scaled and slightly rough. I wonder if it s dragon hide. If so, it s exceedingly rare and old.

Has Valmar brought more Imps from Malterre? It s been years since we welcomed anyone from those blighted lands into the Dark Court.

Aye. One of the Imps uses his companion as a ladder and clambers up onto the bed. He points a clawed finger at the book. Will you read it to us? Been too long since we had a story.

I trace the sigil stamped into the cover, the unique material made darker against the nearly translucent shade of my skin. A broken Fae orb of the Vila crest surrounded by a circle of raven feathers.

I knew that court, Mortania whispers from her den. It could contain powerful magic.

The tingling of my curiosity intensifies. I ve learned so much from the relics and books the Imps carried with them

Heather Walter

Praise for Misrule

Fans of reimagined fairy tales and LGBTQ+ themes will be delighted with the conclusion of this fantasy duology. Booklist (starred review)

For readers looking for a sapphic romance with a dash of dark magic, Misrule is a satisfying conclusion to the Malice duology. Nerds & Beyond

The many twists and dark moral questions keep the pages flying. Publishers Weekly



Praise for Malice

The villain takes center stage in Walter s superlative debut, a refreshing spin on Sleeping Beauty. . . . Fairy tale lovers of all ages will be thrilled. Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A beautifully imaginative and feminist retelling of a fairy tale so often swept into the dark . . . Walter s debut is engrossing from its first page, with a striking cast of characters, thrilling romance, and a world so vivid it will wrap thorns around your dreams. Roshani Chokshi, author of The Gilded Wolves

I spent a lot of late nights getting lost in this world of sorcery, intrigue, and of course true love. I m sure I won t be the only one! Richelle Mead, internationally bestselling author of Vampire Academy

Absolutely dazzling! Full of love, power, and betrayal, Malice is as compelling as a spell, as captivating as an enchantment, and as fascinating and delicious as a fairy-tale curse. I loved it! Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of the Queens of Renthia series

A truly original and clever retelling of a classic that had me racing to the end you ll never look at Sleeping Beauty the same way again. S. A. Chakraborty, author of the bestselling Daevabad trilogy