Crown of Destiny. Бертрис Смолл

      

      From New York Times bestselling author and master of romance Bertrice Small comes the stunning conclusion to the World of Hetar series…

      A hundred years have passed since the Faerie woman Lara last saved Hetar. Her youth and beauty remain as always. The waning years, however, have taken many of her friends and kin. And those who remember her heroism in times of peril are few.

      All the while Lara’s son, the charming but nefarious Twilight Lord Kolgrim, waits patiently for his moment. Kolgrim won’t repeat his father’s mistakes by waging war. His way is more subtle but just as sinister—not even Lara’s formidable powers will be able to stop him. Though all seems lost, Lara still clings to the hope that she can fulfill the prophecy to unite the people of Hetar.

      As darkness once again falls over her land, Lara finds that, more than ever, she needs the wisdom, love and support of the handsome Shadow Prince, Kaliq. In their greatest trial yet, Lara and Kaliq will finally meet her long-foretold destiny…together.

      Praise for The World of Hetar series and New York Times bestselling author

      “Readers who enjoyed the first in [this] new series will devour Lara’s latest adventure.”

      —Booklist on A Distant Tomorrow

      “The third in the World of Hetar series has plenty of political intrigue, some fantastical characters, and lots of Small’s unique brand of hot, boldly descriptive…romance.”

      —Booklist on The Twilight Lord

      “Small’s newest novel is a sexily fantastical romp.”

      —Publishers Weekly on The Sorceress of Belmair

      “Rich in colorful characters, brimming over with Small’s unique sense of erotic passion and a plot filled with mystery, the fourth title in the series is another masterpiece.”

      —RT Book Reviews on The Sorceress of Belmair, Top Pick

      “Small is not only a queen of erotic/adventure historicals, with the fifth book in the World of Hetar series, she is a grand mistress of erotic fantasy.… With this newest story, the author demonstrates that we can ‘have it all.’”

      —RT Book Reviews on The Shadow Queen, Top Pick

      “The final volume in the World of Hetar delivers a fantasy lover’s delight.”

      —RT Book Reviews on Crown of Destiny

       Crown of Destiny

      Bertrice Small

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      The World of Hetar now is done.

      My faerie tale its course hath run.

      Hetar at last will meet its fate.

      The magic world hath closed the gate.

      But Lara and Kaliq prevail.

      For them the light will never fail.

      Contents

       Prologue

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

      PROLOGUE

      HE HAD KILLED her with his bare hands. Actually he had used only one hand. His long elegant fingers closing about her slim white throat, squeezing, squeezing, until the terror in her dark eyes had faded away to nothingness. She had failed him. He had forgiven her the first time. And the second. But when a third mating season frenzy had come upon him, and she failed yet again, there had been no other choice open to him. Her delicious darkness had attracted him, but she was nothing more than a fertile field in which to plant the seed that would become his son. And after the child was born he had intended killing her anyway.

      Now at least he would not have to listen to her foolish ambitions. Or her harping at him to leave the Dark Lands and go out to conquer Hetar. She had never understood that for his conquest to succeed they must be patient, and rebuild his armies. They had time, and this time the darkness would overcome the light. But Ciarda had never accepted the fact that women were for nothing more than pleasures and babies. She wanted to be part of his eventual conquest, foolish creature! Her inability, however, to give him his heir had been her downfall. He had thought she was the one. She had believed she was.

      And once her body had gone limp in his grasp he had personally carried the lifeless form from her bedchamber halfway across the bridge leading to his House of Women. Then with a final look at his half sister’s remains he dropped them over the balustrade of the span into the bottomless ravine. Returning to his Throne Room, Kolgrim, the Twilight Lord, called Alfrigg, his chancellor, to him.

      “Ciarda is no more,” he announced to the dwarf when Alfrigg stood before him.

      “She was not the one,” Alfrigg said quietly. “Will you not now look in the Book of Rule to see what it says to you.”

      Kolgrim nodded. “Open it,” he said.

      And going to the stand that held the Book of Rule, the chancellor opened it reverently. Then he stepped back to allow his young master to see what was written.

      Once he had quickly scanned them, Kolgrim beckoned Alfrigg over to see the words. Very few could read the ancient tongue so beautifully inscribed upon the pages. Twilight Lords read them instinctively. Alfrigg had been taught the language by the former Twilight Lord, Kolgrim’s father, because he had earned his master’s trust when no one else had.

      The Book of Rule was magical. It was constantly adding clean pages upon which the words were written by an unseen hand. The words recorded the reigns of the Twilight Lords past and present. It offered advice and suggestions to its master. Today it said,

      She who was good for naught but pleasures has at long last been disposed of as was right and proper. Now the wait begins for She who will produce the next Twilight Lord. When it is time, the book will advise you on which daughter from