up my cottage.
(Tidied. Maybe Zelie’s thinking she’d like to be tied up. Get your head out of the gutter, girl!)
Melody blinked several times, a wounded expression feeling her face.
(Her face is feeling it alright.)
“Someone’s a soar loser.”
(Reed’s not soaring right now, Ronin.)
“What?” Mom asked, tilting her head slightly. “My sister loves the beach. Get her some of that pinacolato mix, and she’ll be happy for days.”
(Piña colada. Gah! Wish I could blame this one on drinking but it was just my super sucky spelling at its worst.)
“Oh my gosh. I heard my brothers asked you to the dance. You have to with them.”
(Have to what with them, Melody? Heh, heh. This is “go”, of course, but I’m sure Team Twin has other ideas in mind.)
Chapter Elven
(Eleven. I’m surprised this doesn’t happen more often in this series.)
I tossed the dress on my head and hurried to the shower.
(Bed. I don’t think a dress would work well as a showering cap.)
A woman with short dark hair mixed drinks with her gloved hands from behind the ice bar and served them up over the glowing counter to patrons bundled in thick jackets, fur fats, mittens, and scarfs.
(You won’t find fat-free fur in Alaska. Gah! Hopefully it’s faux.)
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Fun Fact: In its first year, the Aurora Ice Hotel, made entirely of ice, was shut down by the Alaska Fire Department until all rooms were equipped with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers were installed. The hotel had a short existence before becoming the Aurora Ice Museum, which is open daily thanks to the geothermal technology used to keep it at 25 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) all year.
Most of this book was written during the shut-in phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. I started it back in January only to freeze up. My beloved cousin died on January 4 and all sense of joy withered from my soul. From there, we made the gut-wrenching decision to sell our first real home in over a decade and ended up donating all our furniture and most of our possessions. We’d planned to work seasonally for my family’s Alaskan souvenir business only to see them close up during the pandemic. Suddenly, I found myself at my parent’s home with five pairs of clothing, plenty of books (because there’s no giving those away!) and a lace crown. I asked myself, “What’s the best way to take a break from the shitstorm that is life?” The answer, of course, was to spend time with the Elmrays.
Thank you for joining in another Royal Conquest Heirs adventure. You have one more portal to take before this series concludes. If you like what you’ve read, and want to see more humorous, fun, romantic fantasy from me, please tell your reading buddies to check the series out on Amazon. Your recommendations make all the difference.
I am so excited for you to see what happens next. If you think that being the only Elmray heir not to inherit elemental powers puts Melody at a disadvantage, think again. This Fae princess is a firecracker who sparkles, shines . . . and kicks butt when necessary.
Thank you to my awesome, incredible, amazing team: Najla Qamber (cover design); Kelly Hashway (developmental editing); Liz Ferry (copy editing); Seb (formatting); my advanced reviewers; and bookstagrammers who help spread the magic of fictional escapism.
Finally, I want to thank my Royal Readers. You are the snowflakes on my eyelashes. No two alike (not even twins). Be uniquely you and no one else.
xo, Nikki
May 2020
NEXT UP: The Forever Princess
It started out as a dare. Get the name and number of the cute guy at the club. I don’t back down from dares . . . and I definitely don’t cower for vampires.
Turns out cute guy is undead guy with terrible taste in she-vamps. The vixen tries to steal his clan’s magic cup, excuse me, I mean Eternal Chalice. But I intervene.
Instead of a thank you, the guy’s imposing older brother attempts to compel me into forgetting everything that went down. I don’t think so. Guess they’ve never met an elf-Fae before. Fabian is the no-nonsense, commanding head of his clan. He thinks it’s his duty to keep me safe.
A rival clan is after the chalice and now they want me, too. Apparently, my elven Fae blood is like an aphrodisiac to them.
My newfound friends need me more than they realize. And Mr. Moody Broody definitely needs more sparkle in his life.
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Books In This Series
Royal Conquest Saga
Stolen Princess (Book 1)
False Queen (Book 2)
Three Kings (Book 3)
Holiday Crown (Book 4)
The Golden Prince (Book 5)
The Dark Pretender (Book 6)
The Ice Twins (Book 7)
The Forever Princess (Book 8)
Books By This Author
Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 1)
If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it’s to get off the iceberg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn’t hurt either. Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora’s life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter in Alaska. Basically she’s a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis before she has to finish the job . . . by hand.
Aurora finds her new life is more dangerous than she ever dreamed, especially when she becomes a target for revenge.
Now Aurora’s stuck with an overzealous partner, a group of misfit friends, and a maddening attraction to a rebellious man keeping secrets of his own.
Northern Bites (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 2)
Stakeout (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 2.5)
Evil Red (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 2.6)
Bad Blood (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 3)
Hunting Season (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 4)
Night of the Living Dante (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 4.5)
Whiteout (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 5)
True North (Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Book 6)
Wolf Hollow (Wolf Hollow Shifters Book 1)
An attraction that threatens the future of the pack....
Spirited, stubborn, and deeply loyal wolf shifter, Sasha, feels the pressure from her pack to claim another pureblood, yet no one is brazen enough to defy the elders and toy with her...no one besides a hotheaded half-breed.
Tabor, a rebellious outcast, is the hollow's only wizard shifter. Constantly overlooked despite his strengths, Tabor believes Sasha is as shortsighted as the rest of the pack until she proves there's more to her than a blindly obedient lapdog.
Unable to resist the proud and sensual pureblood, Tabor would risk everything to claim her. Despite her vanishing bloodline, Sasha can't resist the charismatic half-breed, even as the elders set her up to breed with another pureblood.
Predators are closing in, threatening the strength and stability of their pack, and there are shifters within Wolf Hollow willing to do anything to prevent the pair from mating.
Mating Games (Wolf Hollow Shifters Book 2)
Born Wild (Wolf Hollow Shifters Book 3)
Moon Cursed (Wolf Hollow Shifters Book 4)
Entangled: Spellbound Trilogy #1 (Spellbound series)
Hiding her powers was never a problem for seventeen-year-old Graylee Perez.
Not until her diabolical twin sister decided to go on a rampage that could expose them all.
To add to the aggravation, coven reject Raj McKenna catches Gray performing a complex spell and is convinced they would make a powerful couple. He can delude himself all he wants. Gray has sworn off dating warlocks, especially delinquents who play with fire.
Duplicity: Spellbound Trilogy #2 (Spellbound series)
Enchantment: Spellbound Trilogy #3 (Spellbound series)
About The Author
Nikki Jefford
Nikki is an award-winning, bestselling author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and quirky combinations in-between with books for mature teens and adults.
She is a third-generation Alaskan who shares her life with her Westie, Cosmo, and French husband, whom she wouldn’t trade in for anyone–not even Spike or Mr. Darcy!
When she’s not writing, she’s reading, walking, or out riding her motorcycle, a Honda CB500F, (so long as it’s sunny and warm)!