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Soon Jon Snow wont be the only bastard whose name readers will remember.
Ahead of the novels release, EW presents an exclusive cover reveal, plus an excerpt.
Royal Bastardswill be published Jun.
One
Princess Lyriana came to Castle Waverly two months after I turned sixteen.
Any sign of them?
It was midafternoon, but the sun was hid den behind a gray blanket of clouds.
I squinted out at the gap in the sea of treetops where the road emerged from the redwood forest.
There was still no sign of the guests of honor, though, the Princess and her uncle.
When youre that important, you make everyone else wait for you.
Just a few more minutes.
I promise itll be worth it.
Uh-huh, Jax said.
I leaned over and dropped the skin into his broad, cal lused hand.
We shared the same mother, a castle servant named Melgara.
I had his face: lean, pointed, all high cheekbones and sharp angles.
And I had his eyes: nar row, bright, sparkling green.
Mostly because Id thought it meant pretty.
So, this Princess.
Jax took a swig of wine and passed it back to me.
Oh, Im sure shes gorgeous.
Jax turned up his head in mock offense.
I happen to think Im ruggedly charming.
And I happen to think youve got horse shit on your boots.
Jax craned his head down and sniffed.
He rubbed the sole of his boot on the stone walls edge.
Speaking of which, you gonna come by the stables anytime soon?
Lady Dirtmane misses you.
Her name is Enchantress, I said with a smile, but avoided his real question.
Truth is, I hated riding in the fall.
It reminded me too much of being a little girl, back when Id been my fathers only child.
Those rides were my best memories of childhood.
Possibly my whole life.
Arealdaughter, not a bastard like me.
We went on rides less and less.
And one day we stopped going on rides at all.
I shouted to Jax.
Jax instantly popped up alongside me, and his spyglass was already in his hand.
The big liar was totally still interested.
The first men to step through the trees were royal foot men.
Four ivory white horses trotted after them, their manes billowing softly like fresh snow.
Oh, come on, Jax muttered.
Is the Princess in a car riage?
Am I not even going to see her?
I elbowed him in the ribs and kept staring.
What was it like in there?
Was she wearing a dress made of glistening silk?
Did she get to sit on fluffy pillows and eat bellberries and sip fancy sherry?
Did a handsome, shirtless servant fan her with a giant leaf, oil dripping down his chiseled abs?
The carriage kept rolling, its mysteries unanswered.
A dozen more footmen marched behind it.
Whoa, Jax whispered.
Rolan Volaris, I whispered back.
Archmagus of the Royal Mages.
Unlike everything else in the procession, there was noth ing ornate about him.
But I still couldnt take my eyes off him.
Rolans skin was a pure, rich black, darker than anyone Id ever seen.
His gray hair was shaved close to his scalp, and a neat silver beard framed his mouth.
More amazing than anything else, though, were his eyes.
He looked like something ancient and powerful, hiding in a persons skin.
Bow to the King or die by the Ring, Jax muttered.
I scowled back at him.
Since when did Jax quote the rebels?
You shouldnt talk like that, I said.
Not when hes here.
Its not like he can hear me, Jax said.
Can he hear me?
Is that a mage thing?
If it is, Ill check that to speak at your funeral.
Here lies Jax the stable hand.
The only surprise is that it took seventeen years for his big mouth to get him killed.
I stretched out my arms, and the muscles in my lower back flared with pain.
Hey, Jax said, glancing up at the sky.
Its the first night of fall.
Sky should be clear tonight.
The tower bells clanged five times in the distance, and my smile curdled.
I gotta get going.
Ive only got a few hours to get ready for the feast.
Ill walk with you.
Weve got a few good sips of wine left.
Jax glanced down at the stairway leading to the towers base.
The tunnels were our notsosecret secret.
Most people thought the tunnels had long collapsed or been filled in.
Well, still around in the loosest sense.
They were dark and dusty and filled with rubble, and most of them led to dead ends.
I held my Sunstone, a gift from my father, and its soft white light lit our way.
Youre really going to that feast tonight, Jax said as he tossed me the wine skin.
I bet thatll be fun.
Putting on a fancy dress .
having your hair braided .
whispering Thank you, mlord when Miles kisses your hand .
The fact that Id just sprouted a good head taller than him didnt help.
Maybe hell stay away from my hand this year.
That guy loves kissing your hand!
Im pretty sure thats the only reason he comes to these things!
Jax stiffened his neck and put on a prim, nasal voice.
Oh, I so cant wait for the festivities this evening!
Perhaps my good
Tillandra will let me caress her knuckles with my warm, wet tongue!
As opposed to, you know, giving every visiting millers daughter your worldfamous tour of the haystacks.
Millers daughters love haystacks.
Who am I to deny them?
Honest question, sis.
Why do you do it?
Go to the feast?
The feast, the dress, the whole thing.
Why do you keep putting yourself through this?
I turned away from my half brother.
Im Lord Elric Kents daughter, Jax.
I might be a bastard, but I still have my duties.
Come on, you know thats not true, Jax replied.
You already sleep out in the Servants Quarters every night.
You dont even bother heading in for your lessons anymore.
And Lord Kent has three real daughters already.
Its not like hes going to legitimize you.
I didnt say anything, just stared out silently at the dark passage in front of me.
Jax had no idea, no idea at all, how
much his words cut.
He didnt know how desperately I still wanted my fathers love.
Then I turned and tossed it to Jax, forcing a smile.
Free wine and free food.
How could I pass that up?
He caught the skin, shrugged, and turned to the gap in the wall.
Cant argue with that.
See you after the feast, sis.
And then he was gone.
I walked the rest of the way on my own.
A cold draft blew in from somewhere, swaying the cobwebs.
It felt better than the sting of Jaxs words.
