An Enduring Hope

An Enduring Hope

Hope Ever After

Jes Drew

Boo's Books Publishing

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2024 by Jes Drew

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2024

ISBN: 9798224118571

Boo’s Books Publishing https://agencyofbooksandspies.blogspot.com/

Cover by Kayla Eshbaugh and Leialoha Humpherys

Logo and couple art by Maddy Moore

Group art by Rana Dela X

Map by Almond Abordo

Chapter heading and scene break by Evercott

Author Photograph by Amy S.

Edited by Katy Mauerman

Formatted by Atticus

This is for Operation Underground Railroad and everyone who fights to rescue those whose freedom has been stolen and to provide a safe place to heal for the rescued.

This is also for the survivors who are fighting to write a better story for their lives.

Finally, this is for Jesus, Who made every happily ever after possible with His sacrifice.

Contents

Map

Glossary

Brothers’ Names

Preface

1.Chapter One

2.Chapter Two

3.Chapter Three

4.Chapter Four

5.Chapter Five

6.Chapter Six

7.Chapter Seven

8.Chapter Eight

9.Chapter Nine

10.Chapter Ten

11.Chapter Eleven

12.Chapter Twelve

13.Chapter Thirteen

Family Portrait

14.Chapter Fourteen

15.Chapter Fifteen

16.Chapter Sixteen

17.Chapter Seventeen

18.Chapter Eighteen

19.Chapter Nineteen

20.Chapter Twenty

21.Chapter Twenty-One

22.Chapter Twenty-Two

23.Chapter Twenty-Three

24.Chapter Twenty-Four

25.Chapter Twenty-Five

26.Chapter Twenty-Six

Happily Ever After

About the Series

Hope Ever After

About the Author

Also by Jes Drew

Coming Soon

Glossary

German-based Terminology:

Carole: group dance with singing

Mein Liebling: my darling

Schatz: sweetheart; treasure

Schwäne: swan

Vater: father

Creatures:

Mortals: The majority population of Constantinium. Some possess bloodline magic, but most do not. Their lifespan averages eight decades. They are legal citizens of Constantinium and primarily serve the Emperor-God.

Elves: The once majority population of Haya, they now live in exile because of the Plague that haunts their land. All elves possess kin magic to varying degrees. Their lifespan averages eight centuries. They are legal citizens of Constantinium, though they are treated as second-hand citizens because they primarily serve the Creator. They have become even more of a minority after the slaughter during the Night of Broken Walls. Elves are also known as kin folk.

Estries: These are born as either mortals or elves, and become estries by partaking in the Dark Ritual. Estries survive off the blood and memories of others. They feed during night when their spirits part from their bodies until sunrise. Estries are condemned to death in Constantinium for forsaking the sun and stealing the blood of others.

Werwölves: These are born as mortals or elves and become werwölves by partaking in the Rite of the Moon. Werwölves can take the form of the last animal they consumed the blood of. Werwölves are condemned to death in Constantinium for forsaking the sun and stealing the blood of animals.

Elioud: These are the offspring of at least one werwölf. They cannot shift unless they also partake the Rite of the Moon. They often bear features of the animals their parent(s) have stolen the properties of. Eliouds are legal citizens of Constantinium, but are considered second-class because of their animalistic appearances.

Gysts: These are beings of unknown origin. They can shift between corporeal and incorporeal forms, but not based on any known pattern like estries. They can present as mortals when corporeal. Many citizens of Constantinium doubt their existence.

Shamir: These are rare marsupial animals with wings. Elf families keep them as sacred pets from generation to generation and shamirs augment the kin magic of the families they've bonded with. Shamirs can shift their size at will and have never been known to die from old age.

Magic:

Bloodline Magic: This refers to inherited mortal magic that some mortals are born with to varying degrees. It contains multiple strains that deviate from family to family, and appear with different levels of potency. No one has fully recorded all types of bloodline magic. Unlike elves, most mortals are born without magic. Those born with it are generally from noble families, where magic is taken into consideration when discussing marriage. Davars, or spoken prayers, are used to help focus those utilizing their natural abilities.

Heritage Magic: This is the most powerful strains of bloodline magic available to mortals. Those who possess Heritage Magic are royal families who fought for supremacy in their respective countries long ago. The specific Heritage Magic that a royal family possesses is considered confidential for national security to prevent others from finding vulnerabilities from the power that is expected to be the nation's greatest defense. In Constantinium, only the sitting monarch and the designated heir are trained how to utilize their Heritage Magic, a practice overseen by the Keeper of Knowledge. One of the defining characteristics of Heritage Magic that sets it apart from lesser strains of Bloodline Magic is the process of Blood-Binding, where the magic imprints on the best mate for the Heritage Magic carrier to produce an heir with to pass on the Heritage Magic. All individuals with the same type of Heritage Magic will also have the same shade of eye color.

Kin Magic: This is the magic that all elves are born with with, to varying degrees. All kin magic allows elves to heal their blood relatives. Some kin magic allows elves to telepathically commune with their family and even swap physical locations with them if the appropriate davars are uttered.

Complimentary Magic: This refers to deviations of kin magic, including enchanting weapons and objects with blood to make them more powerful to a family, and utilizing alchemy to strengthen kin magic spells. Shamirs naturally generate complimentary magic.

Tainted Magic: This refers to any magic estries or werwölves acquire by stealing the blood of others. Estries can temporarily harness the magic of the elves and mortals they drink from. Werwölves can supernaturally shift into the form of the last animal they drank the blood of.

Forbidden Magic: This refers to magic that comes from any source beyond the blood that naturally carries it. This information is usually discovered in forbidden texts or through dark experimentation. Because of this, most forms of written magic are illegal. Examples of forbidden magic are witchcraft and necromancy.

Brothers’ Names

Aleric

Berthold

Conrad

Dietrich

Egon

Ferdinand

Gustav

Preface

"Oh, what is the pain in my fingers compared with

the anguish I feel in my heart! she thought. I must take the

risk, and the good Lord will not desert me."

—Hans Christian Anderson (as translated by Jean Hersholt)

Chapter One

Schwane, Upper Imparia during the first year of Emperor Otello’s reign . . .

P resenting, Lady Nadja.

Smiling at the regal introduction from my father, I flounce down the stairs. The best part about this ballgown— which is certainly not the two person and three-hour chore of putting it on— is how it spins around my ankles. I am also fond of the way the green of the full skirts draw out the color of my eyes when I stare into my looking glass.

I keep one hand on the railing of the grand staircase as I slowly descend so that my pointed dancing shoes don’t snag on my skirts. They have to be long enough so as not to flash my ankle while I’m spinning on the dancefloor. My other hand reaches to feel where my golden hair has been carefully pleated around my head. I’m used to letting it hang loose around my shoulders, but that is a style permissible only for young girls.

Tonight, I am a woman.

My gaze slides to where Vater is standing at the base of the staircase, gazing up at me with a proud smile. He looks so regal in his forest green tunic, breeches, and leather boots. A formal sword hangs at his waist, and a fur cloak drapes from his shoulders, setting him apart as a baron in the service of the Emperor. The bronze circlet resting in his hair symbolizes his baronage itself.

When I reach the base of the stairs, I drop into a curtsy. I take the opportunity to inspect the embroidered flowers sewn into the bodice of my dress in the shape of an upside-down triangle. The single point of the triangle touches my skirt where another triangle of flowers flares out. Lace acts like a fence to the garden on my skirt, the border between the flowers and the unembroidered green satins.

I rise, relishing in the small smile on Vater’s lips before noticing the sheen of tears in his eyes. They look so wrong on him when he is dressed so regally.

Before I can ask what sorrows him, he reaches out to gently cup my face in his hand. "You will steal every suitor’s heart, mein liebling. But I wish you wouldn’t."

Startled, I stare up at him. But you said that I needed to marry to save our baronage from financial ruin. Schwäne needs me, and though it will break my heart to leave here, I will do what my home demands.

"I know what I said— what we need. But it is not what I want. He sighs, and his shoulders droop. You and your brothers are the joy of my life. I wish I didn’t have to part with you so soon."

I glance away, not sure what to say. I do not want to leave him, my brothers, or the home where I can still find memories of Mother lingering like a phantom not yet dispelled to the Third Heaven.

But I am a noble daughter of Constantinium. I know my duties even as Vater does. And it is far from too soon— all the girls from my finishing school are already wed. But I was always too busy to go courting.

Until now.

Despite the solemn turn of the conversation, I hear a stream of giggles, a harbinger of the mighty wave about to crash upon me.

I brace myself by grasping the railing just as seven wild things dressed in formal tunics and breeches come careening into the antechamber. It was foolish to think I would have any further moments of peace in this chamber that separates the entrance to our living quarters and the throne room that is currently serving as a ballroom.

Nadja, Nadja! voices cry from all around as I’m surrounded by a small army that stands like a wall between me and the rest of the world.

Good evening, boys. I grin as I greet my seven younger brothers.

Aleric, the closest to my age and the tallest of us all, frowns as he inspects my hairstyle. You look like a proper noblewoman.

"Well, I am a proper noblewoman. I turn my focus to Berthold, the next oldest. He’s lanky, his body still growing into itself. I swat away his hand from where he’s tugging at a runaway curl. What are you doing?"

Berthold grins. Trying to break this beauty spell so we don’t have to fight off an army of undeserving suitors.

I pat my head to ensure Berthold hasn’t been playing with magic he wasn’t born with and has undone my plaited braid. An army of suitors is just what we want, though.

Arms wrap around my waist, and I glance down to the wide green eyes of the baby, Gustav. Except, he’s a baby no longer. Half as tall as I am and he seems to have grown every time I turn around. He’s already too big for me to carry any longer.

When I wed, will he look like a stranger when I visit with how quickly he’s changing?

I swallow hard in an attempt to fight the sudden tightness in my throat. Then I pat Gustav’s wild golden curls. Will you save a dance for me, little one?

Behind him, the second youngest, Ferdinand, gags.

When I hug Gustav carefully— so I do not wrinkle my gown— he grins at me. Then he remembers his brothers are watching and yelps before dramatically pulling away.

They are not distracted from the subject at hand, though.

I say we throw mud at her, announces Conrad, the eldest of the triplets. His identical compatriots, Dietrich and Egon, nod in agreement. And weave twigs into her hair. Then we won’t have to worry about any man stealing our Nadja away.

Ferdinand grunts and mutters, What’s so bad about that?

I stick my tongue out at him. The initiation of his troublesome years has been difficult for all of us. His moodiness is the one thing I will not miss when I’m gone. I think.

My throat squeezes tighter.

Now, now, not even mud and branches could disguise your sister’s beauty. Vater clears a path through my brothers to offer his arm. We will simply have to find a man worthy of her.

Aleric snorts. Then he moves his head ever so slightly. It’s enough for our younger brothers to fall in line behind him, their chosen commander simply because he’s the eldest of them.

I give them one last smile before Vater leads me toward the expansive chamber that is bustling with our noble guests. And one of them is to be my future husband.

My corset suddenly feels too tight. I rest one hand on my abdomen as if that will somehow release the tension coiling within me. I focus on my steps so I won’t accidentally tread on my skirt and tear it. Still, I have my trusty needle I always keep hidden on my person, in case of a wardrobe malfunction.

Then we’re standing on the platform Vater’s wooden throne sits upon, as well as the matching smaller one that belonged to my mother and me . . .

But now I shall have a new throne.

Swallowing hard, I look away from the place where I