Free Cinderella Dreams of Fire (Fairy Tales Forever #1) by Casey Lane Page A

Armenia closed the door behind them, it was nearly pitch black inside the stranger's foyer. Kiyara felt the tears begin to form in her eyes. “Can someone please tell me what we're doing here?"
    Armenia sighed and snapped her finger. A lantern on the far end of the room lit up like magic. “We're just paying someone a little visit."
    The ability to see everything around her failed to lessen Kiyara's nerves. “Then why did we break in?” The sound of a large man stumbling out of bed made the tears flow down Kiyara's face. She did her best to blend into the wall.
    Kiyara spied the man of the household stepping into the light at the top of the stairs. She recognized the head bowman of the Queen's Guard almost immediately. Kiyara had seen him at various upper-class gatherings and parties. But she'd never seen him draw his signature weapon, which was pointed right at her mother's head.
    The bowman pulled the string back a little tighter. “Who are you? And what are you doing in my house?"
    Before he had a chance to react, a little boy ran between his legs and took the stairs downstairs.
    "Son, no!"
    But it was too late. The young child giggled as he watched the three women before him. Malina opened her arms wide and gestured for the boy to come close. The child was so fast, the soldier had no chance to turn his weapon on Kiyara's sister before she held the boy high in the air and between her and the weapon.
    She laughed as much as the boy did. “What a beautiful son you have."
    The bowman breathed heavily. “If you touch a single hair on his head–"
    Armenia let out a deep, throaty chuckle. “Your little toy won't hurt her. You're out of your depth, bowman."
    With that, the queen's best shot zipped a warning arrow to the side of Malina's head. It whizzed past her ear and lodged itself in the wall with a thud.
    Kiyara bent to one knee and felt the bile moving up her throat. She started to dry heave.
    Armenia faked a yawn. “You've revealed your weapon, and now it's time for me to show you mine.” With one swift motion, Armenia closed the gap between herself and her daughter and touched Malina's shoulder.
    Still gripping the young boy, Malina let her cloak fall to the ground. Then she looked up to the ceiling and opened her mouth wide. The alabaster skin on her arms started to change color as she expanded wider and taller. Her shoulders broadened and the soft delicate skin turned thick and scaled. Kiyara couldn't turn away from the sight that both horrified her and struck her memory.
    I've seen this all before.
    The bowman backed away from the edge of the staircase with horror. Once standing just above 5 feet tall, the grotesque demon had gained two full feet in height and its arms and legs were thicker than that of a horse. Fangs extended from her mouth and she let out a terrifying smile, as she pulled the bowman's son tighter.
    "Father!"
    The bowman didn't hesitate any longer. He fired an arrow directly for the chest of the beast Malina had become. With a wave of her hand, Armenia shot out a small ball of fire directly into the path of the arrow. The wooden shaft disintegrated before their eyes as the metal arrowhead lost its trajectory and clinked harmlessly to the ground.
    Armenia turned toward Kiyara and raised an eyebrow. “It's time, my daughter."
    Kiyara shook her head and started to back her way to the front door. Malina let out a floor-rattling growl, and Kiyara started to become lightheaded from fear. She kept backing up and backing up until she was pressed firmly against the door they'd originally entered.
    As the bowman readied another arrow, Armenia turned and sent a fireball right into the man's prized weapon. The bowman screamed as his hands caught fire. He dropped the now-useless device.
    Armenia turned her attention back to her daughter. “No more time for games.” She took Kiyara by the throat and lifted her high into the air. Immediately, the change began to take place on the inside and outside of