In becoming a vampire, I’m less than a girl. And more.
We’re thrilled to share an excerpt from YA dark fantasy Court of the Undying Seasons by A.M. Strickland, out from Feiwel & Friends on May 16.
In becoming a vampire, I’m less than a girl. And more.
Or maybe I’m becoming what I always have been, deep inside.
A blade.When nineteen-year-old Fin volunteers to take her secret love’s place in their village’s Finding, she is terrified. Those who are chosen at the Finding are whisked away to Castle Courtsheart, a vampire school where human students either succeed and become vampires, fail and spend the rest of their lives as human thralls… or they don’t survive long enough to become either.
Fin is determined to forge a different path: learn how to kill the undead and get revenge for her mother, who was taken by the vampires years ago. But Courtsheart is as captivating as it is deadly, and Fin is quickly swept up in her new world and its inhabitants—particularly Gavron, her handsome and hostile vampire maker, whose blood is nothing short of intoxicating. As Fin begins to discover new aspects of her own identity and test her newfound powers, she stumbles across a string of murders that may be connected to a larger ritual—one with potentially lethal consequences for vampires and humans alike. Fin must uncover the truth and find the killer before she loses her life… or betrays her own heart.
I don’t make it far before nearly careening into two horrifying figures. The first is horrifying for its inhuman shape; the other, a young man clutched in the creature’s arms, for being covered in blood. More figures surround the two carriages—one still perched on top of my own—their features cloaked in shadow. But the moonlight is enough to make out enormous wings, towering horns, and massive claws.
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Court of the Undying Seasons
The young man’s eyes are rolled back in his head, his lips pale and bluish, and blood drips down his chest. The clawed hand in his hair exposes his neck for the horned creature’s mouth, which is clamped on and sucking hungrily.
I scream. It’s a foolish, preylike response I can’t help.
It draws the attention of the blood drinker, who pulls away from the young man’s neck. The creature’s eyes are the impossible blue of glowing sapphires—and they stay fixed on me as everything else around them starts to change. Horns and wings and claws begin to retract, eventually melting into the shape of another young man: beautiful, with warm brown skin, a cloud of curly brown hair haloing his head, and those startling blue eyes that now crease charmingly at the corners as he smiles at me. His full lips and straight teeth are stained with blood, his canines long and sharp.
I knew vampires could change shape; I just didn’t know how terrifying those shapes could be.
“Another treat for me?” he says, and then holds up a finger. A claw sinks into the tip, becoming a normal, manicured nail. “I’ll be with you in just a moment.” He bends his head back toward the young man’s neck.
I’m tempted to scream again. Instead, my hand fumbles at the shawl tied around my waist, seeking the fillet knife hidden underneath.
But the vampire freezes, his jewel eyes widening slightly. Not because of me or my blade. A shadow has appeared over his shoulder, poised to strike him directly in the temple with a strange black dagger. Some of the surrounding, monstrous shapes crouch and hiss, even retreat, at the sight of the blade.
“Not a dread blade,” the vampire gasps in mock horror. “How dreadfully serious.That might actually kill me. Are you sure you want that? It’s so final. And I’m so beautiful.”
A different, deep voice clucks in disapproval from the darkness. Shadows gather, and suddenly there’s another vampire, this one man-shaped and holding the dagger, dressed all in black. His dark brown hair is straight and shoulder length, shaved on at least one side. Leather straps bind his clothing and multiple daggers to his pale, muscular form. He appears younger than Maudon, maybe twenty, though I know that doesn’t mean anything. He’s beautiful, too, of course. All these monsters look beautiful when they’re wearing a human mask.
His irises are indistinguishable from his pupils. His eyes flick to me and away, discarding me as a threat. Or perhaps as anything worth his attention. “You know you’re not supposed to be here, Kashire.”
The blue-eyed vampire’s lips spread once more into a bloody grin. “Hello, Gavron, my love. I thought that might be you. The others and I are just having a bit of harmless fun before the Beginning.You wouldn’t want to interrupt, would you?”
“The Blue Court grows ever bolder,” says the black-clad male—Gavron—both humor and scorn coating his voice.
“And the Black Court grows ever more boring.” Kashire sighs. “Come now, we do this every year.”
“Harass the carriages, yes, and cause a fright among the peasant-born foundlings by playing the monstrous, evil vampires,” Gavron says, rolling his dark eyes. He almost sounds more dismissive of us than Kashire. “But you’ve never killed one of them before they’ve had the chance to arrive at Courtsheart.”
Kashire blinks down at the now-limp body in his arms. “He is dead, isn’t he?” He lets the body fall to the ground, and I can’t help but leap back. “Alas, he might not be if you hadn’t distracted me from my meal. But what’s the start of an undying season without a little bit of death? Besides, the Black Court despairs of foundlings. What did you call them—peasant born? You should be thanking me.” His sneer belies the words.
“Like them or not, it’s the Black Court’s duty to protect them as potential future members of the other Houses,” Gavron says through clenched teeth. His canines are just as long and sharp as Kashire’s. “You only did this to goad me, but it’s too far.You’ve committed a crime.”
“Against a human?” Kashire sniffs. “No such thing. They’re not vampires yet, so no one cares. Certainly not the Black Court. See, I think you only came because you knew I’d be here. Admit it, you miss me.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Gavron scoffs. “Of course the Black Court cares—”
Kashire raises his arms, forcing Gavron to step back. “Maudon practically gave me permission to put on this little show. Why else would your own commander be nowhere in sight, when he was part of their escort?”
Gavron only glares at Kashire, giving nothing away.
The other foundling’s glazed, unblinking eyes stare at me from a pillow of dead leaves. I have to swallow repeatedly to not throw up.
Both vampires notice the movement of my throat. Kashire’s bright blue eyes seem to light up even more at the sight.
“Don’t, Kash,” Gavron says, lifting a pale hand warningly, the black dagger held in the other. I wonder if it can truly kill vampires—a prospect that would consume my interest at any other time. “You’ve caused enough trouble.”
“Ooh, so now it’s Kash again, when you want me to listen.When you were busy breaking my heart it was all ‘Kashire’ this and‘arsehole’ that.”
“You don’t have a heart to break and you are an arsehole, but I could just use knives instead of words, if you prefer,” Gavron says with a hard smile.
“Oh, Gav, I thought you’d never ask. How I’ve longed for the touch of your blade once again.” He tosses his head at me with a suggestive leer. “Just be sure to not accidentally poke her with it.”
And then he charges me.
Excerpted from Court of the Undying Seasons, copyright © 2023 by A.M. Strickland.
