The Hidden World: The Hidden World Trilogy, #1

By Maya King

When baker Anna Marin is invited to make a cake for Prince Grian's birthday, she expects the prince to fall in love with her at first bite. Instead, the prince keels over from poisoning.

Anna is a prime suspect in the prince's assassination attempt, and only the prince's wizard best friend Jabin knows that she's innocent. Jabin is arrogant and sullen, but he's Anna's only hope in finding the prince's true killer and clearing both their names.

Through Jabin, Anna is introduced to a hidden world of wonder and magic that she never knew existed. Being forced to spend time with the tall, dark, and confident wizard makes her confront feelings she never thought she'd have. Can the two settle their differences and save the royal family from a murderous magician?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Maya King
• Release date: May 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386721925

Maya King

Maya King loves light and fun fantasy stories with strong romantic elements. She is a full-time writer who lives in the desert and daydreams of dragons and wizards in her spare time. To be notified of future releases from Maya, you can sign up to the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bXHz3v

Book preview

Chapter 1

TODAY, ANNA MARIN WAS going to meet the prince. 

No matter how many times she repeated it to herself, her mind couldn’t quite believe it.  The thought made her heart flutter like it was a baby bird ready to take its first flight.  She was going to meet the prince!

It had been through years of hard work at her parents’ bakery that this day had come.  Her father Bill had once been an adventurer.  He had traveled to far-off kingdoms and made friends from all over the world.  He had only stopped when he met Anna’s mother in the Port of Langster.  He had always said that through all his journeying throughout the world, he had never laid eyes on anything as beautiful as her mother Genevia.  He turned his back on life at sea and settled in Langster.  With a portion of the riches he had saved up, he bought a piece of property on a busy street and opened up a bakery, despite the fact that neither he nor Genevia knew how to bake.

It had been a rough start for them in the beginning, but Bill spent hours poring over recipes and techniques.  He invited friends from all around to stay with them while they were docked in Langster, all for the small price of giving him tips and recipes from their homelands.  His connections from his seafaring days had also giving him direct access to a great number of sources for rare and exotic ingredients.  It wasn’t long before Genevia Bakery became famous amongst the upper classes for its fine pastries, cakes, and breads.  Like everything else in his life, Bill succeeded richly at this endeavor.  This was about the time that Anna came along.

Anna had a lifetime of happy memories growing up in the bakery.  As soon as she could stand on sure enough footing, her father had her helping in the shop.  She was always eager to mix ingredients or to knead dough or stand in the front of the shop and point out to customers which cakes and pies were her favorite. 

Somehow, word of Genevia Bakery had gotten up to the royal family themselves.  It was a fine spring day just after the equinox that a man had entered, wearing a formal guard’s uniform.  He was a servant from the castle, and he had come with one simple order.  Prince Grian wanted a cream cake to celebrate his birthday anniversary. 

The instructions written by the guard were clear.  Only one person from the bakery would be allowed to enter the castle. 

This single line became the greatest subject of debate to ever enter the family.  Genevia and Anna both insisted that the honor belonged to Bill.  He had started the bakery, and his hard work and connections had been the reason Genevia Bakery was so successful.  Bill, however, didn’t see things the same way.

Anna should go, he said. 

Bill was a large man with dark features and plenty of scars covering his skin.  Any stranger would think of him as scary and mean.  However, the look he gave Anna in that moment was the soft look of love from a proud father.

Father, Anna said.  Of course I’m not going.  It’s your honor.  You’ve worked so hard for this.

I’ve met plenty of kings and queens and princes in my time, Bill spoke. Now, it’s your turn.

Anna and her mother put up as many arguments as they could against the idea, but Bill had made his decision, and he was as strong as the castle walls when it came to standing his ground.  The guilt passed quickly, though, and soon, Anna was filled with an excitement that made her mind go white and fuzzy at the thought.  She was going to meet the Prince! 

Genevia Bakery was famous for its cream cakes.  They had made thousands of them and sent them out through the city, and even beyond.  They had no reason to worry about making the perfect cake, because it was a recipe they had perfected long ago.  However, Anna worried herself into knots every night thinking about all the other details.  How would they decorate the cake?  Usually, they were plain and simple, coated with only aerated cream that gave it a cloudy, angelic appearance.  However, this wasn’t a cake for any regular customer.  This was for the prince.  It had to be finely decorated and beautiful, she decided.

When she voiced these concerns to her parents, her mother agreed with her, and her father laughed them both off.

He wants our cream cake, and he’ll get one, Bill said.  The same one anyone else would get.

Anna and Genevia both shook their heads. 

But he’s the Prince! Anna said.  It felt as though she had repeated that for the tenth time.  Perhaps we can decorate it with candied flowers or tinted sugar dough?

Her father shrugged her concerns off for a few days, until they couldn’t wait any longer. 

Father!  The prince’s birthday is tomorrow.  We need to decide! she said.

Anna had spent her life in the bakery, and yet she had never experienced even a fraction of the stress that she had felt that week.  This felt like a big moment.  This was going to be the day that changed her life, she had decided.  She needed it to be perfect.

Fine, Bill said.  Do as you will to my cake.  Just don’t make it gaudy.

Anna and her mother celebrated the victory with a sly smile to one another behind Bill’s back.

Honestly, you two always manage to gang up on me.  I don’t know why I bother to fight it anymore, Bill said with exasperated amusement.  Genevia gave him a kiss on the cheek.

They began baking the birthday anniversary cake the night before, just like every cream cake.  They used a bigger mold for the cake than usual, as the Prince had requested a larger size.  Anna worked along with her father as he made the normal cream cakes, putting intense focus into mixing the ingredients for Prince Grian’s cake.  Bill stoked the fire, and then put all the cakes in the warm oven.

Do you know how long we should cook it, father? Anna asked, wringing her hands as the large steel door to the oven closed with a screech.  Have you ever made a cream cake in that size?

I’ve baked since before you were born, my daughter, Bill said.  The cake will be fine.

Anna gave her father a tight smile.  Somehow, she didn’t trust him.  How could he be so relaxed?  This was the most important cake they had ever made.  While the cakes baked, Anna couldn’t leave the oven for too long.  The baking room began to fill with a sweet aroma. 

Should you check on them, father? she asked, beginning to fear that she was smelling a burning scent.

It’s not time yet, Anna, he said.  You know that.

Her father had a bemused smirk on his face.  He had begun working on other preparations for the next day, and Anna feared that he wasn’t paying enough attention to the prince’s cake.  It took all her will power not to rip the stove door open and take a peek at the cakes.  Finally, her father came around to the oven and heaved the door open with his thick gloves.  A burst of heat hit Anna as she peered into the oven.  The cakes smelled so good.  Anna was coming to appreciate the bakery’s cream cakes far more now that they had the prince’s approval.  The smaller cakes all had a smooth, light golden texture to the top, but the prince’s cake still drooped slightly in the center.  It wasn’t done.  Her father pulled it away from the fire so that it didn’t brown too much, and then he removed the rest of the cream cakes and placed the molds onto the prep tables so they could cool.  He closed the door back up, and then Anna was subjected to another round of waiting for the cake to finish baking.

Bill went back to preparing for the next day, but Anna spent more time worrying over the cake. 

Bill peeked once more into the oven.  He stuck his gloved hand inside and shook the mold, watching the cake to see if it moved.  It was perfectly still.

It’s done, he said.  Even he sounded relieved. 

He pulled it out of the oven and put it on the table beside the other cakes.  The cake was big and golden and beautiful.  Anna let out a sigh of relief.  It had come out perfectly.  They let it cool for awhile while they prepared other ingredients.  Bill took out his thin iron dowel, a tool he’d had made years ago specifically for this special type of cake.  Then, he began poking a grid of holes every couple inches throughout the cake.  It was a technique he had learned in some far-off country in some far-off time.  After all the regular cakes had been poked through, he moved on to the prince’s cake.  Anna tried to keep her mind occupied by pouring the sweetened cream over the cakes her father had finished. The cream cakes would sit overnight and soak in all the cream, and the result was a luxuriously moist cake that was unlike any other in the city.

Anna moved on to the larger cake.  She felt her heartbeat pick up as she upended the bowl of cream over the cake, pouring the thick, sweet liquid over the entirety of it.  She scraped every last drop out of the bowl, letting it settle on Prince Grian’s cake. 

Good work, Anna, her father said. 

He had been watching her, a look of amusement on his face.  Anna gave him a smile while she tried to hide her embarrassment.  It must have been very obvious to her father just how important this cake was to her. 

That cake might be good enough to get you a marriage proposal from Prince Grian, Genevia said with a dreamy grin.

They had finished up in the bakery and had shut it all down until the next morning.  Their home was on the second floor of the bakery.  It was a relatively small apartment that fit the three of them and not much else.  The family was sitting in the common room enjoying some conversation after a late dinner. 

Mother! Anna said with an embarrassed grin.  You know our Prince is betrothed to Princess Jayna.  That would be entirely indecent.

Bill gave a shrug.  Anyway, Anna is inheriting the bakery one day.  She doesn’t need some prince.

Oh, wouldn’t that be magical, Genevia spoke, completely ignoring her husband’s words.  She placed her hand over her heart as though it was beating so fast it might escape.  Genevia was a staunch romantic.  Love at first sight.

No, no, Bill said.  Love at first bite.  He winked at his daughter, making her groan.  Anna spent so much time over that cake, it really might be the best we’ve ever made.

The prince is going to be so thankful, Anna.  In fact, I think he’s going to have a very hard time not falling in love with you.

Mother, Anna said.  Genevia had a talent for getting carried away in fantasies and tales.  I’m just a normal girl.  A commoner.  There’s nothing special about me.

Nonsense, Bill said.  Don’t think like that.  Trust me, history is made by commoners as much as it is by kings.

Anna giggled.  Her parents were a match, alright.  Both of them lived for tall tales.  She wasn’t sure how she got to be so grounded in reality when she was raised by them.  She had decided long ago that it was better to humor them.

Shall we give our daughter her surprise now, dear? Bill asked.  There was a big smile on his face.

Surprise?  Anna raised an eyebrow.

You know my aunt is a seamstress across town, Genevia said, standing up to go into her bedroom.

Anna stood as well, the curiosity rising inside.  Yes, Great Aunt Naudine.  Why?

When Genevia emerged again, she was holding a dress.  It was a deep blue color, similar to the official color of the royal family’s flag, and it had fine gold detailing over the bodice and the bottom of the full skirt.  It was the type of dress that Anna saw every day when the elite of the city would venture into the bakery.  She had spent so many years envious of such fine clothing, but she had never once expressed these thoughts to her parents.

How did you know? she asked, bringing a hand up to her mouth in shock. 

Your father suggested it, Genevia said with a loving glance towards her husband. 

Bill seemed bashful about that confession.  Well, I knew that Anna would want something special to wear while she delivered the cake, he explained to his wife.

Thank you both so much, Anna said. 

She hugged her father tightly in a way she hadn’t done since she was a child.  He wrapped his thick arms around her and patted her head.  Anna went to her mother next and pulled her into a hug.  Everything in Anna’s life was going so perfectly.  She never wanted any of this to change.

Chapter 2

GRIAN’S CREAM CAKE was placed in a glass carrier.  They usually only gave them out to customers who specially purchased them, but Bill was feeling generous enough to share one with the prince.  Anna’s mother had helped her into her new dress, and had even braided her hair in an intricate style that she had learned from her own mother.  In the end, Anna decided that she didn’t look half bad, and she was nearly presentable enough to meet a prince.  Hopefully Grian thought the same.

She bid her parents farewell right in the middle of the morning rush of people coming in from the markets outside.  She felt a tinge of guilt at leaving them behind at their busiest hour, but the prince had been specific about when his cake was to be delivered.  Anna’s hands shook with nerves from the moment she had the glass case in her grasp.  She became convinced before she had even left the bakery that she was going to somehow lose grip on the smooth glass and drop it, so she kept readjusting her hold on it throughout the journey.  Her heart leapt at any sudden movement around her, and even when the carrier favored to one side or another in her hands.

The market square in front of the castle gates was bustling with shops and stands and hundreds of people doing their morning shopping.  There were performers strumming their instruments around the fountain trying to earn enough for another night in the inn and maybe a bit extra.  Many in the crowd were oblivious to their surroundings, so Anna did her best to weave and sway through the sea of bodies while protecting the cake.  She gave it a glance, admiring its beauty.  She and her mother had decided to go with simple decorations - they used fresh berries around the edge to make a neat and colorful border while not detracting from the clean white of the cream.

Anna’s heart was pounding fast as she approached one of the guards at the gate.  At first, he ignored her completely, not even bothering to make eye contact.  However, after she cleared her throat and held out the official letter from Prince Grian, he pretended to notice her for the first time. 

The guard moved his mouth side to side, making his thick mustache dance as he looked down at the letter with a suspicious gaze.  He examined the seal from the Prince’s stamp.  Then, with nothing but a harrumph, he gave the letter back to Anna.  She took it from him and looked around, unsure