Frosts And Fears: Grimm Academy Series, #12

By Laura Greenwood

The Snow Queen is determined to keep these childhood friends apart.

 

Gerda has always known her best friend would turn against her... 

 

Determined to avoid her prophecy by retreating into herself, Gerda's well laid plans are put to the test when her childhood friend turns up at Grimm Academy. And when another girl starts to win his attention, she has to face the truth. Her prophecy is beginning, and if she isn't careful, she could lose everything.  

 

-

 

Frosts and Fears is part of the Grimm Academy fantasy fairy tale romance series and is a standalone retelling of The Snow Queen. It includes a fairy tale heroine determined to save herself and a sweet m/f romance. 

 

If you enjoy fairy tale retellings, fantasy academy settings, friendship, prophecies, strong heroines, and sweet romance, start the Grimm Academy series!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Drowlgon Press
• Release date: Mar 29, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393332930

Laura Greenwood

Laura is a USA Today Bestselling Author of paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and fantasy romance. When she's not writing, she drinks a lot of tea, tries to resist French macarons, and works towards a diploma in Egyptology. She lives in the UK, where most of her books are set. Laura specialises in quick reads, with healthy relationships and consent positive moments regardless of if she's writing light-hearted romance, mythology-heavy urban fantasy, or anything in between. You can find a full book list and more information on her website, or in The Paranormal Council Facebook Group. Happy Reading!

Book preview

One

The castle is bigger than I expect it to be. Which is foolish on my part. I'm arriving at the foremost academy for royalty and nobles, especially those with prophecies against their names, most of them from far grander families than mine. I wouldn't be surprised if many of the others arrive with much more pomp and ceremony than my tiny carriage either.

It'll be heading back home after it's dropped me off too, so it's not like I'll get to keep it to use to get around. I have to hope the academy has horses I can use, or I'm going to be stuck in the building itself and not be able to get around.

The driver brings the carriage to a stop right outside the front steps. I take a deep breath, not knowing what to expect when I get out and go up to the huge wooden door that dominates the front of the building. I'm used to being in castles and grand homes, but this isn't like anything I've ever experienced before.

I step out of the carriage, being careful not to catch the skirt of my best travel dress on the step as I do. Once my feet hit the gravel, I let it fall back down to cover me completely. It isn't proper for me to be showing my stockings and shoes to the world.

If you would like to go ahead, my lady, I'll prepare your things for the academy's stewards, my driver says in a gruff voice.

Thank you, Webster. I dip my head at the man. I technically don't have to, but I've known him since I was a young girl, and it feels rude not to offer him some kind of acknowledgement, even if a lot of my peers wouldn't.

I climb up the stone steps, appreciating the intricate carvings on the balustrades. I can see why Kings and Queens are content to send their precious children here. The whole place has an air of prestige.

An open smaller door sits inside the huge wooden ones, offering an easier way to get inside. No doubt they don't want to waste the manpower it would take to open the huge contraptions, or the magic to do it instead. I don't know how numerous magic users are in this part of the Kingdoms, but if it's anything like back home, the only ones to be found will be at the most important courts and not somewhere like this academy.

The inside is just as grand as the outside, with huge windows letting in light from the outside, illuminating the scrollwork and intricate decoration of the many pieces of furniture in the entrance hall.

A woman standing behind one of the desks clears her throat, calling my attention to her. They must be expecting me.

Lady Gerda, the woman says stiffly.

Yes. I make my way over and stand in front of her, a small smile on my face, though I have to admit I'm not feeling particularly cheerful. I understand why my parents have sent me here, but that doesn't mean I particularly want to spend the next few years with a lot of people I don't know.

Welcome to Grimm Academy. Your room is on the second floor. Once there, you'll be met by your student guide. Everything you need to know is included in these papers. She hands me a small pouch.

Thank you.

If you have any questions, you should address them to your guide.

All right... I'm about to ask more, but she walks off.

I sigh. I bet I'd have gotten a different reception if I was a Princess. That's how it always works. The higher up the hierarchy you are, the better treatment you get from everyone. As the lowly daughter of a baron, that doesn't get me very far.

Luckily for me, the room number is scribbled across the top of the pouch she gave me, with the key within it. At least I'll be able to find where I'm going.

I glance behind me to see where Webster has gotten to, but don't see him. He'll have to catch up with me, especially if someone is waiting in my room to show me around and tell me all the things I need to know.

Just what I want from my day. For some unknown student to see me when I've been travelling for hours and am still angry over being here.

But it doesn't seem as if I can avoid it. At least I can start my lessons at the academy knowing the kinds of things I need to avoid. I'm sure there's a whole new set of decorum things I need to learn, even if it's annoying to do so.

I climb the stairs behind the desk area, hoping I'm guessing right and that this way leads to the dorm rooms. It would have been more helpful if the woman had actually told me this was the right direction, rather than trusting I'll find my own way. Maybe I can mention it to my student guide and see what they say.

Once I'm two flights up, I find myself in a corridor with neat rows of wooden doors, each with a number carved on them. A lot also have names, but I don't stop long enough to read them as I search for my own. Judging from how far apart the doors are spaced, the rooms are a decent size, though nothing like what I'm used to at home. I wonder if they have a different level for the royals, I can't see them being particularly pleased with the amount of private space they've been given.

I finally come to the door with my number on it to find it already open.

Great. My student guide must be here already. On the one hand, I guess it gets it over with quickly. On the other, I'd rather have had a little bit of time to myself so I could compose myself before facing people I don't know. But there's no changing it.

I straighten my spine and step into the room, taking a quick look around to get my bearings. It's more spacious than I first thought, with a decent-sized bed and furnishings.

Another girl gets up from her seat on the bed. I try to suppress the annoyance that she thinks it's all right to sit on it without knowing me. It isn't her fault she's been asked to take me around the academy.

Hi, I'm Princess Caryn, she says brightly. Wait, no, just Caryn. Sometimes I forget about the silly academy rules.

What rules? I ask, setting my small bag of intimate belongings on the desk. There's nothing particularly useful in it, just a few trinkets and jewellery pieces I don't want to trust to other people.

About titles. Don't you know them? she asks, cocking her head to the side.

I don't know much about this place, I admit.

Ah, I can see how that would be confusing. We're not supposed to use titles here. Some of the students still do. Even some of the teachers have been known to stick to them. But for the most part, we're all supposed to be equals, and that means no titles when introducing one another.

I see. At least that's a good thing to know before I go out into the rest of the academy and do it completely the wrong way. I suppose I'm Gerda, then.

A small smirk twists at the corners of Caryn's lips. You think you're Gerda?

Really? Is that the appropriate way to talk to a new student? She may be a Princess, but that doesn't mean she can't be nice.

That's my name, I say coolly.

Good. Then why don't I show you around while your man gets your things unpacked, she says, waving to the doorway where Webster is now standing with a small stack of suitcases and boxes and looking rather red in the face.

Guilt floods through me. I thought he'd have help to bring my things in. I didn't think he'd have to do it on his own.

Thank you for bringing those up, Webster. You can leave them by the bed, I'll deal with them myself later, I instruct him.

Of course, my lady. He bows to me, and then to Caryn.

Let's go. She slips her arm through mine and tugs me out of the door before I can say anything to the servant from