Prologue

”Pleeease, Nan,” the little girl begged, her blue eyes wide and imploring. ”Tell me the story of the dragon prince.”

Nan settled into the rocking chair beside the bed, her joints creaking. ”That”s a sad tale, child. Why would you want to hear it?”

The girl snuggled deeper under her quilt. ”I like sad stories sometimes.”

With a sigh, Nan reached out a wrinkled hand to smooth back the girl”s pale hair. ”Very well.” She leaned back, letting her mind drift into the past.

”Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, lived a dragon prince. He was strong and brave, with scales that shone like crimson jewels in the sun. All his people, the dragon kingdom, loved him for his wisdom and kindness.”

The girl smiled, her eyelids drooping. ”And he was pretty.”

”Yes, very pretty.” Nan chuckled. ”Now hush, no more interruptions.” She went on, spinning images of the dragon prince of the Sun Clan Kingdom and his sworn enemies, the Moon Clan. Of the peace-loving princess who tried to unite them, only to die at the hands of hatred and heartbreak.

The girl”s breaths deepened into sleep, but still, Nan spoke on, telling of the Moon Goddess Nyx”s fury. Her word continued with the curse that froze the prince in his beastly form and his kingdom in time, their fates forgotten as time marched on without them.

”But curses can be broken,” she whispered, rising creakily from her chair. She brushed a kiss over the girl”s forehead. ”Perhaps this one will be too.”