The King Under Stone smiled as he watched Queen Maude hurry away. A silent figure, cloaked and hooded, rowed her across the sunless lake in a silver filagree boat and escorted her to the gate that led to the sunlight world. Away from the black palace on the shadowy shore. You may go.” She turned and hurried away. The King Under Stone brushed back a stray curl of the queen’s hair.

Ters! And my princes do long for companions of their own kind.” Each of Under Stone’s sons had been born to a mortal woman, and he wanted their wives to be mortal as well. Too young to be married!” “Ah, but my sons are young, and their dear mothers were all sweet, honorable women, just like yourself and your little daugh- 5 “My d-daughters are s-sweet, honorable girls,” she stut- tered. A look of horror spread across the queen’s face at his sug- gestion. She had borne seven daughters so far, and once she had borne a dozen, Under Stone had decided that he would find a way to bring the girls below to meet their future husbands. And then this mortal queen had come to him, begging for aid in bearing children with her fat, foolish husband. Beautiful brides who could walk in the sun. There had always been the little problem, as his sons grew older, of where to find them brides. And my twelve sons are pining for companionship.” Again the feeling of triumph: the idea of these mortal girls dancing with his sons. “What a pity your daughters do not join you at our little fetes,” he said. The King Under Stone stretched out his long white hand and lifted her chin. There were dark circles beneath her eyes and gray in her hair though she was a young woman still. “I know.” She bowed her head in weariness. “Our first bargain is not yet fulfilled.” 4 “Twelve years will I dance for you here below, and in return Westfalin shall be victorious.” “Let us not forget the years you still owe me,” the king said.

“I do.” The human queen’s voice was steady. After a pause he labeled it “triumph.” “Do you understand our bargain?” The king had a voice like a steel blade breaking on stone. He was experiencing one now, as he faced the mortal woman before him, but it took a moment for him to give it a name. Prologue Because he had once been human, the King Under Stone sometimes found himself plagued by human emotions. Princess of the Midnight Ball Jessica Day George 2

The midnight ball