Novels by Author Calypso

ALTHEAThere are eight of us left now.Only eight.And still, I feel like I’m unraveling.I sit on the edge of my bed, fingers tangled in the thick blanket, staring at nothing. Before we were dismissed to our rooms, I and the other girls had been in the grand hall, whispering about who made it and who didn’t. Now alone, I’m somewhere else.Back in the maze.Back in front of that mirror, where my father looked up at me with eyes that weren’t his—cold, sharp, disappointed. You betrayed us. The words echo, even though he never said them aloud. Even though it was just an illusion.But it didn’t feel like a lie.What if he’s right?What if I have betrayed them—my family, my people, myself?By being here?By surviving?By letting the king turn me into one of his toys?I tell myself I don’t want the crown. I don’t want power. That I’m here to survive. To find out the truth. To stay alive long enough to make something right.But the mirror didn’t lie. It showed me things I never wanted to adm

ALTHEAThe gates creak open at dusk and all of us make our way out. We’d been woken up from our sleeps less than an hour ago, and told that the king had a new task for us. He wanted us to conquer the maze of mirrors. The maze stands before us like something torn from a nightmare—tall walls of glass and mirror, reflecting the fading light in a thousand twisting, fractured ways. The guards usher us forward with unreadable faces. The king’s voice cuts above the silence.“Make it out before dawn,” he says. “Or don’t make it out at all.”No one laughs. We all know he isn’t joking about it. And if anything, he’s proven to us that he could care less about any of us.I step through the archway last. The air inside the maze is cool and still, and every surface gleams like ice. I catch glimpses of myself in the mirrors on either side—tired eyes, tight jaw, hands clenched at my sides.The path splits into three directions. Each one looks exactly the same.I take the left.At first, it’s quiet.

ALTHEAIt’s been hours since the photoshoot ended.I’ve been pacing my room ever since, the soft rug muffling my footsteps. The dress is long gone—stuffed into the corner like it wronged me personally. My hair’s a mess, my hands won’t stop shaking, and my stomach’s been in knots the entire time.Asher didn’t come back.He left with the soldier, heading straight to wherever they were keeping the captured revolutionary. And now he’s either still with him… interrogating him. Or worse. Torturing him.Or maybe, maybe it’s already over. Maybe the interrogation happened quickly, and now they know everything. Maybe Asher already knows that I used to run messages for Aaron. That I knew about the safehouses. That I knew this attack was part of the plan. That I was one of them.Maybe they’re just waiting for the right moment to barge in. Drag me out in chains. Or worse.I sit on the edge of the bed, gripping the bedsheets tight enough that my knuckles go white. The sun outside fades slowly into

ALTHEAI give my head a tiny shake and will myself to focus.I can feel the weight of every eye on me as I take the first step forward. My hands are clammy, so I rub them against the fabric of my dress before gathering it in my fists. The silk is soft, slippery. I walk slowly, careful not to trip or step on the hem. Every step feels louder than it should.Asher’s standing where all the girls before me met him—by the center of the garden hall, right in front of the rose arch. The gold buttons on his suit catch the sun. His dark hair is slicked back, but a small strand has come loose near his temple. He doesn’t fix it. He just stands there, posture straight, unreadable expression in place.But as I approach him, his gaze lifts to mine. His eyes meet mine directly.And… I don’t know if I imagine it, but his jaw tightens. Just a little.“Gray,” he mutters when I finally sit on the bench beside him.I roll my eyes. “Don’t even start,” I warn, and cross my arms.Even though he tries to stay

ALTHEA “Who was the founding werewolf of the Silver Crescent pack?” Lady Ivanna quizzes. I freeze, eyes flicking to the ornate gold trim on the floor-length curtains. I don’t know this one. I try not to look guilty, but my shoulders tense and my gaze drops, praying she doesn’t call on me. A soft shuffle to my left. Elise’s hand shoots up, confident as ever. “Alaric Stormclaw,” she answers. Lady Ivanna nods approvingly. “Correct. Alaric Stormclaw was the first werewolf to invade these lands and fight against the humans.” We’re seated in the Great Room again. The long polished table gleams beneath the morning light that filters in from the high arched windows. Paintings of past rulers line the walls. Most of them are men with cold eyes and stiff posture. All of us girls—contestants, as the kingdom so kindly calls us—are gathered here at the start of the week for another lesson. Lady Ivanna’s lessons aren’t the worst part of being here, but they are a reminder. A reminder that

ALTHEAI don’t know what I expected when Elise told me she had a secret, but it wasn’t that.Asher kissed her.I sit there, still and stiff, trying to keep my face calm, but my stomach twists like a knot being pulled tighter and tighter.Why does it bother me so much?I shouldn’t care. I don’t care. He can kiss whoever he wants. Elise is sweet and kind. He probably sees her as someone safe. Someone who fits in this palace life.Unlike me.I force my lips into a smile and nod, pretending her words didn’t just cut through me like a blade. Before I can say anything else, a familiar voice breaks into our little corner.“What did you guys do on your date?”I blink, turning toward the voice.Sophie.She’s standing right in front of us, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised like she already knows the answer.“Hi, Sophie,” Elise says with a polite smile.“Oh hush,” Sophie snaps, waving her off without looking at her. Her sharp gaze locks onto me instead. “Come on, Althea. Spill.”“What are you tal