An Excerpt from “The Glass Kingdom”

An Excerpt from “The Glass Kingdom”

The following is an excerpt from “The Glass Kingdom” by Cynthia Ortiz, available on MixCache.com.

Introduction

The Glass Kingdom stands, resplendent and fragile, at the heart of Aldoria—a city of spires shimmering with the kaleidoscopic hues of enchanted glass. Born of artistry and ambition, the kingdom’s beauty belies its deep fractures, both political and personal. Generations of glassmakers have woven their secrets into delicate panes and towering windows, etching the story of a dynasty whose power is both admired and frayed. In these streets, even daylight carries the weight of secrets, and every reflection hints at truths too dangerous to utter aloud.

For centuries, glass has been more than artistry; it is power and legacy. Each masterpiece crafted in the royal foundries holds echoes of magic once wielded by the first rulers. Tradition binds the artisans, each generation passing down skills—and superstitions—locked away from prying eyes. Amid the glitter and grandeur, the city’s undercurrents swirl with rumors of forbidden sorcery and the hushed silence of those who remember its cost. As unrest stirs in every shadowed alley, the distinction between protector and betrayer becomes as thin as the glass itself.

It is here, among the bustling forges and sooty workshops, that Lira finds her calling. Daughter to a humble glassmaker, she has grown up in the glow of molten sand, fingertips stained by colors unknown to any courtier. Yet for all her talent, Lira is invisible—one more apprentice in a world that scarcely recognizes her worth. Her world is small, contracted to the rhythms of fire and furnace, yet Lira harbors dreams of colors never seen and patterns never attempted, drawing her ever closer to the boundaries of what is safe—and what is forbidden.

The kingdom she serves is faltering. The King’s illness has left a vacuum of power, and rival guilds claw for dominance. The court is a labyrinth of shifting allegiances and whispered plots, where every ally may yet prove a foe. When Lira’s accidental revelation of lost magic draws the gaze of the palace, she steps unwittingly into a world of masks and daggers, a place where loyalty is traded in shadows and love is often a weapon.

Within palace walls more dangerous than any furnace, Lira must contend with magics she barely understands—and a brooding prince, exiled by his own blood, whose presence is both solace and peril. As assassins strike and revolution stirs beyond the glass walls, Lira is drawn to choices that will test not only her gifts and courage, but also her heart. In a kingdom built on transparency and lies, the only certainty is that nothing—and no one—is as it seems.

This is the story of Aldoria’s last, desperate days: a tale of glass and grit, betrayal and hope, where the sharpest edges are often invisible and the greatest power lies in the courage to shatter—and then forge anew. Welcome to the Glass Kingdom.

Read “The Glass Kingdom” on MixCache.com →