Red Hood's Revenge

Table of Contents

 

 

 

The handwriting was beautiful, every loop and whorl drawn precisely in brown ink. Danielle read the note a second time before passing it to Beatrice.

“What is it, Your Highness?” Andrew—the royal page—whispered.

Talia grabbed Danielle’s arm. “From this moment, you go nowhere alone. I want you armed at all times.” She turned to Andrew. “Go straight to King Theodore. Tell him to double the guards at the gates and on the walls.”

“You know who sent this,” Danielle said, staring at the severed toe.

Beatrice folded the note and returned it to the box. “Roudette has entered the palace once before. She would have killed me if not for Talia’s aid.”

“She’s known as the Lady of the Red Hood,” said Talia. “Having failed to kill Beatrice, it looks like she’s coming for you.”

Danielle stared. “You’re telling me
Little Red Riding Hood
wants to kill me?”

DAW Books presents these delightful fantasy novels
by Jim C. Hines

 

THE STEPSISTER SCHEME
THE MERMAID’S MADNESS
RED HOOD’S REVENGE
THE SNOW QUEEN’S SHADOW*

Jig the Goblin
Series:
GOBLIN QUEST (Book One)
GOBLIN HERO (Book Two)
GOBLIN WAR (Book Three)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Coming in 2011 from DAW Books

Copyright © 2010 by Jim C. Hines.

 

All Rights Reserved.

 

 

DAW Book Collectors No. 1515.

 

DAW Books are distributed by Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

 

All characters and events in this book are fictitious.

Any resemblance to persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

 

 

The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal, and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

 

Nearly all the designs and trade names in this book are registered trademarks. All that are still in commercial use are protected by United States and international trademark law.

eISBN : 978-1-101-18867-5

First Printing, July 2010

 

You hold in your hands my sixth novel for DAW. According to Wikipedia, six is the number that follows five, but precedes seven. Which you probably knew already, but I’ve spent the last two days buried in revisions, so my brain is mush and it’s helpful to double-check these things. Anyway, like my previous five books, this one wouldn’t exist without the help of a great many people:

My wife and children, first and foremost, who continue to put up with me and my bizarre writing habits; my editor, Sheila Gilbert, and everyone else at DAW—Debra, Josh, Marsha, and the whole family; my agent, Joshua Bilmes; my cover artist, Mel Grant—at the time I wrote this, the cover wasn’t actually done yet, but based on Mel’s previous work for my goblin books, I have no doubt this cover is going to rock.

Thanks also to fellow DAW author Seanan McGuire, fastest beta reader in the West. (Seanan is the author of the Toby Daye books, starting with
Rosemary and Rue
—check ’em out!)

Though she passed away in 2008, I also want to thank Janet Kagan, author of
Uhura’s Song
and
Hellspark
. Janet was one of the nicest people in the world, and her support and encouragement were invaluable to me as I was trying to figure out this crazy business.

Huge thanks to my online network of writers, fans, and fellow SF/F readers. The community and friends I’ve found online at places like Facebook, LiveJournal, my own site at
www.jimchines.com
, and yes, even Twitter, have been absolutely wonderful. Thank you for your support, your friendship, and just for being there to geek out with.

Finally, thank you the reader. I hope you enjoy this latest adventure of Talia, Snow, and Danielle.

I
F QUEEN BEATRICE’S PREDICTION WAS correct, this night would end in death. Unfortunately, Bea had been rather vague about whose.

Danielle pulled her cloak tighter against the chill of the autumn air as she crossed the courtyard. The walls of Whiteshore Palace broke the worst of the wind from the sea, but after sneaking from her bedroom, where the embers of the fireplace warmed the room and Prince Armand warmed the bed, even a gentle breeze was enough to make her shiver.

Leaves rustled against the base of the walls. The flowers on the ivy vines were shut tight against the cold, as were the wooden shutters on the windows. Atop the walls, the guards stayed close to their towers. If anyone did happen to glance into the courtyard, they wouldn’t see anything unusual in a lone servant girl hurrying to the storeroom by the stables on some unnamed errand. They certainly wouldn’t expect the Princess of Lorindar to be up and about at such an hour, or dressed in such a plain wool cloak and simple gown.