Snow & Poison

Description

Love is stronger than poison in this lush retelling of “Snow White” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz—now in paperback!

Known as Snow White, Lady Sophie has led a sheltered life in the mountains of Bavaria. Until now. Her father, the widowed Duke Maximilian, is at last remarrying, and on the day of his historic wedding, Sophie is making her high-society debut.

At the ball, Sophie charms the dashing Prince Philip, heir to the Spanish throne. But as Philip and Sophie start falling deeply in love, the king of Spain loses his temper. His wish is that Philip would marry a princess. And now, his command is Sophie’s death.

In a quest for survival, Sophie seeks refuge in the home of seven orphans, the counsel of a witch, and the safety of her blade. With the looming threat of war upon her duchy, Sophie must ponder: Can she do right by her home and honor her heart’s desire?”De la Cruz loosely reimagines ‘Snow White’ in this beguiling historical fantasy set in 1621 Bavaria. . . . De la Cruz eschews the original tale’s fantastical aspects and creeping sense of danger for romance and courtly intrigue, grounding the gently unspooling narrative in the source material’s familiar framework.” —Publishers Weekly

“Plot points from the original tale make their way into this drama-filled retelling, which nevertheless twists and turns. . . . Melissa de la Cruz knows exactly how to make [fairy-tale retellings] shine.” —BooklistMelissa de la Cruz is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Publishers Weekly internationally bestselling author of many critically acclaimed books for readers of all ages, including the Alex & Eliza trilogy, Disney’s Descendants novels, the Blue Bloods series, and the Summer on East End series. Her books have sold over eight million copies, and the Witches of East End series became an hour-long television drama on the Lifetime network. Visit her at melissa-delacruz.comAs the evening came to a close, Philip bid thanks and good night to Maximilian and Claudia and stood awkwardly with Sophie at the door. They lingered, both reluctant to part ways once again.
“Lady Sophie,” he said. “The evening is so pleasant. Shall we stroll around the gardens?”
“Without a chaperone?” Sophie teased, then looked more carefully behind him. “Your courtier isn’t with you, is he?”
“I’ve dismissed him. He returned to England when I was supposed to.”
Sophie narrowed her eyes at this. It didn’t seem like King Ferdinand was one to let his only son stay in another country without a guardian, and she began to wonder if Philip was giving the full story.
“You’ve been on your own all this time?” she said slowly.
“Of course not. I’ve got my servants and staff. Shall we?”
Did she need a chaperone in her own house? Sophie did not think so. It was late, and the brisk night air sent breezes rippling through the gardens. The light of the full moon cast a silvery sheen over the paths. Though they stayed in view of the palace and its guards, Sophie had a feeling—similar to the night before—that everything was tinted with some sort of magic when they were together.
“May I show you my favorite spot before you go?” Sophie asked, forcing the question out before she changed her mind. It would involve going off unsupervised, but Maximilian and Claudia were already up in their chambers, and Sir Rodrigo was, mercifully, far from here. They could sneak around the servants. Worried she may never get the chance again, Sophie felt she couldn’t pass it up.
Philip glanced back at the palace, where the guards seemed disinterested in their movements. “You’re sure?”
Sophie nodded. “We’ll be quick.”
She grabbed hold of his hand, pulling him through the autumn flowers toward the west side of the palace, where tall hedges formed a miniature maze. They slipped through the leafy corridors, Sophie leading by heart, until they reached a little pool of fish and a bubbling fountain that sparkled in the light of the moon. No sound reached them except for the movement of the water.
“This is lovely,” Philip said, hushed. “I can tell why it’s your favorite.”
“My mother came here often to think and read. I like to save it for special occasions.”
“Is this a special occasion?”
Sophie hitched as she became distinctly aware of the privacy afforded by the hedges, of how closely the two of them were standing together, of the way her heart rate galloped at the question.
“It’s just a nice night,” she whispered.
Philip looked at her for what seemed like months, years, studying her face and meeting her eyes so boldly that it was hard to return the gaze. Then he looked away, concentrating hard on the fish in the fountain.
“What I’d started telling you last night,” he said. “Before Claudia fell ill. I wanted to tell you that you are the reason I did not go to England.” Philip let out a long breath. “There—I said it.”
Sophie could barely speak. “I was?”
He met her eyes at last, and it was as if a spark was lit between them. Sophie felt his gaze flooding her like warmth.
“Yes,” he whispered. “Are you glad I am still here?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
Philip exhaled. It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but instead he bit his lip and turned away.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, concerned.
He looked back at her and shook his head with a smile.
Time moved very slowly as Sophie watched him, framed by the hedges. They both looked up at the moon and the stars, sitting together quietly. She didn’t know what to say but also felt that she needn’t say anything at all.
“Your hair is so dark,” he said, almost as if he were talking to himself, but he was staring at her with an awed look in his eye. “It makes your skin look…”
“Snow-white?” she asked, teasing. “It’s what they used to call me as a child.”
“Snow White,” he murmured reverently.US

Additional information