PLOT

[Reilly]

Did you ever wonder why stories have a shape? Why boys called Jack will grow up to kill giants? Why there’s always here siblings, three tasks, three gifts? Why stepmothers are always so cruel? That’s because our fairytales all come from the same place – Alytheon. Things happen there and work their way into our world as stories.

But Alytheon is far grimmer than the fairytales let on…

A few years ago, the old king Lyall disappeared. His wife, Queen Helena, has been ruling by herself ever since. She rules Alytheon with an iron grip, and has shattered the already fragile relationship with the faeries. But now prince Emmerich is old enough, he’s started assuming some of his royal duties. He’s turned out to be as sadistic as his mother. But Helena is trying to hold tight to the remains of her power, and a new queen could interfere with that.