Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Wild Swans,” this enchanting fantasy by Diane Zahler, author of The Thirteenth Princess and A True Princess, is a tale of family, bravery . . . and a terrible spell.

Princess Meriel’s brothers have been cursed. An evil enchantment cast by their conniving new stepmother has transformed the handsome princes into swans. They now swim forlornly on a beautiful heart-shaped lake that lies just beyond the castle walls.

Meriel will do whatever it takes to rescue her beloved brothers. But she must act quickly. If Heart Lake freezes, her brothers will be forced to fly south or perish.

With help from her newfound friends Riona and Liam—a beautiful half-witch and her clever brother—Meriel vows to finish a seemingly impossible task. If she completes it, her brothers may be saved. But if she fails . . . all will be lost.

• Brave Princess Heroine: Princess Meriel is headstrong and determined, but she’ll need every ounce of her courage to complete the secret, painful task required to save her brothers.
• Unbreakable Sibling Bonds: When an evil spell transforms her five beloved brothers into swans, Meriel is the only one who can fight for them.
• An Evil Stepmother: The beautiful and conniving Lady Orianna has enchanted the king and cast the curse, and she’ll stop at nothing to keep the princes from their thrones.
• Witches and Magic: To succeed, Meriel must rely on help from her new friends, the half-witch Riona and her brother Liam, in a kingdom where magic is real and dangerous.
• A Race Against Time: Meriel must work fast. If she can’t break the spell before Heart Lake freezes, her brothers will be forced to fly south and might be lost forever.