As if reading my mind, Neil said, “I told you once that if she were to arrive, she would work with us. Not against us.” I swallowed hard. “You know that for sure?” He nodded stiffly. “I would not be engaged to her otherwise.” I inhaled deeply, nodding as well. “I hope she makes it here, then,”
Raven I was sitting in my room late that night, reading a book in bed, when a knock on my door suddenly jolted me out of my thoughts. I frowned as I stood and grabbed a nearby robe, tugging it around myself before opening the door. Neil stood in the doorway, dressed all in black. “Come with me
“What?” My dad sounded concerned. “Raven, honey, if something’s wrong—” “Nothing’s wrong,” I lied, managing a light chuckle. “I just need to unwind for a while, that’s all. But I’m having a nice time here. It’s… warm. And I’m making some friends.” At that, Neil glanced up from beneath his eyebro
Raven I woke up the next morning still feeling that same anger. The events of the previous night felt like a thorn stuck in my side. My phone call with my father should have made me happy, relieved even. I should have been over the moon to hear his voice and to know that my affairs were in good
The damage from the rogue attack was worse than I had realized. Several houses had been reduced to rubble, only the charred remains of their foundations left. Some of the structures had been partially rebuilt, with new beams and wooden planks propped up as villagers worked to restore what they’d los
Raven Firelight flickered across the village square, throwing dancing shadows over the tables lined with food and drink. The air smelled richly like roasted meat and fresh bread, mingling with the sweet smell of wildflowers that villagers had woven into crowns for the children. Music drifted from
At that, Ember’s gaze darkened, and I could sense the resentment bubbling just below the surface. She shook her head and took another big gulp of her ale. It was strange, seeing her be so open about something like this. After all, Ember was the last person I’d expect to be open about… well, much o
Raven As the victor challenged Neil, the whole village square seemed to freeze. Conversations dropped off, laughter died down, and suddenly, all eyes turned to Neil, who was still standing quietly beside me. His expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his gaze. I couldn’t tell if he
Raven The heavy oak doors to the council chamber loomed ahead, and despite the many months of relentless preparation leading to this moment, my palms were still damp against Neil’s. I squeezed his hand tighter, grounding myself in the warmth of his touch. Six months ago, I wouldn’t have imagined
“Not today,” Neil said, the faintest hint of a smirk touching his lips. Serena was the last to approach, her steps slow and deliberate. Her eyes locked onto Neil, flicking between the knife in his hand and Edrick’s body sprawled lifeless behind us. I felt my stomach twist painfully. I moved to p
Raven When I had killed Hannah, I thought that there was too much blood. But now, as I watched Neil fall to the stone floor, as that guttural scream ripped from my throat, I knew that that was nothing compared to the blood pooling around him now. He was losing too much blood to survive. Befo
He raised his sword and easily parried an attack with one hand. “And what’s that?” “I may not be the full-blood prince, but I was chosen to take that place. Perhaps that is worth more than your blood ties to the crown.” I pressed forward, hammering him with a series of strikes, but Edrick met me
Neil The blade in my hand felt heavier than it usually did. Maybe it was just my exhaustion, or maybe it was the weight of the crown that I wasn’t wearing yet that was dragging me down. Or maybe it was the feeling of everyone’s eyes on me. The warmth of my father’s blood still coating my hands.
Castor exhaled, dragging his free hand through his hair. “Raven… I know you think you can help, but if they see you here, it’ll only make things worse. Edrick’s been feeding the court lies for weeks. They’ll kill you on sight.” Shaking my head, I reached into my cloak and pulled out the pendant th
Raven By the time I returned, the battle was over. But that didn’t mean that the chaos had subsided. As I cautiously wound my way through the village, careful not to be seen, I could hardly even see because the air was so thick with smoke and blood. I could smell the wreckage before I even saw t
And then it struck me. There were only two. “Eric,” I breathed. “Where is he?” Castor simply shook his head and stared at the floor. That was all the answer I needed. My fists tightened at my sides. My people—my friends—were dying while Caleb had been carrying out his devious little plan. Fo
Neil Serena was alive, kneeling in front of me, her face streaked with tears and dried blood. I didn’t know what my brother intended to do with her after this, but I knew it would not be good. Caleb knelt down slowly, gripping a handful of Serena’s hair as he did. The way he tugged her head upwa