I felt like there was more that could have been said, but I didn’t push him. Instead, I leaned back into the couch and ruminated on his words. That was when something else struck me. “Isn’t Sean your dad’s enforcer’s son?”Taide’s smile widened even more as he replied, “He is. Eventually, we all bec
CHARLOTTE“I hate bowling.”I grumbled as I sat down next to Taide.He laughed a little, but his eyes didn’t drift from where Reigh and Madeline were still engaged in a seemingly tense game. Taide and I both seemed to be terrible at bowling given our string of losses, so after being knocked out of
CHARLOTTEThe moment King Auric stepped out, the tension in the room dissipated into nothing.Reigh moved from his spot near Taide and I, and crossed the room to where Caeson stood with Madeline. With furrowed brows, he paused, scanning Caeson from head to toe. Then he lifted a hand, like he was abo
CHARLOTTE“Where’d you get all this?” I signed, eyeing my sister’s new array of toys and gifts with both curiosity and worry.Da’ana excitedly picked up the dolls and dresses to show them to me, not seeming to read the expression on my face. “I have a new… friend,” she spoke. She sounded a lot more
CHARLOTTE“You’re getting lazy,” I commented and snatched an apple from the bowl on the table. Reigh smirked, but he didn’t give me any more of a reaction than that. Instead, he continued to slice apples and lay them out on a separate plate. I fought the urge to toss the apple at his head and let
“It’s a full moon.” I looked up, but he was still strumming his guitar. Taide’s hand on my hair instantly stopped moving. “And what about it?” he asked slowly. Something in his tone told me it would be better if Reigh didn’t carry on with this topic of conversation. But he did. Reigh looked off
I watched with fascination as their wolves circled and rubbed against each other, like some animal form of greeting before taking off into the woods.I watched them run until I couldn’t see them anymore. And even then, the cool breeze didn’t tamper down the heat that rose in my chest.I was aware o
His hand drifted low, and then he spoke out words with a raw, buttery drawl, his voice so deep it sent a tremor down my spine, “Or is it my brother?”He plunged two fingers into me as soon as the words hung in the air, and I rose up on my tiptoes, a low gasp falling from my mouth as he curled them i
CHARLOTTE I watched as Taide stepped away from Sean, smoothly sidestepping him without another glance. Sean looked after him for a moment, but Taide didn’t seem to care. I caught Madeline’s eyes, and she grinned before doing a subtle little happy dance. Her excitement was almost contagious. Taid
CHARLOTTE The seamstress stepped back, letting out a satisfied hum. I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing my hands over the soft fabric of the dress I was wearing. It fit perfectly, hugging my body in all the right places. The sweetheart neckline and shoulder-less design gave it an elegance
The hell?I blinked, trying to understand. Then it hit.He was talking about yesterday, when I’d abruptly questioned him and then walked away without waiting for an answer.“You wouldn’t have participated anyway,” I said, using his analogy as I crossed my arms.“You don’t know that,” he replied.I
CHARLOTTEThe morning light streamed through the tall windows of the dining room, illuminating the grand breakfast spread that covered the long table.I could hardly believe how much food there was—it seemed like enough to feed ten people, if not more. The table was piled high with plates of fresh f
CHARLOTTEThe palace was something out of a dream.No, more than that—something out of a world I didn’t belong to.The long driveway was lined with perfectly manicured gardens, each bush and flowerbed so precise it looked as though someone had sculpted them by hand. Towering trees stood around, thei
CHARLOTTE We had our things packed and ready for the trip. Madeline’s birthday ball was this Sunday and now it was Friday already, the day of our departure. By the time we returned home it would be about a week before our junior year finals. And then, graduation. Which meant that we would be
I gave her my thanks and followed her instructions, up the stairs and down the calm, clean hallways of the care home. And like every time I came here, I couldn’t help but be struck by the difference between this care house and her old one. I was just about to walk in through the open threshold but
CHARLOTTE The silence didn’t dissipate for a long while after Caeson left. I used those moments of quiet to try to piece together what I had heard from their conversation into something that made sense. Taking a few seconds of thought, I looked up and my eyes darted between Reigh and Taide. Th
CHARLOTTE A loud, booming “No!” echoed through the house, shaking the air and making my heart jump.The sound of Caeson’s voice was unmistakable, filled with anger that could probably make the walls tremble if it got any louder. I glanced at Madeline, who was standing as still as a statue beside