By dusk, we are higher up in the mountains than I intended. I think I may have swung us a little too far to the west. I start to think about going back down, but somehow I’ve lost my bearings. We are on a cliff, and it’s getting darker by the moment when I start to think I might smell rogues in the
*Blanca*My heart thrums in my chest, and it has nothing to do with the fact that I almost died. With Kieran’s arms around me, his muscular chest pressed against me, I don’t even feel the scrapes and cuts I collected slipping down the mountainside. He pulled me back from the darkness, and now, here
Despite our frantic pace, Kieran doesn’t finish quickly. He keeps me at my peak for what seems like hours, though I’m sure it’s not that long. My body buzzes with pleasure, and I whimper and moan, knowing I’m about to come unraveled all around him. When he slides his hand down my abdomen and between
*Kieran*Blanca stares at me as if she can’t comprehend what I’ve just said. I don’t blame her; I’m not sure I can comprehend it myself. But then, I’ve said it, and I mean it.“Kill your father?” she repeats.I nod. “That’s right. We need to kill him. Of course, it would be nice to hear him confess
“Sorry.” I look over at her, and she nods. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. I was having a bad dream.”Her fear melts away, and concern takes its place. “Are you all right now?”“I will be.”In near silence, we go about our morning routine and then get on our way. Seeing the spot where she fell the ni
*Blanca*Kieran is gone–swallowed up by a tree! I can hardly believe what I’m seeing. The tree simply opened, and now, he’s disappeared. It takes me a moment to comprehend, and I have to wonder if perhaps all trees are capable of this, and my sheltered life has left me thinking otherwise, but then I
Luna Delaney approaches us carefully, her face as ashen as possible considering she has a dark complexion like me. Her eyes are also dark, as is her hair, which is tied up on the top of her head. I see the crinkles around her eyes that say she’s had a hard life, and I am again reminded of myself. A
*Kieran*The moment Blanca starts naming names, I know we’re in for it. I want to tell her to be more vague, but I also don’t think it’s a wise decision to be secretive right now, and we still don’t have the mind-link. I was an idiot for not believing she was my mate and going ahead with the ceremon
Anwen grunts in pain. “Okay, that’s enough.”“Just a moment longer,” I plead.Out of the corner of my eye, I see his indulgent smile.After another moment, my family unwinds themselves from me. I exhale in a gust as my pain becomes manageable again. Tess perches on the edge of the seemingly wooden t
EstrellaI float for a long time in darkness. Not exactly here or absent. Not exactly comfortable or in pain. Not very much at all.Then, my whole body flames back to screaming, torturous life at once. I am the heart of an inferno, consuming everything that I am to produce the flame. A hoarse, ragge
Like she should be. Fuck. If Estrella is already gone somehow, already looking down on me, and she sees me abandoning all the progress I’ve made the second she’s not watching, she’s going to find a way to become a ghost just to kick my ass.I start pacing. Raven takes a dropper of the liquid, winces
AnwenSomeone screams. I think it might be me.I slide across the glass-covered floor to Estrella’s side and wrap my arms around her. My heart hammers.“No, no, no,” I mumble. “You can’t—not after—please.” My voice breaks on the last word.Her body is still warm. That has to mean something. It fucki
Behind me, Estrella sucks in a breath. Fabric rustles. Every instinct screams to keep my eyes on Floyd—I glance back at her. She is pushing into a sitting position. The black veins climbing up her throat threaten to choke me, but she nods. Sways, nearly falls, but fucking nods and picks a piece of
AnwenI pluck at the neck of my wedding clothes and look at myself in the mirror.“You look like shit,” Baz says from the bed behind me. Despite Estrella’s efforts, he’s still healing.“Thanks.” He’s right, though. Sundrop’s bright colors just kind of make me look sick. And the damned thing is so st
The cold. If it hurts enough, Anwen will feel me. He’ll know. And he’ll free me from this Goddess-damned ice so I can tear Floyd Winters limb from limb, as he deserves. That’s what Floyd missed.I grind the tender flesh of my ankles against the jagged edge of my prison.“You’re barely fucking civili
EstrellaMy heart thunders against my ribcage. My pulse roars. Mother, Castor, Tess—all gone. And with the wedding in an hour, I cannot yet mind-link to Anwen. I am alone.With the man who murdered my father.An oil-slick smile splits Floyd’s face as he circles me. The dagger in his hand shines. I l
King Andri clears his throat loudly. “In Snowcrest Canyon, it is rude to have a private conversation in public.”“Apologies.” Kieran dips his head, but I catch the scowl he’s hiding. “Prince Anwen was curious about how Prince Hollis came to hold such a position of power.”I smile as surprise washes