“Do you have a name?”Cristofer closes his eyes as if wincing very slowly.“I’d say I do.” He snickers. “First interrogation, pretty boy?”Yet another answer he doesn’t need. I channel the snippets of Kieran’s lessons from Father I overheard and grab the back of the chair he’s chained to, tilting it
Birsha rocks in his restraints. “Let me go. I’ll tell you everything if you let me go.”“Tell me how you did it.” I squeeze another drop onto his arm.“Silver arrow!” Birsha screams as his skin melts. After a few breaths, he continues. “I’ve always been a crack shot, and the balcony was a dream. Ple
EstrellaThud.I sit up in bed, clutching the blankets to my chest. My heart races. Someone is attempting to break into my room.The noise comes again, but this time, without the muffling of sleep, it sounds far more like a knock. I swallow.Silly, I chide myself. Even in a serpent’s nest, paranoia
Wolfsbane.I jerk my head up to look at Anwen. He is studying his own, unmarred wrist. The pain starts to recede as the firelight grows brighter, and warmth fills me. It feels like—The light catches on a damp patch on his leather sleeve, and the warmth flowing through my body instantly fades from m
AnwenI stare at Estrella for a long moment, my blood boiling in my veins. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t release the door.“If you’re not careful, you’re going to end up your father’s daughter.” I storm out and slam the door behind me.Does she think I’m fucking stupid? Wolfsbane isn’t a mystery to me
“Did Father ever take you to the dungeons?” I ask. “When he was… working?”“I had to stay until I puked.” He sighs. “Did the guards—”“I did it myself,” I say.Kieran exhales slowly. “Fuck, An.”“Do you even want to know if it worked?” I meet his gaze. “Nobody seems to give a fuck that it worked. Th
EstrellaI lie in bed with my arms crossed, glaring at the canopy overhead. Anwen Solberg may be the most stubborn, most callous man I’ve ever met in my life. How dare he call me weak? How dare he commit such atrocities in my name and then have the gall to act surprised when I show him the truth of
After he was crowned, he put off the matter of the portrait for years, claiming his princely portrait would do. So as the years passed, an image of Father at perhaps sixteen hung over his head, growing ever more out of date. On his thirtieth birthday, Mother put her foot down. He had to replace the
When he brings a hand up to tease my other nipple, I remember I can actually move my arms. One hand, I thread instantly into his hair and tug. The vibrations of his grumble ripple through me. The other, I slip down his back, nails out, scratching red lines I can’t see. I need to mark him as much as
CandaceI trail after Hollis through the dark halls of the castle, my heart pounding. If Finn didn’t talk to me after the meeting, I would’ve let Hollis whisk me on whatever adventure he had planned for today. I never would’ve heard the story about his mother—and he wouldn’t have told it. Judging by
“Long story short, I pitched a fit.” I shake my head. “She finally told the painter she’d sit with me in the room, or not at all.”Candace giggles. “Don’t tell me that’s when you gained your taste for paint thinner.”“No, but I did eat a fistful of blue paint I’ve never seen come back out.” I stare
HollisI take a full step back from Candace before my brain catches up with my body. We were supposed to go try to get some of the staff on our side today—and if the idea appealed, maybe have a private lunch in the kitchen, without all the pressure of a formal meal. Talking about Mother is… not exac
Maybe I don’t have to. Hollis and I made it into town the other day, and it’s really not far from the castle. If Kieran paid for my accommodation in an inn there, that might go some way toward easing the tension. Maybe mine and Kash’s. He’s still enjoying the palace far more than he has any right to
Candace“King Andri has refused my latest meeting request,” Kieran says.Taner groans. Finn rolls his eyes. Ingrid cracks her knuckles and glares at the portrait of the king that hangs over the small sitting room they’ve been granted to use for their meetings.I scratch a line through the bottom ent
Open the east gate, I call through the mind-link to the soldiers that should be on guard there at this time.They do as they’re told, and metal whines in the distance. Candace pricks an ear then picks up speed. Fuck. I can’t explain to her that’s just my orders being followed. She doesn’t even know
HollisMy first plan didn’t work out. Hell, I haven’t seen paw nor tail of Kash since that disastrous conversation with him. I have no idea why it went to shit. It really seemed like we were onto something, like Candace was about to unearth some big secret… and then he just shut down.I roll out my
Kash frowns. “Then how’d she find out? See a mark?”“In effect.” Hollis stares at the rocky floor.“He’s softening it.” I bite my lip. “We didn’t not pursue as much as we intended to, and she caught us. We made a terrible, selfish mistake that’s caused a lot of problems, and we just want to fix them