She leans up on an elbow, her breasts swaying. “I need the truth, Anwen. I cannot spend—consider–my life with a mate I cannot trust.”Spend her life. She’s thinking about a future with me. I swallow and leave the water, feeling a whole hell of a lot more naked than I was a second ago.“No.”She take
EstrellaAnwen’s pale eyes reflect the stars back at me. My body hums with pleasure. In the wake of enjoying him, I feel the buzz of the healing during my coronation again, the guiding hand of the Goddess and Her whispered assurance that I stride the right path. Having him here feels nearly as good.
He shrugs. “Possibly. Everyone in the palace learns basic reading and writing from the same tutor. I’m not an expert, but it seems like it’d be pretty easy to fake.”I nod slowly. A new king—a new leader is susceptible to attacks from all sides. Several of Father’s advisors have pulled me aside alre
AnwenThree days later—four, if you count the fact Estrella and I didn’t go back to her palace until morning—I lean over the bow of The Lady Suniva and watch the towers of Solberg Castle rise over the horizon.Baz claps me on the shoulder. “Someday, I’ll get you back for only staying a day in that p
“No, there isn’t.” I lean my shoulder against hers. The rocking of the boat might’ve pushed us together. “Are you ready?”She chuckles nervously. “It may be a bit late for that as well.”The tattoo on my finger catches the light. “We hid our marks for weeks.”“No.” She shakes her head resolutely. “I
EstrellaQueen Raven raises a slow hand to cover her face. King Kieran’s sharp mouth turns down slightly at the corners. My pulse beats a warning in my ears. I trust Anwen. I want to trust Anwen. The stories he tells make far more sense with the woman who found me at the top of the dungeon stairs. B
“Our father—”“Is dead,” Anwen says coldly. “A devastating loss, and one I intend to revenge as much as I can. What does that have to do with our relationship?”“You were involved!” Castor bellows, his hand going to his sword.Anwen tenses. My heart leaps into my throat. They are going to fight, and
AnwenKieran leans back in the chair at his desk. “To get the sort of turnout the two of you are looking for, I’ve scheduled the wedding for the next full moon.”I suck in a deep breath and rub the pale tattoo on my pinkie. “Three weeks?”“I know.” He shrugs. “But everyone just went home after the p
She groans. “I really think that might count as two parties.”With a laugh, I let them lead me out of my new bedroom in my new home and down to the temple to start the rest of my life. Ingrid, Estrella, and Raven leave to join the crowd, but Eva stays with me. According to Snowcrest tradition, she w
CandaceI drag a comb through my thin hair and stare at myself in the mirror on my vanity. More accurately, the new mirror on my new vanity. Hollis and I had to exchange one more goodbye because I had to return to Dun’s Crossing long enough to pack up my life. Some things weren’t worth the trouble o
I press my mouth to hers, mapping the curve of her smile with my tongue. She laughs up into me, breathless with relief. I trace the fullness of her cheek, the slope of her neck. She nips my lower lip. I climb into the bed with her, careful of her many injuries. Someday, we’ll talk about her mother,
Hollis‘Got some more over here,’ Zain calls through the mind-link.I drag the heavy cart across the red-mottled snow toward my Beta. My muscles burn with exertion, but I’m not stopping until this whole battlefield is clear. I won’t let a wolf suffer longer than they have to.Zain nudges ice off a h
“No!” Nessa shrieks. “I warned you about this, about her. She’s twisting your mind.”Eva laughs in her face. “She’s twisting things?”Nessa darts to Soren’s side and grabs his arm. “We can’t stop. Rowena said there would be hell to pay if—”Hollis gestures sharply with the arm I’m not holding onto.
CandaceMy heart hammers in my throat. Our weapons shine dully in the snow, Hollis’s sword dwarfing my dagger. Eva drags her gaze from them up to our clasped hands. My other arm throbs, a reminder that I don’t think I could fight her off if I wanted to.She adjusts her grasp on her knife to a stabbi
Eva scoffs and smashes the hilt of her knife into my fingers around her arm. “When have we ever had trouble talking to each other?”“Exactly.” My fingers throb as I wrap them around my sword. “That’s why it was so hard.”“Bullshit!” Her voice cracks. “Just tell me. Four little words. I found my mate
HollisAt the same moment as I reach the wide ring of defenders and ranged fighters encircling the heart of the battle, Candace limps to a stop at my side. Blood stains her gray coat in a dozen places, and my heart leaps into my throat. I meet her huge, dark eyes. She melts into a human before me. H
There. The break I need. ‘Gavin wouldn’t let you lead, would he?’The shield flickers for a moment, and I crash through it. Sweet air courses into my lungs. I can’t waste the moment, so I charge at her blindly.‘I kept him as my figurehead,’ she howls. ‘I did not need his permission to act. I needed