AnwenI rap on Estrella’s door, the hallway behind me humming with activity. All the delegations are here—including Snowcrest—and the servants race around like ants in a colony, completing final preparations before the welcome ball just getting underway downstairs.She opens the door.“Fuck,” I mutt
She giggles, a sound I can’t wait to hear every day. “I’m certain that made a good impression–at his wife’s funeral.”“Hey, I think he smiled,” I say. “Or ordered me to stay quiet for the rest of the service.”She giggles again. My heart’s going to beat out of my chest and move into hers if she keep
“You should be. She was ravishing that night.” I wrap an arm around Estrella’s waist and pull her close then murmur in her ear, “Keep the talk light until people have time to get drunk. Questions that require specific details are tactless.”She nods.“You lovebirds are sweet,” Evangeline coos.We tr
EstrellaI stare across the ballroom at Anwen, surrounded by gorgeous women. A brunette throws her head back in a laugh and starts to put her hand on his arm, then pulls back. If I wanted to be kind—if I hadn’t already spent three hours stumbling through conversations like some kind of backcountry r
“I do not wish to talk about it,” I say thickly.She nods, smoothes the sleeves of my dress. “Gotcha. Um… I never asked you about the boat ride back to Sundrop.”Her awkward attempt scares a small smile out of me. “Less nauseating, thankfully.”“Goddess, I hear you on that. Father always tries to co
AnwenEstrella never comes back to my side. At first, I’m worried—did something happen? Has Floyd moved from murder to kidnapping? But I would feel her pain, and I know she wasn’t having a good time. Plus, I’m used to running these events on my own. It’s easier to float through unattached, saying wh
Estrella arches up into me. She rotates her wrists in my grasp, struggling to escape, but I hold fast. Clearly, she wants my touch just as much as I want hers. I circle one nipple with my tongue, scrape my teeth across it, pluck the other like harp string. Groans tumble from her lips. She’ll tell me
Estrella“My hair wouldn’t stay. It’s too fine.” Candace runs her fingers through her cornsilk tresses sadly.“You’ve never had your hair braided by Tess,” I say. “She is simply a genius for it. Allow her to try, and you’ll be surprised.”Tess smiles shyly. “I am happy to make an attempt.”Candace g
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