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
My quill flows across the page, writing down every word of the story. Mother’s voice rings in my ears, soft over familiar phrases. When I’m done, I don’t read it over. I’ll just crumple it up if I do. But I scribble one last thing at the end.Even if the tower never falls….Seconds tick away as I st
HollisI’m a moron. Worse than that, I’m insane. That’s what Mother said when she found out I’d stuck my tongue to the frozen pole outside of the kitchen three times in a week and basically skinned the damn thing every time. But every time, I thought it would be like in a story Eva and I read, where
“I want something more active,” I say. “Like you. I want to… I don’t know… make something?”“Easy.” Ingrid claps her hands together. “Have you ever done any fine arts? Drawing, painting, sculpting?”I shake my head. Yet another class Mother thought was filling my head up with nonsense.“Okay. I know
CandaceI’m sitting at the dressing table, fixing my hair for the first time in days, when a bird starts singing right outside my tent. An ash warbler. For the third time since sunset yesterday. I almost smile.When it first happened, I made Ingrid go check. We were way outside of where the warbler
‘Catch me if you can!’ she calls through the mind-link.In wolf form, I can’t give her the necklace if I want to. I stuff her clothes and mine in her sewing bag, then shift and give chase.Escuro flies by. I barely notice it. My attention remains locked on Eva’s bright-red tail disappearing between
HollisMy plan to act like I actually believe Eva is going to be my wife is going great—except for the fact that I basically haven’t slept since I started it because my mark hurts so Goddess-damned bad. That’ll fade. I know it will. Because I do believe Eva’s going to be my wife. It’s what everyone
Outside the tent, someone makes the tiniest whimper I’ve ever heard. My heart squeezes.“They can come in, but no lights.” I sit up. “And don’t ask, please.”Ingrid nods and starts to turn away, but her gaze locks on mine. She’s noticed. Of course. Every muscle in my body tenses.She turns back for
CandaceFor the third morning in a row, I pull my covers over my head as lunch approaches and rub eyes gritty from crying.Well, not exactly the third morning in a row. The very next day, I tried. I got up, made myself beautiful even as Ingrid fluttered around me, saying I didn’t have to go out if I
Not that I’m keeping track. I, in fact, am doing the exact opposite. I’ve been so caught up in her that I’ve been neglecting my responsibilities. Even if she’s not the person I’m going to spend my life with, I still believe in her dream. There’s just no reason for her to lie, or to seem so scared if