“Why not?” King Andri asks.“She’s been keeping to herself lately.” I shrug like I have no idea what could be causing that. “I worry.”King Andri looks severely at Floyd, who swallows visibly.“She’s been under the weather,” he says. “I will have her pay you a visit soon.”I incline my head. “Much a
EstrellaCandace jerks in her seat. I look up from where I’m pacing the room to see a grin spread across her face.“He’s on his way,” she says.Tess, who long ago finished braiding the princess’s hair, squeezes my hand. I don’t need to ask who’s coming. My heart thuds like a racing horse. Soon, Anwe
“I love you.” I drop a kiss on his lips. “And, Goddess forgive me, I trust you. But you must take Castor.”Anwen grimaces. “Will do. The rest of the women should stay here with you.”Tess makes a disdainful noise.“I can’t leave her unprotected,” he tells her.I twist and watch my best friend soften
AnwenWith Nessa’s list in hand and all three of us dressed in plain, heavy clothes, Baz, Castor, and I sneak down into the city proper, through my favorite secret passage so even the guards don’t know we’re gone. My whole body hums with adrenaline. I couldn’t—can’t kill Floyd. Not yet. But this fuc
Like he can read my fucking mind, he hangs a hard right into a narrow alley with a standing market. Vendors in layers of mismatched clothes crowd the tiny space. Speed won’t help me here. I could throw back my hood and demand they stop him as their prince, but—“Allow me.” Castor breezes past me int
EstrellaMy room!’ Castor shouted through the mind-link. ‘Now!’I turned and sprinted out of the solarium without a second thought, leaving the party behind. I hurtle down the halls of Solberg Castle, the veil of my wedding dress flapping behind me like a broken wing, without a thought in my mind b
I shake my head furiously. “I killed him.”“What?”“Father.” My shoulders shake with sobs. “I knew the bond would make me stronger. Strong enough to—to—”“Oh, love.” Anwen kisses my cheeks.I tear out of his arms. Everything is too loud, too much.“Don’t say that about yourself,” Castor says roughly
Anwen“Are you sure of this?” King Andri rumbles.I hold the massive Alpha’s dark stare. “Someone working with Floyd on the whole plan told us everything. I’m sure you understand why I can’t tell you who.”“You think you cannot trust me.” He studies me.I hold my straight-backed posture. The king of
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