Candace“Look at this!” Estrella holds a single piece of green grass up in front of my eyes. “It’s alive.”“I’m so happy for you.” I force a smile. Despite the realization that this first application only affected the area right around where they put what they’ve started calling the elixir, Raven an
I blink. “Something happened last night.”“Your first Haze.” Mother’s smile is sickly sweet, like she doesn’t quite know how to do it anymore. “Did you—?”I nod.“And he frightens you.”‘No.’ My face burns as I mind-link Mother for the first time in almost a year. ‘He…he doesn’t want me.’“Oh, darli
Hollis“So I said, ‘Who are you kidding? Your wolf doesn’t even have two ears.’” Lord Gunnar, one of the Snowcrest nobles Father begrudgingly agreed to bring on the trip, bursts into laughter at his own joke.Father nods once, crisply, and takes another drink from his cup. Zain, my Beta whenever I t
The dark hair and eyes, the dress that looks like nobody’s seen it in the light in twenty years, the vague aura of social ineptitude.“Lucky guess,” I reply. “Are you mated?”She giggles again. I tighten my hold on her and hope she finds that romantic. This kind of information-gathering is not where
CandaceI shrink lower in my seat. My mark brands my skin like a hot iron, and I just swallow the pain. Eva found me hiding out at the edge of the party, trying to convince myself to join in and risk seeing either of them. I tried to warn her that I wasn’t very good company, but she’s too good of a
On a normal night, I’d be on the dance floor, matching Anwen partner-for-partner. Or, I suppose Baz now. Anwen hasn’t been more than six feet from Estrella since the two of them arrived. Dance lessons were one of my favorites growing up and the easiest skill we were forced to learn. If I can impress
HollisThrough the darkness, Candace’s pale brow wrinkles. I clench my fists.“Why?” she asks.Hell of a question. One I have no idea how to answer.“Eva gave you a chance to tell her everything. To make me look like the asshole.” I study her through the gap I sliced in the side of her tent. “Why di
“She picked them?” Candace’s mouth opens in shock.“Skipped that part, huh?” I grin triumphantly. “She always does. The rest is true—we ate about a dozen each before starting the trek home then made a pie with the rest when we got back. Both of us got violently ill, but not before the cook convinced
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