“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
CandaceMy heart hammers as my lips slide over Hollis’s. He tastes even stronger than he smells, like a winter day I’m watching through a window. My heart flutters. My stomach clenches.Hollis pulls back. His eyes are wide, pupils nearly swallowing green iris. “We can’t.”Right. My mark sears, and I
I can’t wait another second, and this is the only weapon I have.I reach between us and grasp his cock.Hollis grunts. “Softer.”I loosen my grasp with a small grimace. He’s been inside me, but I’ve never touched him like this. Blindly, I undo his trousers and reach inside. Beads of wetness collect
HollisI watch Candace disappear through the still mostly leafless trees, and that thing in my chest crunches. Fuck that. I crunch it back. That was… fuck, I don’t know, a mistake. A lapse in judgment. But sleeping with her makes sense. It’s all animal. Wishing she would stay? That’s unacceptable.S
“Why?” Zain shakes his head. “No, I think your best bet’s one of the other kingdoms. Things are in flux right now—it’s the perfect chance for a lesser kingdom to strike, especially if they’ve been building strength quietly.”Father strides into sight, pauses slightly, then joins us in the shade.“Bo
CandaceRaven lowers herself into her chair with a grunt that doesn’t dampen the glowing smile on her face. “The calculations are in. Almost twice the area we revitalized yesterday returned today.”Estrella blinks quickly, like she’s warding off tears. “I never dreamt—”“None of us did.” Raven takes
“And if it worked, you and Hollis….”“Would’ve mated.” Her smile turns dreamy.“How does that all work?” I ask, my gaze trained on the pheasant. “Being promised to one another. I thought the Goddess took the reins during the Haze.”She laughs. “I take it your mother didn’t talk to you about it much?
Hollis“No, anchor your fingers at your ear.” I yank Ty’s elbow back until his fingers are at least near his ear. The young noble from Tansy Beach trembles.‘It’s like he’s never lifted a fucking weapon.’ I growl at Zain.‘He probably hasn’t,’ Zain replies. ‘Tansy Beach is weird about human fighting
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