“I knew you’d understand.” Relief crashes over his face. “I don’t give a rat’s ass about Rowena or whyever the hell she’s locked up. I just want to get to know my daughter.”I don’t know the last time somebody smiled like he is while calling me that. I let out a long breath.“It… might be nice to ge
HollisFather and I stride through the campground, on the way to lunch with a few representatives of Lightning Cape. He might be the only person in a mile radius who can think or talk about anything other than Kash’s sudden appearance at the ritual this morning. I’m certainly not. I haven’t seen a g
“We will see,” I say. “Now, about Lightning Cape—”***The lunch lasts forever. Every time I start to get distracted by the whispering farther down the long table we’re eating at, I freeze another piece of ice and let it melt. It keeps me focused. Enough. By the end of the meal, Father is shaking ha
Candace“Thank you.” I smile up at Kash—he suggested I call him Father, but that still seems too strange—as he hands me a bowl of noodle soup in one of the long food tents that’s sprung up in my handful of days in isolation.“Just let me know if you want seconds.” He tosses his hair over his shoulde
“I’m going to stop calling him that.” I nod to myself. “Not just to make you comfortable.”“You don’t gotta do anything to make me comfortable.” He grins. “Unless King Kieran here is offering up some kind of recompense for the twenty years his father stole from me.”The already half-dead mood at the
HollisI squeeze between Candace and her so-called father with a comfortable smile on my face. I’m just sitting down for dinner with friends, I tell myself. They invited me. There’s every reason for me to be here.Hell, it’s not like I’m going to come up with a reasonable excuse for why I’m doing th
She stiffens like I struck her with lightning then turns very slowly. “What?”“Eva wanted me to let me know that if there’s anything you need, she’s there for you.” Smiling at Candace is easy. My face stops feeling like a painful rictus of forced cheer.Her now-dark gaze roams my face, searching for
Candace“What do you think?” Ingrid asks. “The green or the gold?”I study the dresses hanging from each of her arms. The green is a soft seafoam, a frothy thing that makes her look like she’s just stepped off the top of a wave, especially when she lets me style her hair. But the gold, embroidered w
Diplomatic tensions are dissolving, he tells me over mind-link. Snowcrest is furious. Other kingdoms are saying that we’re traitors. We have to go.Snowcrest is furious? I ask. Or King Andri?They’re the same right now, he snaps. Anwen’s working with Alpha Cole to dissolve the crowd, so you and I ju
Candace“No!” I shout as I’m ripped away from Hollis. Like anyone will hear me over the chaos the crowd has broken out into.It’s worse than any other ritual—or maybe this is the only one I’ve been in the crowd during. Scents buffet me from every direction—flowers, trees, body odor, stale alcohol. S
But this is nothing like anything I’ve seen her face before. She stayed, stood her ground, stared at us until she saw the mark. Until she realized, for the first time, that we might not be on the same side.Goddess above, I am so fucking stupid.By the time the sun starts to rise, I realize I’ve mad
HollisI lock eyes with Eva. Tears shine in her green gaze. That, I can handle. But the pained pinch of her eyebrows when Candace picks her head up is too damn much.“This isn’t what it looks like.” I yank back from Candace without a second fucking thought.Eva’s gaze drops to my cock, standing at a
He rams himself forward and goes taut. Salty, musky liquid pours down my throat, hot and still tasting of him. I moan around his length and swallow as much as I can.Mere moments later, he pulls back, grabs me, and lifts me into a kiss. His taste blurs between us. I shove my tongue between his lips,
CandaceI pace back and forth under the moonlight, the hem of my gown swishing over the grass. Alone.Of course, I’m alone. Hollis has been more than clear—there is no future for us. Throwing myself at him one last time was obviously nothing more than another chance to humiliate myself. Mother alway
Blonde eyebrows lift, and her plush lips part.“I… meant to,” I admit. “I thought it would be enough. Make everyone stop asking about the failed Haze. Give her something to hold onto.”Candace’s face crumples. “Right. Because you’ve made your decision, and she’s going to be your wife. Hollis, let me
HollisFuck.As soon as I saw Candace walk in, I knew I was in trouble. She’s dressed like I’ve never seen her before. Tight green fabric cups her breasts and ass like I want to, trailing from the hem up to a loop hooked over her finger to keep her mobile enough to dance. Her hair spills loosely out
With the heavy thump of drums and birdlike trill of some flute, they’re a little easier to ignore. That–or practice.“Dancing first?” Kash asks. “Or would you prefer a drink?”I glance at him. “You’re more comfortable here than I would’ve expected.”His hold on me tightens, but he smiles. “You reall