Allera’s smile was overly bright and tense as she gazed up at the prince and batted her lashes. “Why, whatever do you mean, dear brother?”“Don’t play ignorant with me. She’s distressed,” he bit out. I knew he was talking about me, even though he didn’t even glance my way. “I felt it all the way across the fucking castle and outside. What did you do to her?” Accusation gleamed in his eyes as he marched close, glaring at his sister.“Well.” Allera tapped her chin thoughtfully, before answering, “I told her about the dream-sharing thing. So she knows about that now.”His gaze swung to me, his chest still heaving since he was out of breath from the sprint he must’ve run to get here.My eyes went wide. Oh God. I wanted to sink through the floor and die. He knew I’d wanted him to do dirty delicious things to me. Against a wall.His gaze glittered with the knowledge of it, too.This was so humiliating.“And then she told me about the dream you keep having about Jazon,” his sister went
The next evening, I felt antsy and unfulfilled; I needed something to occupy my mind. Talking to Vienne, learning more about her, and teasing her had given me a high that had surged through my veins like a drug. But the aftereffects were beginning to wear off.I wanted more.What was worse, my body craved sex to the extreme. It’d been too long, and I couldn’t stop thinking about her or dreaming about her.To combat the itchiness, I decided chess was going to be my vice to alleviate the restlessness this evening. But when I strode into the dining hall, my dueling partner was not present where she usually sat.I slowed to a stop, frowning at her empty seat.“Where’s Nicolette?”Yasmin sent me a catty smile. “Oh, I’m so sorry, Prince Urban,” she didn’t seem sorry at all to inform me, “but you won’t be able to have your little chess game tonight. Nicolette sent a message saying she was feeling under the weather, I’m afraid. She shan’t be joining us for dinner.”Damn. I’d really need
I might have stretched the truth a bit when I’d told Vienne my back wounds were fine. The fact was they irritated the hell out of me. The skin that had knitted back together stretched and burned every time I overextended my arms, like lifting them to remove my tunic.Wincing, I discarded the shirt and spent another minute rotating my shoulders to get the scar tissue used to movement.The first day I’d returned to the back bailey for training, I’d torn one cut open and it had started bleeding like a son of a bitch, so I’d mostly been yelling instructions since then. But I was getting tired of that. I needed action, combat, especially after I’d just watched my one true love depart to her room for the evening with her husband.Convincing myself they were only tucking Anniston into her crib together before Soren went off to his own room far, far away from Vienne’s, I collapsed onto my back on my bed and stared up at the ceiling, feeling empty, only to wince when the mattress’s contact w
I woke, flushed and pulsing, my body nearly ready to explode from sexual release. The coiling, tingling pressure in my womb was so extreme I had a feeling all I’d need to do was press my fingers down between my legs, and a massive orgasm would just start rolling out of me. Even my breasts throbbed for release, when all they’d done recently was throb from pain, especially as full as they were now, ready to feed my baby.The babe in question seemed equally ready for her milk, it seemed. She yowled insistently from her crib, demanding attention. Yet, I lay there one moment longer trying to settle the racing of my heart as an unquenchable ache vibrated through my extremities.“I’m coming,” I finally croaked to Anniston before I rolled onto my stomach and groaned. “Just not in the way I’d like to be.” Feeling stiff and disjointed, I whimpered and crawled wearily to the edge of the mattress. When I found my feet, I swayed a moment, still mentally stuck in the dreamworld.“God.” Pressing t
“You know,” Yasmin said conversationally as her husband departed the Blue Chambers. She turned to smile at Nicolette. “From what you and Prince Urban said, this woman sounds like she might actually be the real deal. Maybe I should get a tattoo from her too, to prove to my husband they’re not so evil after all and that he is my one true love. Where did you say she was staying again, darling?”“Oh! She’s at the Cotton Maker’s Inn,” Nicolette answered. “The top suite. But she plans to leave tomorrow, so you’d have to visit her today.”“Yasmin,” I started cautiously. “I’m not sure Caulder would appreciate you getting a mark after we just saw the way he reacted to Nicolette’s.”But my sister merely laughed off my concerns and waved a hand. “Oh pish. He can never stay mad at me. Why…” Smile brightening, she added, “We should go together and each get a love mark. Don’t you think, Vienne?” Her sharp smile slid toward Urban. “Maybe your one true love isn’t even the prince, here.”Urban mere
Vienne’s husband was a dick. Period.I couldn’t believe he’d talked Caulder into making the promise of taking her baby from her for any reason. It pissed me off on all kinds of levels, not only because it insured our separation and put more undue stress and strain on her, but I had thought the king and his cousin would have more faith in her than that. My one true love was an honest, loyal woman. Fuck them for having any kind of doubt she wasn’t.Though Vienne hadn’t thought I’d been serious about the ale, I did indeed imbibe every night before bed to avoid initiating as much dream sex as possible.It sucked. Life dragged on. But all my dreams thus far had been tame and quite unremarkable. I kind of wanted to gouge myself in the gut with a spoon to bear sleep without them, but I couldn’t handle Vienne growing even more stressed or guilty because of them, so…I suffered through. They were only dreams, after all.Except I missed them. And I think Vienne did too. For not even a week la
“Good morning, Urban!” Nicolette greeted, bounding up so she could hook her arm through mine and turn us toward Vienne and Anniston. “Happy Donnelly Day! Do you know the history of our realm? I’d be happy to share it with you.”I gazed across her dark curls of hair to meet Vienne’s gaze. My one true love didn’t seem too ashamed to look me in the eye today. In fact, she offered me a small, polite, pleased smile and nodded hello. Relieved that she didn’t seem to be experiencing any regret, I looked down at Nicolette as the princess stayed between us to lead the way outside.“Brentley told me the kingdom’s history, I believe.”“Oh.” Nicolette’s shoulders fell slightly as if disappointed she couldn’t tell me all about the two men who’d been banished from Lowden and eventually discovered the village of Mandalay.“But I’ve never heard of Donnelly Day,” I told her.And just like that, she brightened once more. “You haven’t? Oh, but it’s the best day of the entire year. We celebrate from
I woke to an angry baby and pounding headache.“Sorry, my lady,” a maid was telling me, her voice high and distressed as she jiggled a wailing Anniston in her arms. “I tried to keep her happy and quiet to let you sleep off all the festivities from last night, but I fear she won’t be calmed until she has her mother.”Nodding, I sat up and held out my arms so the girl could hand me my child. But, wow, I must’ve slept hard. I hadn’t heard Anniston wake or the maid enter my room to help with her.When she instantly calmed at the sound of my crooning voice, it warmed something inside me that made me forget all about how much I’d drunk the night before.Anniston had a way of making everything better. I smiled at her as she fed, tracing her cheek with a single finger and sighing. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, you know that, little girl? The very best.”She opened her eyes when I spoke, meeting my affectionate gaze with her own content expression. And though being wit
Writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy. Most Kage stories lean more toward the lighter, sillier side with a couple meaningful moments thrown in. Focuses more on entertainment value and emotional impact.Lives with hubby, two daughters, cat Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas, USA. Farm girl. Parents were dairy farmers. Was youngest of eight. Big family. Day job as a library assistant. Harry Potter House Gryffindor, Patronus White Stallion. Supernatural Team Dean. Game of Thrones Team Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister. The Walking Dead Team Daryl. Outlander Team Jamie Fraser. Teen Wolf Team Stiles. Avenger Team Thor...or Hulk (can't decide). Justice League Team Flash. Arrow Team Stephen Amell. Stranger Things obsessed. Heard Laurel, not Yanny. Started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club. Then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now all over the place with romance reading.Published since 2010. W
Oh, what an adventure learning cartography for a fantasy world was.At first, I just knew I wanted the land in my world to be formed in the basic shape of a semicolon to honor those semicolon tattoos that mean the bearer is a survivor of self-harm/anxiety/depression or things of that sort. This was kind of my symbolism for pushing through, not giving up, and valuing perseverance.Aside from that, I had no clue what to do. So I just started googling fantasy maps and how to make them. I somehow stumbled my way upon freefantasymaps.com where there were these mapmaking competition entries. I fell in love with the style of this one map entry I saw there, called The Land of Mórthyr, created by Warren Godone-Maresca. But yeah…when I tried to emulate his technique, let’s just say it didn’t work out so well. But I fiddled around with one version for four hours before thinking I’d just settle for that, even though I wasn’t completely satisfied with it.The dissatisfaction followed me, and bug
Much love to my family!! Poor Kurt, Lydia, Sadie, and even Holly the cat have to suffer through every time I go off into my writing mode and I’m not mentally present, even when I’m right there. Thanks for being my foundation and still loving me for who I am.And to the rest of my family: Even though we lost our glue—our matriarch—I love you guys more than I did before, and I feel closer to you than ever. Whenever I get to missing Mom, I just have to see one of you, and there she is. You keep her memory alive.Thanks to the family members who always read the first, roughest drafts of my stories. This time, I believe it was Alaina, Shi, Kayla, Jamie, and maybe even Morgan. Your initial responses are the most important to me! Big hugs.Then there is always Amanda, who is my go-to beta reader. I swear, her feedback is almost as long as the story itself, and I love, love, LOVE that. I enjoy seeing the story from her point of view; it helps me fix and polish more than anything else. Her h
The castle’s chapel was full again.But this time, the marriage was not for my sister or even for an arranged union. This time, it was for me. And I was finally being united with my one true love in holy matrimony.The good king Brentley had pardoned Vienne from her spousal mourning period of a year since her first husband had turned out to be a traitor to the throne. So, we decided to have the ceremony as soon as we had the kingdom put to rights again.Which had taken too fucking long, if you wanted my opinion.Honestly.Far Shore hadn’t readily agreed to believe that Soren had been the sole culprit behind their raised clear rock tariffs. They were still bent out of shape over the fact that Donnelly had chosen High Cliff for an alliance, not them. And they were particularly enraged when their only prince, Murdock, ended up dead. They wanted to make us hurt. Badly.So, after receiving word that they’d sent out another round of troops to fight us for annihilating their first wave
Dawn was approaching, and the sun had nearly crested over the horizon, when I finished for the night and started for my room. As I neared it, however, I felt Vienne’s presence grow stronger with every step I took, causing a smile of realization to spread across my face.As soon as I opened the door, I saw the lump on my bed under the covers where she lay.I immediately started toward her but a whimper from the corner of the room waylaid me. I turned to blink in surprise, not realizing a crib had been stationed there until the baby inside it started to stir. Shaking my head, I smiled before changing my course to check on the babe.Anniston had kicked off her blanket and lay on her back windmilling her legs with a speed that made me chuckle, while she gurgled, blowing bubbles from her mouth.“Well, hello there.” I picked her up, grinning softly. “It’s nice to see you in such good spirits. Happy to be home again with your mother, I presume?” Then I nodded and shifted her up against my
“Who the hell are you?” Allera asked as Vienne’s grandfather stepped into the dining hall, hobbling toward us with his wooden staff in hand.“Wren Mandalay?” Brentley breathed in astonished wonder, gaping at him. Then he shook his head slowly. “I thought you died ages go. How long have you been alive?”Mandalay sent him a quizzical glance. “Since birth, I’d imagine.”Flushing as he realized how ridiculous his question had been, Brentley shook his head and revised, “I mean, why did no one know you were still around?”“Probably because I didn’t wish it to be known.” Mandalay finally reached us, slightly out of breath. “I only came tonight because I heard we’d been invaded and that the king had fallen.” He glanced toward the banquet table and sighed sadly. “My condolences.”“Can you bring him back, sir?” Nicolette asked, moving to her dead brother’s side so she could touch Caulder’s leg mournfully.“What’s that?” Mandalay wheezed out a cough before he shook his head. “Oh, dear child
I hurried forward to check on Urban, but Yasmin tsked and pointed at me, freezing me into place.“Oh, no,” she said. “We can’t have you bringing him back to life again. That’s becoming all too tiresome from you two.”Meanwhile, Allera knelt before her brother so she could cup his face in her hands. “Breathe, Urban, breathe.”Behind her, Brentley drew his sword. “Yasmin, stop this. Let Vienne and Urban go, now!”“Or what? You’ll stop me?” Rolling her eyes, Yasmin pointed at him and snapped her fingers. A crack of splintering cartilage followed. Then Brentley’s head tipped drunkenly to the side, his neck broken, before he collapsed to the floor, dead.Allera gasped, abandoning her choking brother to leap to her husband and try to catch him as he fell, gentling his landing.“No!” she sobbed. “No, no, no. Brentley...”Yasmin pointed at her next, immobilizing her in place, just as she had me, making Allera’s body freeze in an awkward position, hunched over Brentley. If she’d been lef
Soren jerked his arms from around my weeping sister as soon as my accusative gaze landed on him.“What the hell?” he said, scowling at me, his body tensing and already bracing for a fight.Which was actually pretty smart, as Urban pounced, striding forward and demanding, “Let me see your sword.”Soren gaped at him, lurching backward. “Absolutely not. Why would you—hey!”Urban grasped the hilt of Soren’s sword where it hung from his waist and yanked it free from its scabbard. My husband haughtily shoved him back, but Urban didn’t seem to notice; he was too busy examining the blade.Nicolette covered her mouth in horror, her muffled words shrieking, “Oh God. It’s covered in blood.”Soren sent her a dry scowl. “That’s because I killed at least a dozen Far Shore soldiers .”“And one of them must’ve been wearing the same tunic as Caulder,” Urban announced. “Even though none of them wore tunics. A piece of cloth got caught on your hilt.” Gritting his teeth, Urban tugged at a ragged bl
“Well, while the boys are outside having all the fun and we’re trapped in here during the battle, is there at least some safe room we can go to?” Allera asked, pacing the Blue Chambers impatiently.“Whatever for?” Yasmin asked with a laugh. “Don’t you have any faith in your darling brother to keep us safe?”“He’s not the one I’m worried about,” Allera muttered under her breath. Then she spun to me, revealing all her vexation as she begged, “Vienne?”I sighed, readjusted the sleeping Anniston in my arms—whom I couldn’t seem to part with after she’d been returned to me—and said, “We could always go down to the wine—”But Yasmin sharply bit out, “No! We have no reason to hide. The men have everything well in hand, I’m sure. Besides, I hate the wine cellar. It’s so dank and cold down there. I wish to stay up here where I can see what’s happening.”“If you want to actually see the battle,” Allera bit out irritably, “then why aren’t we up in the East Salon, watching through all that nif