I snorted, choking on a laugh. Gemma jabbed me hard in the ribs."Open it and see," Romero breathed, blood trickling from his mouth.Troy unrolled the paper, smirking down at Romero as he did so. But as he looked over the worn, frayed document his face began to change, his eyes widening into perfect
HannaWater. I was walking through it. No, on it, my feet covered by choppy, white-capped surf. I could hear her singing in the distance, the same lonely song she always sang.Who are you? I asked, my voice echoing over the endless horizon, nothing but water for miles and miles.But there it was, th
Rowan. My Rowan. My mate.My father would never let me go with him to Winter Forest. I embarrassed Father. He wouldn't risk losing Ethan as an ally by allowing his insane daughter to set foot upon Ethan's territory. No, he would send Kacidra. Kacidra the beautiful. Kacidra the fit. Kacidra the norma
KeatonRobbie rolled the cigarette between his fingers in the shelter of his coat, tucking it behind his ear as we watched the rusted fishing boat approach. I gave Robbie a look, tilting my head toward the vessel."Looks like only a fishin' boat, Cap.""Aye, but in such shallow waters, and in this s
"We rode in with it," I answered, using my fingernails to open the soggy parcel. There was a paper napkin inside, crumpled and the ink smeared but still legible. I held it up to the light. "How long ago did the man write this, exactly?""Not but four hours ago."I stood, hands trembling slightly as
EthanRowan's chestnut hair was falling around his face, casting long shadows over our sharp, shared features. Looking at him was almost like looking in a mirror sometimes but with lighter, wavier hair. He had my build and my height, and there had been times when someone had approached him from behi
"She saw things too. Her dreams were at their worst in her last few months of life. She… she was very close with Hanna. Hanna was especially devastated by her death but… but after Mom passed away, Hanna began to have dreams. She started sleep-walking; dream dancing is what Mom called it.""And you t
"I don't care!" I bellowed, drowning out the murmurs of reassurances coming from Eugene and Kacidra, who looked up at me with shocked expressions plastered on their faces. Aaron sniffled, reaching up to wipe his eyes. "Where the hell is my daughter?" I barked."S-She's in Valoria!""If you aren't wi
The entire family had gathered in the dining room and was chatting amiably over a very impressive spread that had been laid out by the kitchen–two prime rib roasts, a honeyed ham, and three roast ducks were the centerpieces of the table, all of which were being enjoyed liberally by everyone.George
RowanMom ran her fingers across Selene's head, admiring her fine white hair. She looked every ounce the doting grandmother instead of a ball of uncertainty, like Maeve. Maeve was pacing back and forth near the fall wall of my bedroom, her arms folded across her chest and her head bent as she tried
Kacidra joined in the conversation. "Maeve is right, Rowan. We need to know what's happening with you and Hanna, or else we'll never be able to help."Rosalie's voice was calm and supportive as she asked, "Is it Hanna that's troubling you, son? Is she doing all right?My first instinct was to tell t
Gemma and Ernest had flown down with my parents and their son George, who was just two months older than Maeve's sons.A moment later, the library door opened and more of our family members poured in, as if they were fully aware of the thoughts I'd just had and I'd summoned them. I pushed aside my n
RowanThe castle was abuzz with its usual day-to-day activities. Servants and maids passed me in the hallway carrying baskets of laundry and trays of tea. I could hear the clattering of cookware as I left my office and walked toward the grand staircase off the foyer, seeing the door to the servants'
"Who? What happens?""There's so much more out there," Mara said dreamily. "So, so much more.""Maeve!" Troy called from down the beach.I turned to look at him, and when I turned back to Mara, she had taken off. "Wait!" I called after her, but she had already made it out of earshot, her footsteps l
Best of all, Troy was happy. He was at peace and at home. But there was still much work to be done.We were spending several weeks jumping from island to island, taking stock of the wellbeing of the inhabitants, and making a list of what was needed. Most of the islands were in need of medicine, inf
Maeve–Four Months LaterSuntra was not what I was expecting. I had become accustomed to the seemingly endless white-sand beaches of Avondale, where the sand grit was so fine it felt like powdered sugar as you walked barefoot in the surf. Suntra's sand was coarse and golden and dappled with tidepool
I straightened up a bit, shifting Oliver's weight in my arms as I narrowed my eyes back at him, sizing him up. A man roughly my father's age came bounding out of their house, waving at me apologetically as he leaned to whisper harshly in the ear of the man I assumed was his father.Whatever his son