"I've heard enough." I licked my lips, looking over my shoulder at Robbie. "Get him out of here.""And take 'im where?" Robbie looked at me skeptically."Anywhere. Somewhere off the castle grounds. Leave him.""What?" Keaton growled, looking from Hayden to me. "Leave him?""Troy's right," Rowan said
TroyMaeve was sleeping soundly beside me, Will and Charlie nestled in her arms. Oliver was asleep on my bare chest, his mouth moving in a suckling motion as he slept. I rested my hand over his back, closing my eyes for a moment. Oli seemed to melt into me, succumbing to full sleep as the minutes ti
I felt my cheeks go red as I remembered the second night we had spent in the library, which had been a lot less innocent, and tried to hide my blush before Ethan saw.I wondered briefly if now was the time I was going to get punished for allowing Hayden to get away. So far, Ethan had only been angry
"The king raised a toast to my son in well wishes for his twenty-third year. But that is when I noticed Callum's odd behavior. He was locked in a gaze with the fair Alouette, who looked just as shocked as Callum did. I knew that look, the same I often give my dear wife. Can it truly be that they are
MaeveThe rectory rose above the University of Mirage, perched atop a hill adjacent to the magnificent Temple of the Moon Goddess, which signified the place as not only a religious sanctuary, but the true capital of both Valoria and the Church.Mom was keeping in step with me as we followed Troy up
I considered her response as we walked up the steps to the temple and entered the sanctuary.***The High Priestess's name was Grace, which I found rather ironic. She walked with grace, and talked with grace, but her words were often harsh and sharpened to such an edge I felt as though they could cu
Grace turned as white as her robes when Mom said Tasia's name. She looked around, suddenly frantic."Do not speak her name here—""Why? Will she hear us? Is this where you're hiding her?""She is the Moon Goddess, Queen Maeve. You must understand—""No," Mom said firmly. "She is not the Moon Goddess
Mom nodded, her legs crossed as she leaned back into a high-backed chair in the private reading room we had acquired, looking terribly smug. "Well, what now? You know the High Priestess will flee—""And so what if she does? I am willing to bet she is the least of our problems. Grace has been a pain
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