RyattMy mother blinks, then blinks again, that milky, whirling magic clearing from her eyes. Eyes the color of emeralds lock on mine, then slowly graze toward Westfall.Her skin goes pale.“No,” she says, so softly we all almost miss it. “Where–” She backs away from Isaac and Westfall, shaking her head.“Cressie,” Westfall says, his voice trembling with emotion. “It’s okay.”Her eyes dart to his, and her face crumbles. “Adrian?”I watch my parents find each other after over two decades apart, and it breaks me.She looks at me again, then at Ella, then down at the baby still in her arms. “Who is this? Whose baby is this?”“She’s ours,” I say, loud enough that my voice echoes around the room. Her eyes meet mine, and she shakes her head.I wait for her to ask me who I am. How do I explain that I’m her son? It’s been twenty years since she last saw me. I was just a child, and I was too young to hold onto the memory of her face, and now….“Ryatt?” Her voice cracks as she looks back at Wes
EllaGiselle watches me as I dip my toes in the lake. The little stone dock is probably older than the coven itself and so narrow only one person at a time can fit at the end.It’s not a full moon, but I can feel power all around me as I shed my cloak.I look over my shoulder at where Isaac and Ryatt are standing on the shore, their faces shielded by shadows. Ryatt’s sword glimmers in the moonlight, and Isaac looks odd standing next to him dressed in khaki pants and a blue button up shirt. He was wearing them when he breached the veil, apparently, and had them mended in the meantime.I exhale deeply, humming to myself as I look past them toward the twinkling lights of the coven. Somewhere in the depths of the glimmering village, Amanda, Granger, Westfall, and Cressendra are waiting, watching over Kenna for us.None of us knows what’s going to happen. I’m not even sure how to do this.But as I sweep my gaze back toward my mate and my brother, I see the mystics appearing in their white
Isla“Do you think we have enough?” I ask my mate as I brace my hands on the kitchen island in our sprawling, but cozy, beachside home. We rebuilt the one Ella destroyed and added four extra bedrooms, which are needed at a time like this.The whole family is here for the Winter Solstice next week.Maddox turns from the stove wearing an apron with little flowers all over it–a gift from our grandchildren. Four messy little names are scrawled on its pale blue fabric. Sydney, Ryan, Kenna, and Misty.Had anyone told me that one day I’d witness Maddox with a spatula in hand, wearing an apron while making pancakes shaped like animals, I wouldn’t have believed them.But look at us now.Maddox opens his mouth to answer my question but is interrupted by a shriek coming from beyond the double doors leading off the kitchen, which are open to the perfect day outside.I glance over my shoulder at the three children chasing each other in the backyard.“They’re going to wake up Misty,” Maddox sighs, s
KennaIt’s quiet here. The golden walls and spirling columns soak up the sun as I walk steadily toward my dad’s office. Beyond giant ceiling-height windows, the sparkling city of Moonrise, the capital of Eastonia, spreads out in a sea of cream and gold until it touches the banks of a lake the color of polished turquoise. On the opposite shore, at the base of a towering network of mountains, sits Old Moonrise–the original witch coven native to the Roguelands. Once, twenty or so years ago, there used to be a palace built of crystal sitting on a ridge overlooking the old village and the lake. Until, well, my mother destroyed it. I smile softly at the thought of my mom and pick up my pace, my sandals clacking against the white marble tiles. I turn a sharp corner, nodding hello to a trio of maids who pass me, and slip into my dad’s office like a shadow. He looks up from the massive mahogany desk in the center of the room, his dark brow lifting as I gently close the door behind me. Be
EvanderThe nondescript warehouse in the Crescent City commercial center smells like cleaning solution and sweat. I rerack my weights, panting, catching my reflection in the dirty mirrors overlooking the makeshift gym in one corner of the massive building. Above me, light pours from several half-broken windows at the juncture of the galvanized roof. A single pigeon flies from one rafter to the other. I take off my headphones, the thrumming music giving way to the sounds of my colleagues, my brothers in the Ghost forces, continuing their workouts. Flynn walks into view, his reflection in the mirror coming to rest beside mine. His dark hair is brushed away from his face, his dark eyes locking on mine as he nods and asks, “You still using those fifties?”“No.” I shake my head, motioning for him to take the dumbbells I just reracked. He pulls them off the shelf and sits on a weight bench, rolling his shoulders. “Fuck, man. How are you doing curls with these?”“Ev’s gonna need to buy s
KennaA sharp scraping sound pulls my attention from the book in my lap. I blink then whirl in the chair I’ve been lounging in for the better part of three hours to find my cousin Ryan dragging a massive grill across his back patio. “What the hell are you doing?” I ask. “Dinner.” He grins then picks up the grill like it weighs nothing and walks to the far side of the patio where the concrete gives way to a stretch of emerald green grass before it meets the woods. I huff out a breath as Ryan continues his show of strength. “You’re such a show off, Ryan.”It’s true, and he knows it. He simply winks at me and walks back into his house–a large log home with several bedrooms, sparse furnishing, and an assortment of manly decorations like the mounted buffalo head over the fireplace… with a glittery blue thong hanging from one of the horns. This place is a party house, plain and simple, and I’m not surprised in the slightest. Ryan has always been the wild one of the twins, and the pack h
KennaThe main temple of the Moon Goddess sits beside a lake which is currently illuminated by lanterns that make the water glow. Large tents cover the wide, grassy plain between the lake and the temple, and music rises to the star filled sky. I’ve never seen so many people in one place at one time. Eastonia is big, sure, but my people are more secluded than the packs that hug that territory surrounding the Alpha King of Crescent Fall’s lands. Over two dozen packs bleed into Crescent City, their territories separated by walls, or woods, or even just a single street. On the far side of the lake, I can just see the castle where my aunt and uncle live. I smile, my cheeks straining. I’m glad I came here, even if I don’t find my mate. The city is intoxicating. Ryan and I lost Sydney some time ago as we moved from tent to tent, checking out the different music and entertainment. The main mating ball is taking place in the temple tonight, but we haven’t made our way there yet. I’m too b
EvanderThe column at my back is smooth and cool to the touch, which is a welcome relief. In front of me, the crowded ballroom in the temple writhes with color and noise as the ball takes on a new vibe. There’s a darker edge to the music now compared to the soft, classical music that was playing before. The dancing has changed as well, and couples are glued to each other as they sway and grind to the music. I exhale deeply, crossing my arms over my chest, my feet firmly planted in place. A tall, dark haired man dressed similarly to me–all black, wearing a finely made dress shirt and matching trousers–makes his way through the crowd clutching a bottle of what might be beer, his face shadowed and distorted by the strobing light now suffocating the dance floor.But then I realize who’s walking in my direction.Flynn huffs out a breath as his back meets the wall behind us. “Fuck, man. This place is getting rowdy. I had to wait twenty minutes to get this warm beer.” He inspects the bottl
Brie“What about us?” My voice hangs in the air between us. The room goes so quiet and still I can feel the Asteria gliding back into open water, the rocky, uneven bounce of sailing through the shallows finally settling. I wait for him to tell me to come with him. I wait, and wait, my heart squeezing with each second that passes, but I already know he won’t. His eyes already paint his answer clearly. He’s sacrificing the family he was given–the family he loves that loves him in return. He’s not going to ask me to make the same mistake. My body slumps against the weight of it, like I’m being dragged underwater, unable to fight the current. I’m exhausted. I’m in pain–physical and emotional pain, like my heart is being plucked from my chest and tossed into the ocean to drown. I promised myself, long ago, that I’d never beg and plead on my knees to be loved. I would simply accept my fate. I knew my worth to the world the moment I was old enough for the tabloids to start questioning m
BrieOne second, I’m standing, my feet firmly planted on the floorboards of the uppermost deck, and the next, I’m flying through the air with Sawyer, our bodies colliding with the railing and then bursting through it, the wood splintering painfully across my back and spine. Logan shouts my name, but his voice drowns out, nothing more than a flicker of breath against the sound of the incoming ships trying to burst through the wall of fire so close to us I can feel the heat on my skin. I’m… dangling. My legs are slack, my arms burn and stretch, and my head… aches, hurting so fiercely I can barely open my eyes. A sharp, heady, metallic taste fills my mouth. I try to breathe in, but the scent of blood is so heavy it makes my stomach roll with nausea. I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe.“Someone grab her! Help them!” Logan shouts, his voice lined with desperation and utter rage. My arms go numb, but my belly slides against the side of the ship as I’m dragged upward, and only when I’m rough
Brie“Logan!” I fly out of bed as the boat tilts dramatically, several books, a pair of boots, and a hairbrush sliding across the floorboards as I dart toward the closet and snatch a pair of pants from a hanger. Logan hastily buttons his shirt, turning his head from side to side trying to locate the boots that just flew to the opposite side of the room. I pull on the pants and grab the first shirt my fingers graze–a men’s shirt, but it doesn’t matter. Logan rushes to the far side of the room for his boots, pulling one of them on, cursing under his breath while the purple lights continue speeding in our direction. “Logan,” I hiss, tossing his other boot at him. “Why are you getting dressed?” he asks, pointing to the bed. “Stay here–”“No, I’m not going to stay here.” I growl, shrugging the shirt over my shoulders and doing my best to button it with trembling fingers. Echoes of pleasure still thrum through my body, mingling with the adrenaline now pumping through my veins. “I’m going
LoganMy knees bite into the floorboards, but I don’t feel a Goddess damned thing except my tongue sliding through Brie’s wetness. The taste of her is… my undoing. I might regret this in the morning. There will be consequences for this, of that I’m sure. We both know this can’t happen. I am stronger than this–I was stronger than this–able to shut any feeling down the moment it tried to flicker to life, but Brie has this otherworldly effect on me that I can’t shake. I’ve given up trying. She whimpers and trembles as my tongue draws lazy circles over her clit. Her thighs flex while she grips the sheets, her eyes squeezed shut as she chases a feeling I know she’s experiencing for the first time. A sense of pride swells in my chest knowing it’s me between her legs. It’s my face she’s squeezing between her soft, supple thighs. It’s me kneeling for her, a queen in her own right. There’s so much I want to do to her. So much I could show her, make her feel, but she’s… new at this. And I’m
BrieI take a step away from Logan, then another, until my back hits the wall just outside of the bathroom. The room blurs, the soft cream fabrics and dark wood turning dreamlike and hazy. We could be anywhere–any kingdom–any room or darkened forest, and I wouldn’t know it because right now it’s just me and him, and I’m utterly, wholly exposed. I’m sure my family and those others who know me well would say I’m a complicated person. They’d be right. Below the surface, beyond my mask of resilience, I’m like ice, and within that icy fortress is something akin to fear. No one has been able to penetrate those walls. Not even Maeve. But Logan is looking right through me, shoving those walls down, clawing at them until they topple and shatter. “If you don’t feel the same,” he says, his tone softening, “I… I understand. I know our situation is complicated, Brie, I get it. I have an… obligation to return to Emberfyll, and you–”“I regret it.” My voice shakes, but my gaze stays locked on hi
BrieI can’t be your friend. I lean my forehead against the railing, closing my eyes as I dangle my legs through the rails. What feels like fathoms below me, the ocean stretches toward the milky light of the last minutes of what had been the most spectacular sunset I’d ever seen in my life. Stars flicker into view overhead, nestled against a blanket of deep orange and crimson, and behind me, I listen to Sawyer and Logan pouring over a map spread out on a table bolted to the floor just beside the helm–the massive wheel used to steer a ship only a pirate would have. Logan doesn’t want to believe we have, in fact, been thrust through time and now sail the open seas in the company of pirates. In his rational defense, I haven’t seen a single person with a peg leg, a parrot, or an eye-patch, so he’s probably right. It’s a fun thought, though. I kick my legs, my bare toes chilled by the wind whipping into the sails as we practically fly over the water. I like this better than the yacht.
LoganSunlight pours over the deck of the Asteria, glinting off the sails. I watch the Artemis drift past, Alex waving from the upper deck before fading into the bright glare of the sun. I grip the railing, closing my eyes for a moment and taking a much needed breath that catches in my throat the second footsteps sound on the stairs nearby. Sawyer grunts softly as he reaches the top of the steps and turns in my direction, squinting against the sun but smiling as he says, “You settled in?”I nod, biting back that breath I desperately needed and all the other feelings threatening to make themselves known the next time I see Brie, which is hopefully several hours from now after I’ve had a chance to cool off. “The Asteria’s the oldest and slowest,” Sawyer says under his breath, joining me at the railing. “But she’s a solid ship. A good girl. My favorite of the fleet, actually.”“Why aren’t you captaining her, then?”He grins and shrugs. “The same reason I’m not on the Artemis with Alex.
MaeveThe hallowed halls of the palace in Moonrise are quiet and somber. Normally, light would spill through the ancient stained glass windows lining the foyer, casting sunlight that made the golden walls gleam, but today everything is dark. Gray. Lifeless. Rain thunders across the glass ceiling, echoing down hallways usually alive with conversation and bodies bustling from room to room. Now, my only company is my shadow, and even that’s trying to curl away, just as worn and empty as I feel. It’s been nearly a week since we lost Brie. I couldn’t stay in Maatua for another second waiting for news.I walk up the grand staircase, wearing a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, a far cry from the sweeping, luxurious gowns of silk I normally dress in when visiting my future home.Yes, one day all of this will be mine. I’ve known it–felt it in my bones since I was just a little girl. I will be queen. Soon. Three years from now, I’ll stand on the balcony and wave down at the people of Moonrise–of a
BrieAt first, I feel nothing but his mouth on mine. He inhales, but otherwise, is still as stone. The tension between us is so thick I could drown in it, and I wouldn’t bother saving myself by coming up for air.I pull away just a touch–just enough to take a shuddering breath. Maybe this was a mistake. I’m not sure what I was thinking kissing him back, but… here I am, wondering when he’s going to start laughing at me.Logan’s nose brushes mine as he closes his eyes. His hands drift to my waist, and my eyes flutter closed as his grip tightens. He takes a step toward me, then another, until I’m forced back, until my shoulders hit the wall. Time moves in slow motion as his lips brush the corner of my mouth, and he groans.Logan presses me to the wall and kisses me hard enough to steal my breath away. I rise on my toes to meet him, my lips parting as I try to suck in another breath, but his