About two hours later – or at least, that’s how long I think it is, I’m not sure I fully understand how time works here yet – I bunch the folds of fabric in my hand to lift my skirts as I climb the stairs towards the palace entrance. Anton trots at my side in his ghostly wolf form, glancing up at me every other second, as anxious as I am.“Well, at least I’ve got a pretty dress,” I mutter, looking down at the sweep of dark fabric that trails behind me. The dress – whoever sent it clearly made it just for me. It closely hugs what curves I have before plunging low on my chest and sweeping out into full flowing skirts that ripple on the marble steps behind me.Anton gives a little huff of agreement and cheerfully snaps at the fabric with his ghostly teeth, making me laugh. He approves of the garment – he made that quite clear with his abundant praise in the room, telling me how much it suits me and sets me off at an advantage.Still, I have to admit that I feel a little underprepared for
I breathe out slowly as I look around at the high obsidian arch that Anton and I walk through, moving into the palace itself. Whatever points this place loses for being dark and barren, it certainly impresses with its size and grandeur. The palace hall looms cavernous before me as we walk forward, l
I frown up at him, confused. “How do you know all of that?” “Look, it’s not important now,” he says, stepping close and speaking fast. “What is important is that you remember who the hell you are, and that you were chosen for this competition – one of twenty women from across time and space – beca
The Prince of Hell’s smirk deepens when he sees my bared teeth, but he quickly turns his head back to his father as the God of Death begins to speak again. “Let me begin,” the God of Death says, folding his hands neatly behind his back, “by letting you know that the first trial has already begun.”
Let me, my wolf snarls, eager. I can use my teeth and my claws – “Juniper!” Anton barks out, shifting immediately into his human body. “For the second time in about ten minutes, what the hell is wrong with you!?” “I’m not marrying that asshole,” I snap, glaring at the door over Anton’s shoulder
“Oh my god,” the gorgeous one says, her eyes flashing as she leans forward to stare at me, a hand pressing to her chest. “Are you like – are you one of the wolf people?” she asks, her face breaking into a wide grin. “Wait, show me your teeth – can you make them all pointy?” I burst into a blush be
Orion steps slightly to the side to clear the path. When I don’t move, he smirks and continues on, knowing he’s got the upper hand and relishing it. “Honestly, I was surprised to see you here after your rather firm declaration that you’d rather die than marry me?” “I wasn’t given much of a choice,
I turn and stride away, tossing the goblet over my shoulder, terribly pleased at the clang it makes in the dead silence that I leave behind me. Glancing down at my side, though, I startle a little when I realize that Anton’s not there. “Hey!” I hiss, turning to see him a few steps behind, looking
“Juniper, could you…could you maybe visit my mom?” he whispers. “Tell her…I don’t know, in a way that she understands, what to expect when the next kid is…exactly the same as me?” I laugh a little and nod, grinning at him. “And…please ask her not to name me Redman,” he whispers. “It’s such a wei
“If…if it were possible,” Blythe says, still looking down at his feet. “I’d like to be reincarnated…soon. I don’t want to go back to the Dead place – I don’t think I was really…there. And I don’t want my memories, if you please. I want to…try again. Start fresh.” Life hums, considering, and then n
This world – it will be as I will it. It is mine. And if she wants to keep her place here – her beautiful beacon city in the Darkness – then she will recognize my right to rule as well as my demands. Or else I’ll go to war with her as well. And I’ll win that one too. My wolf snarls, deep a
Orion sighs, dropping his face into his hand, shaking his head. “June…” he sighs, probably trying to warn me away from a fight with a Goddess. I ignore him, all of them. If Anton has had a mother out there all of this time, he deserves information! And she was sending Faiza to actively tell him to
“Yes,” Laila says, grinning and nodding eagerly to me. “And me too! He really is our Selkie Prince!” I beam at her in turn, quite pleased to be reminded of that and have my boy welcomed into so many family circles. “Yes,” Life says, stepping closer to me, watching as Orion and Anton laugh and pa
“Oh, you did grow up handsome, didn’t you?” The Goddess of Life says, laughing lightly and slipping her hands over Anton’s face, turning it up to hers as she smiles. “I was so hoping you would.” He laughs a little in turn, shrugging, modest. I can’t help but grin, thinking that Life is understatin
“Her,” he whispers, his finger tracing over the veil that marks her as a nun – the highest level of dedication. “Please,” I whisper, my eyes locked on the image. “Help me understand.” “It’s…her,” Anton whispers before he sinks to his knees, moving his face closer to stare at the image. “She’s…mi
Anton glances down at me for a moment before turning his eyes back to the carvings on the wall, a frown taking his lips. “What are you talking about, June?” “Tony,” I whisper, a little bit of a frustrated growl in my word as I wrap my hands around his arm, pressing myself close to his side. “Is an
I nod, moving along with him, and together we walk slowly along the wall, studying the images drawn there. As we walk along the length of the wall, I at first assume that the images are simply decorative. The Goddess of Life is in most of them, doing magnificent things. I see some of her standing