“Oh yes,” Anton murmurs, nodding sagely. “One of those. Please, tell us more.”I glance at Anton, again rolling my eyes because I know that he’s as ignorant as I am. He gives me a little smirk before we both turn our attention back to Laila.“It was a deal,” Laila says, taking a sip of her sea water
“Oh, Juniper,” Laila says, tilting her head sympathetically at me. “That was…a bad deal.”“Yeah, that’s clear now,” I mutter, displeased as hell with myself but considering that it was really my only choice. If my family had been involved they’d have laughed Nic and his offer out the door. Dad might
“Damn,” Anton murmurs, tapping his fingers soundlessly on the table while he processes everything Laila just said. “That is…that is definitely not the bedtime stories I was told as a child.”“Oh,” Laila says, turning to him with wide-eyed interest. “What kind of stories did you have?”“About a mouse
All Contestants are hereby invited to attend the Beauty Trial this evening, escorted by their Heralds. Please wear only the enclosed garment and prepare yourself to be judged by your physical charms. The lady who least appeals to the Prince will be Eliminated at the end of the week.“What the hell?”
I turn away then, cursing swiftly and thoroughly, a newly fervent hatred burning within me.Behind me, I hear Anton murmuring very nice things to Laila, comforting her and trying to make her laugh. But even if I do wish I was as good a friend and person as he, my anger takes hold, my wolf prowling a
Nic drops us back into the room and warns us that we only have a few hours before the Trial before he vanishes. The moment he’s gone, Anton shifts back into his boy body. “Considering how fast hours move here,” I sigh, looking at the spot where Nic was just standing. “I’m sure we have even less than
“Seriously, Princess?” he murmurs, turning more fully to me and leaning back against the pillar, slipping his hands into his pockets, suddenly smug. “Tonight you’re negotiating your own mortality, the embarrassment of appearing naked before your potential suitor and his dad, the future fate of all m
And I hang my head again because I feel like such a selfish jerk, and an idiot –“It’s fine, June, I’m here for you,” Anton murmurs, and I feel that tingle over my hair and around the back of my head. I smile a little because I know he’s petting me now, like I do to him when he’s a wolf and I want t
“No!” she sputters out, stumbling a few steps towards me, shaking her head so hard her pretty blue-green hair flutters out all around her. “No, Junie, don’t make me go! I want…I want to stay here! And help! I mean…” she bites her lip. “It will be nice to be able to visit home. But I want to stay wit
“I’m sending you home too,” I say quietly, doing my best to look each in the eyes. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the wish.” They murmur a variety of responses back to me, most of them relieved. One by one they step forward and I take their ha
“Does…” I whisper, my eyes still fastened to Orion as my eyes move over him, feeling the powers that radiate from him now. “Does that mean you have all of the powers of Darkness too? From…from the wish?” “No,” Orion murmurs, looking down at his hands and flexing them, experimenting with the feel o
Beatrice is the last to go, staring at me in shock, realizing finally that she bet everything on the wrong horse. I bare my teeth at her, fangs extended, and Beatrice’s eyes go wider as she trembles and finally submits, going to her knees and bowing her head. “Good,” I say, my voice returning to n
Laila’s knife sinks deep between Death’s shoulder blades and the final scream of a God fills the air as Death falls to his knees. The magic stops mid-stream, like a tap being suddenly turned off. I groan and tilt forward against Anton, who catches me and holds me against his chest. “Shit, June,”
“Just a little longer, June. She’ll do it.” But what if she doesn’t? What if…what if I’m inches from oblivion, and this is it? My heart strains in my chest, my wolf shaking like a leaf from snout to tail. But still, I will myself to hope. To trust in my friend. “I know,” I reply, letting my ey
I gasp, my shoulders trembling under the sheer weight of Death’s magic that flows over and around us, my shield barrier straining and buckling under its might. “June,” Anton breathes, eyes wide as he looks up at the magic streaming over us in an unending torrent. “Shit – are you –“ I crouch besi
The wish presses against Death for a moment and then sinks into him, dissolving into his chest. He sighs with happiness and what looks like ecstasy, tilting his head back to the sky as the magic disappears into him. Beatrice steps away, tucking her hands behind her back, beaming at the God she jus
Before I can get more than three steps after Laila, Anton lunges forward, his paws landing on either side of me as he snatches at the back of my gown with his teeth, holding me back. His fierce growl reminds me that I need to stay here – that Death took Laila because he wants me to come rushing onto