I glare up at Orion as we materialize outside of Laila’s door. Anton presses himself close to my side, the tingle of him against my hip letting me know that he’s there and that he’s returned to a relatively normal size.“You know,” I say, raising an eyebrow at Orion. “It’s really rude to show up to
“That was not for your ears, eavesdropping Prince,” I say, giving him a glare to boot as he arrives to join our little group with Laila on his arm. He grins at me, clearly delighted to have caught me off guard as our circle widens, making space for them.“Well then how lucky for me, to be let into t
Orion leads me out on to the terrace and Laila’s bright lights – which she hung to simulate the sunshine of her home world – instantly dim. I look up at them and then turn my head to narrow my eyes at Orion, wondering if he did that.He just smirks at me, confirmation enough, and leads me to the bal
“It is a secret,” he murmurs, his face moving close to mine, his lips just…three terrible inches away. “If no one else knows.”“Then why?” I ask, leaning into him more, my body taking what it wants as my mind goes fuzzy. “Why wasn’t I first, Orion? Why did you make me wait, make me suffer like that?
“You have courage, Princess,” the God of Death says, taking a moment to look me over.As he does a streak of blue flies past him into the darkness of the terrace and I take a deep breath, reaching for Anton’s fur as he dashes to my side, twining my fingers in his blue light even as I don’t look down
A horrible, strangled cry breaks from me as I hurl myself after him, my nails extended to claws – ready to tear –But he just laughs at me, barely visible as he fades from view. “Careful, little wolf,” he says, the God’s words echoing in the air even as he disappears. “Play the Game. You are replace
A few hours later, Anton and I are fairly sprawled over the bed, pillows knocked everywhere. And, obviously, that’s all my fault, because I’m the only one who can touch the pillows. But considering the expanse of his long boy limbs spread everywhere, I feel that it’s fair to make him share the blame
“Anton, what are we going to do?” I sigh, covering my eyes with my hand, willing the lights in the room to go dimmer, wanting nothing more but to be lost to the dark. “I can’t be bad anymore or else the God of Death will toss me out and bring Seraphina in. And, I mean, obviously she’ll win because s
“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