“About Emory’s pregnancy?”He nods. “We all want to make sure she and the baby are healthy.”“Okay,” I agree. “How would I tell you? You’re usually busy.”“You can ask a servant to send me a message, or you could come to my room.”“That’s inappropriate.” Willow finally speaks again. “You can’t have
He laughs, a boisterous sound that even makes Nellie smile. “You are so smart. Maybe you should be ruling a kingdom.”I frown. “Not if I have to live in a castle. They’re too big. There’s too many stairs. Not enough elevators.”“Those are all good points,” he concedes. “But I do have to tell you tha
RainerAfter trying to rack my brain for hours about how I know Willow, I decide to ask Kane if he knows anything. He’s always had a better memory than me. He has a good head for remembering the smallest details. I’ve always been more of a bigger picture kind of guy.I wait until after dinner to get
That explains Willow’s behavior at the picnic after I made that thoughtless joke about finding my own feeder. Even if it has been a century, some wounds don’t heal for the longest time. No wonder she looks so uncomfortable around me. She probably thinks Lex and I are friends. I need to apologize to
Shame makes me want to run away and hide, but I’m not a little boy. I’m a man who faces my mistakes head on. “I’m sorry,” I say sincerely. “I’m sorry for everything I did to you. I wish I could take it back-”“Don’t!” She turns away, and her whole body shudders as she does er best to contain her s
LexI had expected the court of Scarlett Thunder to be an unpleasant place to be trapped in, but I hadn’t counted on boredom. For all the whispers behind my back and the fake smiles, the courtiers do not have the gall to directly harm me. As often as King Peter likes to throw threats in my direction
I swallow as my heart is beating faster in my chest. I can’t show King Peter any fear. He will smell it on me and see it as a weakness. Perhaps I’ve taken the wrong path by pretending not to know. I try to backtrack.“I can assure you that my brother may have just been cautious before making a big a
“If you are lucky, Lex. You may come out of this with your head attached. Your brother just needs to make the right choice.”He dismisses me after that, and I leave the dining hall quickly. I need to talk to my brother. ***KaneCorrespondence with Lex is tense. We know that any letter or call will
Fractured memories of the night I nearly drank myself to death careen to the forefront of my mind. There was a woman. I don’t remember her face or her name. I was so far gone with drink and self-loathing that I gave in to whatever kind of attention and stimulations she had to offer. It was consensua
ColeThe letter came in the dead of night, rain-soaked and smeared, but I’d know her handwriting anywhere, in any condition. She’d written that she needed to see me, urgently, that it couldn’t wait, and she couldn’t explain why, not in a letter, not at the risk of what she needed to tell me going pu
EmeldaIt’s a quiet night. A long, silent walk from the castle. I needed this quiet, this stillness in the late summer air. Ravenfell comes into view beyond the trees, twinkling in the darkness. I smile, shaking my head as I look down at my shoes. I can still feel the weight of the twins in my arms
MichaelI haven’t been to Scarlet Thunder in… years. I didn’t realize how long it’s been until I pulled up to the back of the castle, somewhat startled by how small it looks compared to my memories from my childhood. Not that it's a small castle, but I'm much bigger now. I step out of my car, my fac
Faye“Oh, Faye, this is beautiful,” Emory says as she walks around the wide room on the second floor of the newly constructed manor. She runs her fingers over the pale blue and pink floral wallpaper and white trim, her jade eyes sparkling as she takes in the lace curtains and soft cream carpet. “I l
EmeldaIn the week since the twins were born, I’ve been busy with the final touches on my cottage. I spent days this past spring digging in the front garden, planting herbs and vegetables, and fixing the front path. I hired a group of shifters to replace the roof and update the inside, installing ne
Emelda“Thank you,” I say, hurrying at a near run as a maid takes my cloak. The castle is buzzing with nervous energy but remains quiet with even the maids tiptoeing around, trying not to make a sound. I’d remained in Ravenfell for the birth. I spent all night and most of this morning at Alma’s hou
FayeSomething’s wrong. Something has to be wrong. “You’re doing great. Keep pushing, Faye. You’ve got this,” Alma says, her face glistening with sweat and determination while I roar in pain. Michael clutches my hand, his other hand bracing my inner thigh as I bear down with all the strength I hav
Michael“It could be hours–or a day,” Alma says quietly as she arranges her tonics on a table just outside the bedroom where Faye’s finally getting some rest. “It’s been hours already,” I tell her, motioning toward the window in my suite in the castle where moonlight drifts through the panes, casti