Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)

by Rachel Gillig

The Twin Alders is hidden in a place with no time. A place of great sorrow and bloodshed and crime. Betwixt ancient trees, where the mist cuts bone-deep, the last Card remains, waiting, asleep. The wood knows no road—no path through the snare. Only I can find the Twin Alders… For it was I who left it there.

I was the darkness and the darkness was me, and together we rolled with the tide, lulled toward a shore I could neither see nor hear.

But his soul carried on, buried deep in Elspeth Spindle, the only woman Ravyn had ever loved.

I could not imagine being in that situation.

Only then did Ravyn recall he was still using the Mirror.

Because using the mirror card allows one to see the dead, maybe?

“We’re waiting,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “For Father.”

That's really sad... But his soul isn't dead. That's why he hasn't passed through.

to do the King’s bidding and look for Elspeth Spindle’s missing kin.

Dang! What the heck happened?

“Aemmory Percyval Taxus.” He dragged his gauntlets across the sand. “That’s my name.”

Quite a name

All he knew of time was that he always seemed to be running out of it.

Same. Welcome to my life.

She died in her room at Spindle House four nights ago. A low, rumbling laugh. All because you were ten minutes late back from your patrol.

She cracked her skull... And, dang. Was it necessary to be that cold about it?

It hadn’t been the Nightmare’s voice, but another—one that mocked him, uttering his worst fears every time he used the Nightmare Card too long.

Ohhhhh. That makes more sense.

You’ll return with the Twin Alders… “But you’ll never leave that place.”

Like a PTSD response or is he speaking literally? Guess we'll find out soon enough.

“Count yourself lucky you didn’t have to see what was left of him when she was through.”

But it wasn't technically her!

“Get your fucking hand off of her.”

Ohhhh. He likes her!

The highwayman shoved the tip of the arrow into the flesh below his jaw. He made a terrible strangled sound and collapsed, his black mask absorbing, then letting his life’s blood onto the forest road.

Oh my gosh. What the hell happened to Ione? It can't just be the maiden card, right?

They’d wasted their lives for Providence Cards.

As most people do for money

“You’ve not come to see your brother.”

Now, why the heck would he?

“I assumed all Princes kept women.”

Not the good ones.

made from the hardy wood of rowan trees.

Of course its made of Rowan trees.

Of these crimes, I have found her irrevocably guilty, and sentence her to death.”

But it's not her fauuuulllttt!

“The disgust,” Ione said, her tone idle, “is mutual.”

Her contempt is contagious.

“Where is she?” he demanded, the tip of the blade aimed at Linden’s throat. “Where is my daughter?”

Thank, God. He finally shows a backbone.

“In his defense,” Elm said, “it’s a rather large nose.”

Dang, dude. That's cold.

Ten minutes, he said to himself for the hundredth time in four days. It all might have been different had I gotten to Spindle House ten minutes sooner.

Isn't that usually how it works?

walked into the breaking waves. Swam with all my might. Screamed and swallowed brine. Kicked and clawed at the water until my muscles gave out. I fell beneath the waves— And sank deeper into darkness.

Okay, but why is this how I feel every day?

“Elspeth envied it—your heart. The ease of your laughter, the careless sincerity in everything you did.

I envy people like that too. To be light again.

was too concerned with losing him to note that Elspeth was losing herself until it was far too late.”

That's really sad.

I imagine he thinks the same thing about you and this body I currently occupy.

Dang, that's literally so terrible.

She has a name, parasite. Say it. Or don’t speak of her at all.

Yes, Ravyn! Yes!

The Destrier was likely a spy—instructed to watch Ravyn carefully, and report on his actions the moment they returned to Stone.

Obviously

“No. The King bade me to bring him. The Spirit can eat him for all I care.”

Oh my gosh. Dang, dude.

“Neither Rowan nor Yew, but somewhere between. A pale tree in winter, neither red, gold, nor green. Black hides the bloodstain, forever his mark. Alone in the castle, Prince of the dark.”

There's nothing wrong with being the black sheep of the family when the family is corrupt.

The only empty chair was Hauth’s. On its right sat Aldys Beech, the King’s treasurer, along with his wife and son. Elm didn’t bother to glance at them. “Shove over.” Beech’s eyes, already too large for his head, bulged. “But, sire, the King has gifted us these seats—” “I don’t give a flying f—”

Literally had to stop and read this twice. It's so freaking funny. I can't. XD

It came quickly, Elm’s rage.

Well, yah. Arranged marriage much?

This terrible idea felt unreasonably good.

Some of them do.

“The Maiden Card,” he murmured. “Give him the Maiden.”

Ohhhhhh. To heal him. I see. That's what it was for.

He, Prince Renelm Rowan, would marry and become the next King of Blunder.

I too think he'd be the best fit. But i can see why it would overwhelm him.

Behind them, families waited to be announced. Which was utter nonsense. These fools had attended dozens of dinners together. If they didn’t know each other’s names by now, another screech from Baldwyn wasn’t going to do the trick.

I men, honestly it just seems like a waste of time.

“What’s the theme? Shrubs?”

Oh my gosh. Why would that not surprise me? The pettiness of Elm is contagious.

“One more word, Destrier, and I’ll finish what began on Market Day and rip your face so far open not even the Spirit will recognize you. If you touch Miss Hawthorn again, by the fucking trees, I’ll end you.” He ran his gaze over Linden’s scars. “Do you understand?”

Oh my gosh, yes!

But I was not hungry for food or company, only for velvet. For more.

Just like with sin. It's an obsession.

The next voice was Petyr’s. It was lifeless. “Wik’s dead.”

No! Oh, that's so sad.

“I pretend that I don’t spend every moment of every day hating myself for being Captain of the Destriers.”

Gosh, dude. Same...

He crushed Gorse’s windpipe.

Oh my gosh. What?

“Witless though you are, you are not a disappointment.”

Thank you!

“Nightmare,” he said through his teeth. The monster laughed as he slipped out of the fort. “She’ll live. All I did was pay her back for breaking your nose.” “I didn’t ask you to do that.” “No. But Elspeth did.”

Of course she did!

He ran the stylus in long, sweeping strokes over the paper, pressing too hard, indenting several pages. “I’m sorry. I get like this, sometimes,” he said, frowning at his hands. “At Stone.”

No, seriosly. I know how he feels.

But things had gone unplanned, in the cellar.

Yah, I would say

“Sit down, Ravyn Yew. I’m going to fix your broken beak.”

These big nose jokes are to personal XD

“There can be no stony facade—no pretending—after this. Death demands to be felt. It wasn’t just Gorse who died in that courtyard today.” His yellow gaze reached into the darkest parts of Ravyn. “But the Captain of the Destriers as well.”

Something tells me he won't be sorry to see him dead.

“I don’t do well with long silences. I tend to overthink.”

Dude, same