The Song of the Marked (Shadows & Crowns #1)

by S.M. Gaither

Not only had he shown up here and insisted on barging into her room, but he had also decided to look even better than usual while he did it. The audacity.

“Look, I just need to sit for a minute, and I’ll be fine. When this happens, I, um … I like to imagine a rock in the middle of the sea. In a storm. The waves crash over it, higher and higher, but the rock doesn’t move. It’s still there once the waves are calm again.” He nodded slowly, seeming to understand. “You’re the rock.” “I’m the rock.”

“Bunny rabbits.” She made a face. “You aren’t taking this seriously, are you?” “Excuse you, I am very serious about my love of bunnies.” “Idiot.” “Be nice. I’m gravely injured over here.”

“So what do I do if that wolf comes back? Just pick up your weak, corpse-like body and fling it at the thing’s feet so you can use your magic on it?”

“Good-night, my wheelbarrow warrior.”

“You have to let some things go, Thorn,” he said, gentler. “Not everything—just whatever things you can. Or else it’s all going to get too exhausting to carry one of these days.”

You’re a rather … captivating combination of fearless and fainthearted.”

“You’re much nicer after you’ve had a near-death experience. You should almost die more often.” “Just to clarify,” he said, drily, “I still think it was incredibly stupid, what you did, whether admirable or not. Honestly, sometimes I think there’s something wrong with your brain.” “And there’s the Elander I know.”