A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty (Kingdom of Lies, #2)

by Stacia Stark

But I knew her. Her fury was a wild, unrelenting thing, even if she was masking it in front of the others on this ship. If she thought she could get away with it, she would kill me in a heartbeat. That thought shouldn’t make me hard.

The wildcat was mine, and I would protect her until she came to that exact realization.

“You can tell yourself whatever makes it easiest for you to hate me, wildcat. But it was real. All of it.”

“Hate me, rage against me, refuse to admit what you feel. But don’t you dare treat me like a stranger.”

“But that doesn’t mean I won’t wish for you with every fucking breath for the rest of my life.”

“Don’t cry. Gods, don’t cry.” She sniffed, glowering up at me. “Why? Are my feelings too much for you?” “No. Because I want to gut anyone who made you cry. And I don’t want to have to impale myself on my own sword.”

No one infuriated me more than the fae prince currently sending me a patronizing smile from the trail in front of us.

“I’ve gone my whole life feeling like I’m holding my breath. Like my lungs are burning. Like I’m desperately fighting for each gasp of air. But when you’re around, I can…breathe. And I’m furious at you, because when that ends…when we’re forced apart, I don’t know how I’ll take a full breath without you.”

“I think the true measure of someone is not how much power they have, but how they choose to wield that power. You choose not to make anyone feel the way you felt. If you’d been a small person, you could have lashed out. You could have used your power on them and then left.”

A long pause. “Your thoughts are rather…murderous.” Was she laughing at me? “Just a little. That wrath is a good thing. Your rage must be nurtured until you become exactly who you should be.” Oh, my rage was being nurtured. But she wasn’t going to like the result.

Lorian’s eyes darkened. “That look on your face is going to get you fucked.” “No, it’s not,” Asinia called, slamming her hand on the door. “We need to go.” He cut his gaze to the door, but his mouth twitched. “We’re coming.” “No, you’re not.” Asinia was laughing now. “Go away,” I called. Cavis’s low voice sounded. Asinia replied. And then he started laughing.

He’s short-tempered and brutal, but I’ve never seen a man look at a woman the way he looks at you. As if you’re his entire reason for breathing.”

“Oh, wildcat. Don’t you know by now? I would have found you. No matter what happens, I will always find you.”

“When I’m with him…I’m a better person. I’m stronger. Braver. Smarter. He makes me face the demons I want to hide from. And he teaches me how to kill those demons myself.”