Spark of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #1)

by Penn Cole

For anyone who has ever been told their spark shouldn’t burn so bright and for all the people who loved them precisely because it did.

In the old mortal religions, a blood sun was said to be a warning from the gods, a harbinger of great upheaval.

We had one two decades past, and no harm came of it.” “My darling little brother might disagree with you,” I said. “That blood sun was the day of my birth.” Her eyebrows rose. “Was it really?”

Mortal City felt like a tinderbox, one spark away from exploding.

It’s never the enemy who attacks outright who will strike your killing blow, he’d taught me. It’s the one who hides in the shadows and waits. The one who strikes when you’ve finally looked away. Those are the true predators to fear.

Blasphemy against the Kindred was punishable by death, and the Descended paid handsomely for mortals who were willing to turn on their own and report heretics.

“That mother of yours thought she could hide it from the world. Thought she could hide it from you with that little powder of hers. But secrets like that can’t stay kept forever.” Her focus turned skyward, taking in the scattered beams of bloody sunlight around us. “And it appears the Kindred are done waiting.”

“When forgotten blood on heartstone falls, then shall the chains be broke,” she crooned. “Life for life, old debt requires, or eternal be his yoke.” I didn’t dare look back as I fled her unnerving presence. “Blessed Forging, Diem Bellator!” she cried. “Let’s hope it’s not your last.”

Tf is going on....

“Our mother?” I blinked. “She was treating King Ulther?”

“This doesn’t make sense. If his condition is that serious, why not call in a Descended from Fortos? With their healing magic, they could do far more than a mortal healer could.”

Interesting...

Henri didn’t just dislike the Descended—he despised them.

I had always dismissed it as a fantasy, but lately there had been a spark in his eyes when he spoke of it—a sense of certainty that day was coming, and that we would be alive to see it.

Interesting...

“In theory, the magic chooses the most powerful Descended, but measuring their power is more art than science.

“Who’s the betting pool favorite?” “Prince Luther, the King’s nephew. He’s incredibly powerful, no matter how you measure it. He’s one of the only Lumnos Descended that can wield both light magic and shadow magic.”

mortals and Lumnos Descended were forbidden from intermarrying, and any pregnancies between the two races were forcibly terminated and the mortal parent banned permanently from the realm.

My Lord...

As Elric led me away, something hit me about the air in the room—something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It felt heavy in an oddly sentient way, like the heft of it pressed against my skin, exploring me, assessing me.

The light beneath my hand flared blindingly bright—silver, like moonlight. Lily’s eyes flew open.

Her head cocked. “And you’re sure the bone set?” “I’m trying not to be insulted, Maura.” “It’s just...” She trailed off, frowning. “Descended bones are strong. Stronger even than iron. Mortals don’t have the strength to move them.”

Oh shiiiiiiit

“The bargain was for life, Diem. Your mother agreed to serve in whatever manner the Crown requests for the rest of her life.” “What do you mean, ‘in whatever manner the Crown requests’?” “I don’t know the details, that was between your mother and the royals.

To beat your enemy, you have to know your enemy—intimately. And there’s no better place to do that than in their own home.”

I didn’t want gentle or delicate. I wanted to burn.

According to the old mortal religion, all life began as sparks from the Everflame that fell to the earth as glowing seeds. At death, those found worthy by the Old Gods would be placed among its burning branches, where their earthly bodies would turn to ash but their souls would remain forever warmed by the Undying Fire.

Teller had once mentioned something about the Descended’s abilities being tied to the soil of their realm of origin—or as they called it, their terremère.

The border. I’d felt the sensation just as we’d crossed it. “Magic,” I breathed. My shoulders sagged in relief. “Fortos must have set up magical wards along their border.” Henri frowned. “I didn’t feel anything.”

Interesting...

“You know how every realm has two kinds of magic? Light and shadow in Lumnos, stone and ice in Montios, sea and air in Meros, and so on.”

in the other realms, most Descended get one type of magic or the other. Only the very strongest get both.

You need permission from all nine Crowns to get even an ounce of that.”

Bro whaaaat

“That cage is warded so only the King of Fortos can open it,” Leona hissed. “Even the Chief Healer doesn’t have access.

BRO WHAT IS GOING ON!!!!!????

“Merely knowing that powder exists is enough for the Crown to order your execution, girl. I don’t know what that mother of yours was up to down in Lumnos, but you need to stay far away from it.”

That sensation of power—no, of being powerful—was intoxicating in a way that left me as intrigued as I was unsettled.

Each of the men bore the symbol on their flesh, a permanent mark of some chain that connected them. Henri had lied to me. I’d asked him directly about the tattoo’s meaning, and he’d lied to me.

“Who was the man?” I asked. He briefly scanned the road for prying ears and eyes. “I can’t tell you his name. It’s one of the rules: never reveal the identity of any member, even to those we trust completely. It’s a group for mortals who refuse to accept the Descended as the rulers of Emarion. We fight back in whatever ways we can. We call ourselves the Guardians of the Everflame.”

“Does your little tree club even take women as members? I didn’t see any last night.” “My little tree club is run by a woman.” “Really?” I straightened.

I BET IT'S HER MOM!!!!!!

“Who is it? Do I know her?” “I can’t say. No revealing anyone’s identity, remember?” My shoulders slumped. “Would I get to work with her?” “I hope so,” he said, his eyes softening with some inscrutable emotion. “She is a force to be reckoned with—just like you.”

It's so her mom... right...

There was one substance I’d learned could be lethal to the Descended: godstone, a rare material that could only be made by the Kindred. If formed into a projectile or blade, a serious strike could be instantly fatal, and even minor blows risked an infection from its lethal toxin.

A gryvern.

The spiked, scaled head of a sea dragon. The wings and front talons of an eagle. The body of a lion. Kings of the sea, sky, and land—all transformed into a single beast. The fearsome amalgamation was the stuff of nightmares, unlike any other creature in our world.

When the Kindred arrived in the mortal realm many millennia ago, each of the nine sibling deities brought a gryvern as their companion and guardian.

Only seven remained living, as the gryverns of Fortos and Montios had been killed by mortal rebels during the Blood War.

Another of the guards jabbed his blade in my direction. “Do you really think you can take us all, mortal?” “Oh, just taking you would satisfy me enough.” I shot a sympathetic look between his legs. “That must be the first time a woman’s ever told you that.”

I FREAKING LOVE THIS GIRL

Something awoke inside me in response. If I had any common sense left at all, it might have been fear—but the intrigue stirring low in my belly didn’t feel like fear at all.

“These women are here in the service of the Crown,” Luther said coolly. “Is this how we treat His Majesty’s guests?” “But they were—” Luther’s fist tightened to a ball, and the cords constricted around the guard’s neck, choking off his protest. “No, Your Highness,” he finally wheezed out. “Then apologize.” His eyes narrowed. “Be convincing.”

HOT HOT HOT

Luther’s head tilted as he contemplated the man. “I should break your ribs for disobeying me,

🤪🤪

couldn’t resist glancing over my shoulder at the guards we left behind and answering their sea of scowls with a victorious smile.

Such a baddie

I stepped back and felt a tug at my hip—his hand still lingered there, still holding on to the hilt of my blade. He slowly pulled it away.

HOT

The peculiar aura that seemed to charge the air in his presence wove its way around me, buzzing against my skin and leaving me feeling like I was swimming a sea of him.

I’m trying to swim too🤪

well.” I tapped a finger on his chest. “And if you think I would ever—” His hand closed around mine, and all my angry words tangled in a giant knot.

I should pull away. Why wasn’t I pulling away? The warm grip of his hand was infuriatingly distracting.

I started to speak again, and his eyes dropped to my lips. My mouth went dry. Gods, I really, really hated him.

No you don’t!!!! LMFAO

But whatever you do or don’t do, sweetheart, do it for yourself. Don’t choose a mediocre life for a mediocre man. Go be exceptional. If he’s worth it, he won’t judge you. And if he’s really the one, he’ll come along for the ride.”