The Throne of Broken Gods (Gods & Monsters, #2)

by Amber V. Nicole

She held a single small finger out, and I held my breath. What was wrong with me? “Pinky promise, I will never abandon you, Your Highness.”

“You have taken someone from me with your actions—someone very precious to me. And now you have helped a lunatic corrupt her already damaged heart, shattering it into a million pieces. They are pieces I will pick up and fix, but what you have done is unforgivable. I plan to make you suffer for that transgression. Death would be a kindness, and you deserve none.”

“Have any of you considered that maybe it’s her that is so mesmerizing and not what’s between her legs?” I used my power to press his body hard enough against the ceiling that the metal groaned. “He wasn’t kidding.” Santiago’s laugh died as he looked at me. “You really are in love with her.”

“It’s a weapon I made long before you were even a thought. It was meant to be an instrument of peace, formed at my accession. Only I carried too much anger and grief at the time. Feelings I couldn’t control spilled over, and I created this instead. It is every horrible emotion a god should not feel, yet here it is. It is a true death blade. There is no peace, no Astheroth, no Iassulyn, no nothing. It makes you into particle matter to be reused as the universe sees fit.

“I had not summoned it since Rashearim fell, not until her. Do you know why? Because there are no boundaries I will not cross if it means keeping her safe, especially after everything you all have taken from her. It is the highest law not to touch anyone in my court or what I consider mine. That act alone is punishable by death, and she is mine. It will be your end.”

“You are about to be forbidden from spending time with Cameron. Actually, I am forbidding him from spending time with anyone. That should be enough punishment. It might actually kill him.”

“She saved my life twice and made it possible for me to rescue my wife from Yejedin. So, to say that I care for her doesn’t even begin to express what I feel for Dianna. She’s family now, whether or not she knows it. So let’s get you fed, and this day started, and maybe, just maybe, it will work long enough that they can have one day of peace together.”

“Dianna,” he paused, seeming to gather his words, “there is no life with you in it that would be horrible. Horrible is living without you.”

“I used to dream of what my destiny would be, my future. Everyone has an amata. It was written before the universe had form.” He rose above me, his hand cupping my jaw, his thumb running across my cheek. “You are very special to me. No one feels like you. No one else can ruin me so completely. I know without a doubt that if I had an amata, even if they were alive today, I’d still choose you. It will always be you, Dianna.”

I felt tears prick my eyes. “Destiny be damned?” “You are better than any destiny.”

“This changes nothing. Nothing, Dianna. She still is and will always be your sister. The same one you grew up with, the same one you experienced life with, the same one you died for, lived for, and fought for. Blood is the least of what makes a family. Trust me.”

“No one can be mad when they have delicious food. It’s basic science.” “That’s not science, Gabby.” “Who has a degree? Yeah, that’s right.”

This is not something you just recover from in months or even years, but I will be here with you every step of the way, whatever you need, just like you have been for me. You led me out of my darkness, Dianna. Now let me lead you, or I can follow you into the dark, but there is no me without you. Not anymore. Do you understand?”

“There is no force in this world or the next strong enough to keep me from you. Do you understand?”

You didn’t kill me, D. You saved me. Only you let yourself die in the process. It’s about time you live.”

“If Roccurem is wrong, and I am truly out of time, if this doesn’t work, I want you to know that I am nothing like your father, Samkiel. I refuse to live without you. There will be no peace in this realm or the next. I will burn this universe down to embers for you. I will leave nothing untouched, taking apart anyone that’s ever hurt you piece by piece. So when you hear the screams from however far away you are from me. When you feel the very stars shake from the rage you aren’t here to pull me back from, when you hear them beg and plead for mercy, I need you to remember that it’s because you and your stupid, annoying persevering ways got to me. I want you to remember that you got under my skin when I hated you. I want you to remember that you made me happy and made me feel when no one else could. I want you to remember that you saved me in every way possible and never once gave up on me. So when the very fabric of the universe burns, I want you to remember that I love you.”