Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)

by Rebecca Yarros

“You have no idea what he did to Alic!” he seethes. “Your brother was a craven, murderous prick.”

But she’s not a direct descendant, so I don’t have to worry about going mad like those whose dragons bond in the direct familial line. Dragons aren’t supposed to even get close to family lines for that exact reason—like they listen to human rules.”

“But I can’t protect you from the consequences of your own actions when you risk the safety of every civilian in this kingdom.”

The only signet more terrifying than an inntinnsic is a truth-sayer. And yet we let them live.

“You want to know something true? Something real? I love you. I’m in love with you. I have been since the night the snow fell in your hair and you kissed me for the first time. I’m grateful my life is tied to yours because it means I won’t have to face a day without you in it. My heart only beats as long as yours does, and when you die, I’ll meet Malek at your side. It’s a damned good thing that you love me, too, because you’re stuck with me in this life and every other that could possibly follow.” My lips part. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, ever needed to hear. “I do love you,” I admit in a whisper. “Glad you didn’t forget.”

“He can counter signets,”

The blood of life of the six and the one combined and set the stone ablaze in an iron rain.

The symbol Warrick drew isn’t identical,

‘And we gathered the six most powerful riders in residence,’” I read from the parchment, “‘and the blood of the six and the one combined and set the stone ablaze in an iron rain.’”

you create something that was not there before. You wield pure power that takes the form of lightning because that’s what you’re most comfortable shaping it as.

you wielded him, our unyielding, uncompromising, headstrong heir apparent.”

Runes. Wielded power woven for set purposes.”

I don’t even need to check my shields. They’ve been locked into place since we left Aretia.

Its finally second nature to her like she wanted

“You aren’t where I left you, Violence.”

Oop

“And mine isn’t effective this far from the wards,” she finishes in a whisper. “I tried earlier and nothing happened.”

Distended red veins branch out from bloodshot eyes.

so white it’s almost blue,

“The one who commands the sky.”

I envision the boulder changing course and twist my hands— Black streaks through my vision a second before an explosion sounds above me,

When a gryphon bonds, it does so for life. Guard your life as you would your gryphon’s, for they are forever intertwined.

“Runes aren’t just decorative. They’re strands of magic pulled from our power, woven into geometric patterns for specific uses, then placed into an object, either for immediate work or usage at a later date. We call the process ‘tempering.’”

wielder can temper a rune using as much or as little power as they choose, then place it into something.”

“Like wood, or metal, or whatever object the wielder chooses. That rune will activate when triggered and perform whatever action it was tempered for. Unlike alloy, which houses power, runes are tempered with power for specific actions.”

Every shape has meaning. The points where we tie the power change that meaning.

riders are naturally more powerful, given the amount of magic we channel and the signets we wield.”

“But runes are the great equalizer,”

“A rune is only limited to how much power you choose to temper, how long you want it to last, and how many uses it has before it depletes. They banned runes so they wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands.”

It is somewhat fitting that the only weapon capable of killing a dark wielder is the same thing that drove them to soullessness…power.

Initiates

have reddish rings to their eyes that come and go depending on how often they drain.

A...

eyes fluctuate in degrees of red, and their veins di...

Sages’...

—those responsible for initiates—eyes are permanently red, their veins perpetually distended toward thei...

Mavens...

generals—have never been captured for...

“My house. My chair. My woman.”

power crest through me, over me, in simultaneous waves that crash again and again. There’s no thunder, no strike, only the hum of energy in my hand

Shimmering onyx wraps around my mind and everything intensifies. A driving, pounding, uncontrollable need courses through me with every beat of my pulse, demanding an outlet, demanding I rip through the confines of the leather and trade her sweet taste for the incomparable perfection of sinking into her when she comes.

I need to fuck her, to flip her over the arm of this throne and drive into her, but I can’t. I need her nail marks in the wood, need her cries filling this whole fucking house, need her knowing what I can be for her—anything and everything she needs. She’s heaven in my mouth. Flawless. Mine. And she’s almost there. Gods, yes, her legs are shaking, her walls are fluttering around my tongue. I love her so fucking much.

Power and light course through me without burning,

“It’s about the energy fields. It’s quite similar to magic that way. And you”—he

are the greatest energy field of all. Summon your power, but instead of letting the conduit have it all, cut it off yourself.”

Rain isn’t rain. It’s flame.

The blood of life is actually the breath of life, and setting the stone ablaze in an iron flame…

The six doesn’t refer to riders.

The breath of life of the six and the one combined and set the stone ablaze in an iron flame.

“But you will turn for something much more dangerous, much more volatile.”

“You’ll tear down the wards yourself when the time comes.”

“And you won’t do it for something as trite as power or as easily satiable as greed,” he promises in a whisper, “but for the most illogical of mortal emotions—love. Or you’ll die.” He shrugs. “You both will.”