Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)

by Rebecca Yarros

“When did it manifest?” I slide my hand up to his neck. “The signet?” “About a month after the shadows did. I’d already seen Carr kill another first-year for reading minds, so when it hit, I held my shit together and went to Sgaeyl, and when Carr asked if I’d had any other strange abilities emerge, since they knew Sgaeyl had bonded one of my relatives, I lied my ass off. And when my ability to control shadows seemed stronger than they’d expected, they had no reason to dig deeper.” A corner of his mouth tilts upward. “It helps that rider of record was thought to be a great uncle, not my grandfather.” “She’s really the only one who knows?” “She’s it. She made me promise not to tell anyone. She thinks anyone who knows will have me killed—or use me as a weapon.” “Shit, isn’t that exactly what I did?” The second we were with Melgren, I’d asked— “No,” he whispers, lifting a hand and brushing the backs of his fingers along my cheek. “You asked me for the good of the mission, but you’d never use it for personal gain.” He leans in, resting his forehead against mine. “Tell me we’re all right. Tell me this didn’t break us.” “Promise you won’t use it on me again.” I hold his gaze and curl my fingers into the fabric of his shirt. “I promise,” he whispers, then kisses me softly. “Now, do you want your presents?” “Presents?” I arch my body up against his. “You lost two of your daggers fighting Solas. I had two new ones made.” A slow smile spreads across his face. “Just have to disarm me,...