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Wes. The name tugs at me, reminding me of nights in the Wilds with Tessa. Her quiet smile, her quick hands, her gentle manner. Her intelligence. Her bravery. I fell in love with her by moonlight.
UGH CORRICK PLEASE JUST SHOOT ME ALREADY
“Stop wallowing and get up.” “I’m not wallowing.” I am absolutely wallowing.
corrick is a mood
spit blood at him. “Eat shit.” “Well, that’s not very princely.”
LOL
“If you’re breathing, you’re alive. If you’re alive, there’s still hope. Don’t undo it on your own.”
i love this so much
“I’ve been waiting for you to wake up.” I don’t smile back. “Maybe you should’ve picked a fight days ago.” “Welcome back, Your Highness.”
i’m afraid i’m going to never shut up about this new and unexpected duo
The whole time, I imagined holding Rian under the water until he drowned.
I need to reverse time. I need Corrick back. Sometimes I remember his voice so clearly it’s like he’s beside me, and the memory is so painful that I think my chest is caving in. Please, my love.
ouch ouch ouch
Erik shrugs. “Someone else is always a priority. I feel like that would just be a disappointment to a wife.” “Well, that sounds lonely.” His smile turns a bit wolfish. “I never said I was lonely.”
ERIK ROCCO
“Are you in pain?” He glances away from the water to say, “No. But you were.”
omg erik. right in the feels
Rage is burning in my gut. Erik is right. Anger is so much more powerful.
where was this energy in the last book tessa 😭
I have to shove aside thoughts of Tessa when I’m like this. She’s a weight in my heart that I feel every time it beats, but she hates this part of me. If being vicious means a chance to rescue her, I’ll do it. If it means a chance to get back to Kandala and my brother, I’ll do it.
i love corrick so much it’s not even funny
I know, my love. I’m trying.
all i feel is pain
He acts like I was a heartless executioner. I know this is an image I spent years cultivating for myself, but I hate it. I hate that he sees me that way. I hate that everyone in Kandala sees me that way, and I can’t even escape it on an island where no one knows who I am.
corrick i’m gonna cry
“I’m going to break all the toys before you get there,” Rocco says. “I’m going to break your face when I get there,” the boy calls back.
beef with a seven year old is wild
A lot of them used to call me Horrible Harristan, the way they called my brother Cruel Corrick.
the way i want to lock harristan and corrick away and protect them from anyone and everyone that has ever even thought about hurting them
I finally turn my head to look at him. He’s very close, and like before, I can’t decide if I’m annoyed or intrigued—or something else entirely. “Are we going to argue over semantics again, Quint?” His eyes hold mine, gleaming in the flickering light. “If it pleases you.” My heart gives a little stutter. I have to look back at the page because I don’t know what to do with it. I feel flushed and uncertain and off-balance, and I haven’t felt like this since . . . I don’t know when.
“if it pleases you” QUINT PLEASE THE WAY YOU HAVE BECOME A FLIRT OUT OF NO WHERE AND I CANT HANDLE IT
Like my heart got twisted up with my imagination. Over Quint, of all people.
the way Quint is actually stealing my heart
But before the door falls closed, I notice Quint flip open the little book, just turning back the cover to that list of dates. At the bottom, he adds one more.
GOING BACK AND KNOWING WHAT THIS MEANT NOW HAS ME SCREAMING
“Forgive me,” I say, and the words are thin and barely audible. My voice breaks, and I realize I’m crying. Not just for my guards, but for Bert, for Reed, for all of them. Everyone I’ve failed. My muddy fingers press into my eyes. “Please. Forgive me.”
crying
I simply do not understand how he can be so infuriating in one moment, then leave me longing for the tiniest touch in the next.
SHUT UP
I seize the lapels of his jacket, and I press my mouth to his. If he’s surprised, it doesn’t show. I’m the one who’s surprised, because I was ready for there to be an edge to his response, a belligerence, but instead there’s a . . . a gentleness. A contentment, like this moment was a foregone conclusion.
the way i wasn’t expecting this plot line but am eating this shit up
“And then you cheapen it by calling it an act of pity, you insult me by treating me like a whore, and then you hurt me by calling it a mistake.”
oop—🫢
Quint presses his hands over his heart. “That!” he says. “That smile is what I’ve been longing for.” His gaze turns a bit wicked. “Lusting after. Falling for.”
SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP
“No more talking,” I say roughly, because as usual, he’s spun me past irritation and captured me with devotion. If he keeps going, there’s a chance I’ll reveal any secret, swear to any oath, and offer him the entire kingdom.
I’d rather spend my morning memorizing the lines of his face.
He was writing down the dates when I smiled.
My world has been thrown off its axis, and he’s sitting here shirtless, running a finger down the page like we need to prepare for a consul meeting in an hour.
“So you would have kept this to yourself . . . forever?” “Until you kissed me like it would save your life? Yes. I would’ve taken it right to the grave.”
“Forgive me,” I say softly. “I won’t turn away like that again. You have my word.” His eyes search mine. “Yes, Your Majesty.” “Harristan,” I whisper. He hesitates, holding his breath, then shakes his head. Despite everything, that makes me smile. “Still no?” He flushes. “Ah. Well.” But then he says nothing else. It’s rare I have the opportunity to see Quint flustered, so I let go of his jacket and run one last finger along his jaw. “So charming,” I tease. “Very well. I’ll return as soon as I can, Palace Master.”
i’m going to pass out. i love them
Dear Tessa, I’m coming, my love. The words look too sentimental, and I want to crumple the paper up at once. I also want to fold it into a tiny square and carry it close to my heart.
CORRICK MY HEART OMG
“Still breathing, Cory.” I give him a nod. “Still breathing.” Then I reach out and clasp his hand.
okay but like new fav duo?
“As flattering as this is, please don’t kill yourselves because I walked in here without a shirt on.
ERIK ROCCO IM SCREAMING
“Stay close, Miss Tessa.” I pause with my hand on the frame. “I will.” “I promised him I would keep you safe, too. I have to keep one promise.”
pain
“At the risk of being an annoying big brother again, it’s good to see you smile.”
i want erik as my brother
You’re so much more than pleasing to look at. You’re brilliant. You’re flawless. You’re exquisite. Have you not noticed the effort it takes to summon words when I look at you?
HARRISTAN STOP MAKING ME FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU
I’m afraid to move, I’m afraid to breathe, like this is a dream. Like I’ll touch him and the illusion will shatter.
the way i’m not breathing right now
“I don’t want you to disappear,” I say, and then I realize I’m crying in earnest. “I won’t,” he says. “Never again. I swear it.” He leans down to kiss me. “I swear to you. Never again.”
CORRICK MY HEART
But then he sits up, pulling me with him, tugging me into his lap. Before I can ask him anything at all, his hands find my cheeks, and his mouth lands on mine. Every emotion pours through his kiss, and this is what finally convinces me he’s real. I can feel his longing. His loss. His worry. His fear. His love. His hope.
IM CRYING
Maybe I knew my loving family was an illusion we presented all along, but I just didn’t want to accept it.
harristan im crying for you
“Your duty is to follow orders.” I turn away from my horse and take hold of his arm. “I might not fight like a soldier, and I might not be able to run. But damn it, Adam, I am the king, and if there’s one thing I can do, and well, it’s ride.”
YES HARRISTAN
have no idea who Olive is, or why any of this is so important to Tessa. I just know it is, and I’m done failing her.
corrick, have i mentioned that i love you yet?
Tessa puts a hand on mine. “You don’t have to win this war alone.”
there we go, tessa. finally making up for book two
“If only we had masks, it would be like old times,” she says, a little breathless from the effort. I look at the faint tracing of her profile in the moonlight. “I like it better this way.” “I hope you know I plan to sob all over you properly later.” “I hope that’s not all you plan to do all over me later.” She gasps, then grins, her smile bright in the darkness.
CORRICK
Another crossbow snaps, just beside me. A bolt appears in his chest, and he crumples. Tessa is breathing hard. “I’m not watching you die again,” she says.
YES TESSA SAVE YOUR MANS
Corrick pauses. “I love her, Mouse. She’s very precious. Please give her back.”
SHES VERY PRECIOUS PLEASE GIVER HER BACK🤭😀🫶🏻🥰🤪💞 SHUT UP CORRICK IM GONNA ACTUALLY THROW UP
Corrick lifts his weapon, but Mouse steps in front of him. “No!” he shouts. “Weston Lark is our captain now. You will surrender to him or I’ll throw you over the side.”
as you should mouse
I have Thorin and Saeth at the wall, with Quint seated beside me, his book and pencil ready. I’m so grateful for his presence, and I realize I’ve always been grateful for his presence.
i’m never ever ever gonna shut up about harristan and quint
Look what it’s done to your son. This is what you want to do to your people. –Barnard
I AM FUMING!!! HARRISTAN DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER
They hid the evidence well.” “From me as well,” I say. “I had no idea. Truly. I hope you believe me.” She studies me for a long time, but it’s Roydan who speaks, and he leans over and pats me on the hand like I’m a child. “I do. You were dealt a rough hand. You’ve done your best.”
roydan is a real one
“So I am to sacrifice myself or I am to sacrifice my brother,” I say quietly. She nods. It’s no choice at all really. Cory has been sacrificing himself for me for years. I know what I have to do. “Tell him I’ll surrender,” I say.
HARRISTAN I LOVE YOU SO MUCH PLEASE DONT MAKE ME CRY
