A Touch of Gold and Madness (Celestials of Arcadia #1)

by K.L. DeVore

The man who ignited the war between our two races nine years ago by infiltrating the King’s Palace and murdering many of our top Kinetic warriors. He blamed the Kinetics for the deaths of his parents. In his quest for misguided retribution, he sparked a war that led to the demise of modern society only a few years later, known to everyone as Devolution Day. The most notable death on the day of his insurgence was our legendary Chrome Freyr. He was the only person with at least twice as many Elemental kill marks than me. He had been considered infallible. Our beloved hero’s death was almost enough to declare war.

I’m already suss

“Right. What is it you want?” “Cocaine and chloroform,”

Same

Smokey Valor, greeted me at the threshold, standing rigid and astute. Beyond his stern exterior, I swore there was a hint of regret looming in the depths of his eyes.

Pivoting, I watched as the king lowered himself onto the throne with predatory grace, placing his electrified hands on the armrests—a vicious gleam glimmered in his dark eyes. I spotted Hazel wedged between Amethyst and Forest. Her amber eyes locked with mine. The grave expression she gave me caused my heart to sink to the depths of my bowels. Her porcelain skin paled three shades lighter. Hazel knew something, but she was locked by their sides the entire night as Amethyst’s assistant.

Now I’m suss AND confused

He was such a pious prick so far up my father’s ass that if he wasn’t careful, he’d serve as an enema.

HAHAHAHAHAH

I lined up the white powder along the blade of a knife with unsteady hands. I took the wooden straw I’d kept from the Hollow—made by some of the earth wielders who specialized in wood—and snorted a third line within a five-minute span.

Atta boy

“Uh…why do you look excited to murder me?” “Didn’t know it was you,” I said, shoulders dropping and turning toward the table again.

The deep warmth from his energy made me moan. It was revitalizing. I wanted to take it all as my insides tingled with small jolts of arousal in my core caused by his brand of magic. Cotton snatched his hands from mine, severing the influx of warmth that flooded me. “Give a girl a warning before you surprise her with feelings like that, Cotton,” I said, fanning myself. I attempted to simmer down the tingling sensation with deep breaths. “Quite the gift you have there, Inquisitor.” Cotton winked, a knowing smirk teasing one corner of his lips. He stuck his hands into the front pockets of his trousers and rocked back on his heels. I’d never seen him look so smug.

It’s always the Mute that’s the freakiest I swear

Then, in an act that stunned me, the Endarkened woman dropped onto one knee, her breaths raspy. She said nothing. But when she pressed her forehead against her knee, I faltered in my steps at the foreign custom.

Well..

“No.” The king’s labored voice reached my ears from within the darkness, still hindered by the stab wound. “Not you, too.” His words almost stopped me in my tracks. “I’m sure we’ll meet again, Father,” I spat,

I made haste in its direction.

DAPHNE YOU MUST MAKE HASTE

“Okay then,” he said, relaxing his shoulders a bit. When he caught my gaze, still focused on his movements, his lips slowly curled into a wicked grin. “That’s a good girl,” he said in a low, exaggerated drawl. A heavy, questionable pause lingered before we both erupted into laughter. “Ew, you did not just say that to me,” I wheezed, clutching my ribs as I tried to catch my breath.

Chuckling

I stared, dumbfounded, at the orange sigils that glowed on the blade as they hummed to life with Elemental energy in my hands.

“How in the actual fuck did you just do that?” I whispered, awestruck by the man in front of me. I never stood a chance against something as extraordinary as that. He had gone easy on me that first night in the speakeasy. Griffin couldn’t hold back the weak chuckle but refused to look at me. “Didn’t you know?” His voice carried the weight of a darkness that threatened to pull him permanently to its depths. “I’m a legend,” he added with a shrug and a humorless chuckle.

I love him

With my decision made, I took a deep breath, sure I would live to regret this. “I want to know. Tell me more,” I said with my shoulders back and my chin held high. Chrome perked his head up, his metallic waves bouncing as he did. The scraping against his skin stopped, and a sinful smile arched on one side of his mouth. And in a tone that sent heat throughout my entire body, he said, “That’s my girl.”

EEEEEE

In a tone softer than I typically used, I said, “I know you could if you needed, but I’m offering to take the load off you. So, let me.”

My mental load is crying rn

The smile grew, melting his stark features and my resolve. “Oh really? What else of mine do you think is big?” His eyes sparkled with amusement and…lust? No, I must have imagined it. But then why did my heart start to race and my cheeks heat from a torturous blush? I bit the inside of my cheek, fighting the urge to smile. I walked into that one. “Nothing. You’re small. Just a small man. With a little peen.” I locked eyes with him and tried to remain stoic, though I knew I wouldn’t last long. Loud, belly-deep laughter erupted from him. I’d never heard anything so… infectious. I couldn’t help but to chuckle with him.

😂😭

With every last ounce of willpower, I shrugged, feigning indifference. “All I feel is exhaustion. So, let’s just fucking eat.” Chrome paused, his eyes flaming with desire as his gaze raked over my body. I shivered, a heat burning deep in my stomach. “Don’t tempt me, little savage,” he growled, his eyes meeting mine as he bit his bottom lip. “I don’t think you can handle my appetite.”

*raises hand* I volunteer as tribute

The more time I’d spent around Gray, the more distant and silent the affliction’s voice grew. At last, I was granted a true sense of peace. And that alone was attributed to the girl beside me, the one I’d been saving since she was eight years old, whether she knew it or not. The notion didn’t escape me that it was her turn now. Her turn to save me.

😭😭😭😭😭

“How do you fight offensively with it?” I asked, curious about this unknown power. “The most effective and controllable way to wield that energy is through pressurized pulses,” he explained as we neared a towering, intricate gate made of iron. “But it requires a lot.” Something niggled in my mind at his words, but he stopped me from pressing further.

Suspicion remains

I visibly sighed in relief. How horrible would it be if I was turned on by a surprise hidden brother that I never knew existed? Chrome worked to bite back a smile, and I narrowed my eyes at him for thinking this was funny. It most definitely was not fucking funny after this weird chemistry.

We all thought it too sis dw

“You’re a queen. Make it fucking bow.”

👑

She was every bit the fierce warrior I knew her to be. I resisted the intense desire to drop to my knees and worship her right there.

Sir

Still shaking, his frenzied gaze pleaded to me. “I need your help.” I frowned. The longer I remained there, the more my gut twisted. “What can I do?” “I…I…just…” He chattered through gritted teeth. “Just…be…be near me. It helps.”

He’s so tortured your honor, I love him.

“You look so fucking beautiful in your full form,” Chrome whispered. “You’re my rainbow. My beam of hope.”

Don’t back the Rainbow nickname but I digress

“If you start experiencing the physical withdrawal symptoms, you have my permission to touch me.” Shit. I bit my lip and winced at my insinuating delivery. Someone fucking come get me. Now. Chrome’s quicksilver eyes swirled with a tempestuous heat, like molten lava. His nostrils flared. In a tone that came from his chest, he said, “I’m going to need you to clarify what you mean by ‘touch you.’ Because I’m going to be honest, Gray. There’s a million ways I want to touch you. And none of them are innocent.”

*pterodactyl screech*

“What about this?” she asked. I felt the air’s movement and heard the slight whistle just before the sharp sting of a blade sliced across my chest. Invisible. I looked down at the bleeding wound and then met the eyes of its creator. “Did you just make an air weapon and cut me with it?” Gray couldn’t hide the smug smile that was followed by a shrug. “I did.” “Before a shield?” Orion asked, doubt evident in his tone and raised an eyebrow. Gray nodded once. I held her gaze, unspoken words passing between us. The pride continued to swell in my heart, loving the savagery within her. “Perfect,” I said. “Again.”

He’s so proud of her I can’t 😭

Her nostrils flared, and a strong hit of desire slammed into me with the familiar tug on my heart. Instead of commenting on it, I growled, “Run.”

PRIMAL PLAY LESSGOOO

“I will always find you, Gray,” Chrome whispered. Somehow, we’d gravitated to the point where our lips nearly touched when he said, “No matter the realm. No matter if I’m Endarkened. I will always find you.”

“No matter what happens to me, I’ll always find you. In every lifetime. In every realm. Because it’s always been you for me—ever since I was ten years old.”

😭

This woman brought me back to life. She gave me back to myself whether she meant to or not. If she asked me to, I’d level the fucking world for her. I’d do anything. I loved every shattered piece of her. If I had to sweep each jagged shard up with my bare fingers for her so she could piece herself back together, I’d do it without a second thought. I didn’t care if it shredded my skin in the process. Hell, I’d search the winds for the lost pieces. That smile would be my undoing.

It’s taking ‘he’s burn the world for her’ to the extreme THANK U

I remembered Onyx and raced toward him and the blue-haired Kinetic. I recognized her. I was pretty sure that was Onyx’s ex-girlfriend. How healthy.

😂

A punch to my jaw rocked my head to the side, sending a blinding pain through my skull. In the next breath, the offender was blown to entrails. Frustration bubbled in my chest. “I had that!” “I know,” Chrome said, stabbing the side of a man’s neck. “But he hurt you.” He whirled. “Pissed me off. Told you I’d kill anyone who ever dared to hurt you again.”

Touch her and die - again, thank u

I needed to fucking find Gray, and not just to keep me from going Endarkened. Because if something had happened to her, I would go Endarkened in a heartbeat. I didn’t give a fuck. Without her, I’d be lost anyway.

It’s giving venin x Xaden

“Touch her,” he challenged, a viciousness I hadn’t yet heard coming from him. It was hair-raising. “I fucking dare you.”

EEEEEEE HEHEHEH