Empire of Shadows (Raiders of the Arcana, #1)

by Jacquelyn Benson

Not that shame had been getting the suffrage movement very far. The men in the suits seemed to lack that particular piece of the emotional spectrum.

“I know a thing or two about having dreams the rest of the world thinks are madness,” she quietly declared.

She remembered looking into her future and watching it narrow precipitously. Feeling the dreams she had nurtured as a child grind to dust under the weight of the reality of her position.

“The best rum in the world, and thank all Sanctis Spiritibus, it made it ashore in one piece.” “It’s just ‘spiritūs’ in the accusative,” Ellie replied automatically,

Lol i love this. Its something i would do 😅

“Americans, English… Do not feel too bad about it,” the priest easily assured her. “They write all of the books.” Ellie narrowed her eyes. “That is something I hope to change, Padre Kuyoc,” she asserted sharply. The priest cocked an eyebrow. “You think it will all be better if Englishwomen also write books?” he challenged.

“Please don’t take this the wrong way. You’re a very nice person—” she began. “I’m a what?” Adam sounded offended.

“You and me,” Adam replied. “Against ten guys with guns. A murderous bastard with an infallible nose for lies.” “An imminent monsoon,” Ellie added, barely fighting back a giggle. “And one really sweaty professor,” Adam added wryly.

The conundrum of that left him with the creeping and uncomfortable sensation that he was missing something important… something that stalked him like a jaguar in the fog.

Ah men and feelings 😅

between me and the bullets as though somehow your person is expendable whereas mine has to be cherished and coddled like a… a prize Pomeranian!” “You’re nothing like a Pomeranian,” Adam countered. “Oh? Then what precious, oh-so-vulnerable creature that is completely incapable of taking care of itself do I resemble?” Ellie demanded with a hiss. “How about a wolverine?” he offered.

“I can’t do all the things I intend to do to you,” he declared, carefully enunciating each of the words. “Not in here.” Ellie was very intrigued. “What sort of things?” she demanded. “I’ll tell you about them. All about them. Later.” Later. He almost made it sound like a threat. Ellie found that she liked that. It was a very enticing threat.

“Have I ever given you any reason to think I am the type to react irrationally?” she demanded. “You jumped off a balcony with your hands tied,” Adam replied. “I was taking the most direct route away from a pursuer,” Ellie retorted. “You were planning to blow up a boat to get me to listen to you.” “But I didn’t!”

“But you two are not looking for a quiet life,” Kuyoc noted significantly. “Are you?”