Secrets of Alkrose (Alkrose Academy, #2)

by K.M. Moronova

Novas are the elite Shadows—gods of the gods. Should you be near one during a moment of uncontrolled hysteria or intentional malice to mark you, you will be blighted. Cursed.”

“Blighted individuals don’t live long. Their powers are enhanced briefly, leeched from their Nova counterpart, but blighting is a death sentence no one has survived.”

What a beautiful, slumbering place, hidden away like a cancerous beast.

Midas. Camil. Acadi. Serina. “Hello, old friends.”

“I want you to feel everything up here. The wind between your fingers—the way your heart will rush when you're here with me.” Raine slides his hands out behind mine and the wind threads through our fingers.

“I want you to remember me this way. As a nice guy, the one who wanted you to be safe and warm. Not the cold, cruel man you met in Barkovah. When you think of me I can only hope you’ll imagine the sky, the rush that I sent through your soul. That will be enough for me.”

“You’re more than the sky, Raine. You are the wind, the earth, the blood in my veins. I will never forget you.” I choke out the words. He responds with tears that wet my skin.

“Prepare to slaughter your classmates. The details of the exam will not be released until the morning of, so I will leave you with this: don’t show your best technique to anyone.” He laughs cruelly and drops his hand, all the light and magic disappearing with it. “For even your closest comrade may end up taking your head.”

I gazed down into my palm at the lone glowing insect that hummed quietly in my hand. “Terra, why do they fly?” I asked. The glow in my palm fluttered as if it could fade at any moment. Terra narrowed her eyes in thought. After a few moments, she smiled as she gazed at the stars. “They fly because their time is limited. Because their light is too pure for just the ground. They need to share their joy with the world around them while they can.” I cupped my hands gently together as I watched the firefly flicker out into darkness. “And why do they have to die?” I whispered low enough that I wasn’t sure she heard it. Her lips smoothed into a thin line. “Because they gave all they had to show us their light. They must rest—as we all do.”

We will be the last of the Blood Crowns. We’ll stop Fernestia and save the world.

“I’m going to make you suffer until the very end. That’s my promise to you, Terra,” he says coldly as he stands.

“This is goodbye, baby. I should have told you I loved you at least once⁠—”

Edgar’s at my side in the blink of an eye, his hand going straight through Raine’s chest.

Anytime you find yourself losing pieces of him, I will show you. Again and again, if I need to.” “Arthur… thank you.”

What’s wrong? “Arthur?” I ask, leaning forward to touch his face. Elias mutters behind me ominously, “You’ve just set the devil himself free.” My stomach sinks and Arthur looks at me, letting those tears fall onto his heart as he whispers, “I hate this part.”

If you kill her, I’ll bring them back. You’ve collected enough darkness to bring back three. She and that boy you’re so upset about will be by your side forever.

The door swings open and Kallos gives me a disgruntled stare as he steps aside. The man behind him has gray hair streaked with dark strands of brown. His eyes are as evil as I remember, as auburn as my own. He wears Fernestia’s black cloak, a sun emblem at the center. And the motherfucker smiles at me the same way he would when he’d beat me.

“Hello, son.”