Servant of Earth (The Shards of Magic, #1)

by Sarah Hawley

There was something comforting about carrying a weapon. Women weren’t supposed to unless they were hunting. Was this how men felt? Bold and brave, like no one could hurt them?

“Pigs,” she muttered. “And what do pigs become?” I asked lightly. Her lips twitched. “Bacon.” “Exactly.”

That was the way of some men. Their tongues wagged in an imitation of love while their fists dealt pain. I stroked the dagger’s outline at my thigh, thinking about what it might be like to live in a world where women didn’t have to depend on people they feared for safety.

The creatures began to feed, teeth flashing in the moonlight.

Holy fuck ????

But Anya wasn’t there anymore, and if she was still alive, she would be there. She would never leave me, any more than I would leave her.

Oh she’s def gonna still be alive

There was a shriek and a splash and then a horrible, keening cry from Fiona. I blocked out the sound of them feeding. They’d be done with her soon, and then I’d be the only one left.

Bruh

King Osric sighed. “That’s boring.” “If you crave entertainment, you could kill her.” The king laughed. “You’re just bitter you didn’t win the bet. You thought the redhead would make it farthest.”

oh

The king giggled unsettlingly. “You’re always interested in games, Prince Drustan.”

How many fucking princes are there

but the one that terrified me most was the executioner with night-dark eyes, who still hadn’t looked away from me.

Bet 👀

“The Fae houses are each ruled by a prince or princess. Oriana is the princess of Earth House, and her eldest child and heir is Lady Lara. Lara will be undergoing the immortality trials soon, and it’s customary for every candidate to have a special servant who attends to their needs during this time. The king selected you.”

“If a candidate does not succeed, they will gain immortality but be stripped of all magic.

“You risked your life to help someone else. An admirable trait. What is your name?”

and most of them have had their tongues cut out.

My display of defiance had gained the attention of others, as well. The Void prince looked at me with a faint smirk.

“Does it have to be my blood?” If you won’t feed me other blood, yes.

“Let’s talk about the labyrinth,”

Ugh of course it’s a fucking maze

“Courage, discipline, cunning, strength, hedonism, and magic.”

At the high table, Oriana still looked bored, although she gripped her wineglass tightly. Hector continued eating his cake, but Kallen stared straight ahead with unfocused eyes, as if even he didn’t want to take in the details of this slow execution. Drustan glared at the king’s back, smoke rising from his clenched fists.

“You are free to think about me whenever—and however—you wish.”

Her shoulders shook as her mouth opened around near-silent sobs. “Don’t tell my mother,” she gasped.

:(

As if he’d read my mind, he said, “If you don’t show up there often enough, I will come looking for you.” He stroked a cool finger down my cheek, and I suppressed a shudder of disgust at the touch. “And, Kenna…believe me when I say you don’t want that.”

But maybe I want that 👀

“Did they just release you from the king’s brothel, too?” Brothel. The word was a fist to my stomach. I tried to keep pity out of my voice.

“Why didn’t they cut out your tongue?” “I have to talk to my mistress. Why didn’t they cut out yours?” She flinched. “Because it was needed.”

Jesus Christ

Was Kallen right about Drustan’s intentions towards me, despite our vast difference in station? Because if the Fire prince wanted more from me than just an alliance… Well, I wanted more, too.

I mean you can fuck fire man if you want but like Kallen 👀

A firm hand caught my elbow. “Dance with me.” The words weren’t a question but a command. I looked up at Lord Kallen

A tiny cry split the air. Horror crawled down my spine. A baby. There was a baby in that bundle. A small arm extended from the pile of blankets, waving a tiny fist. “No,” Drustan said, beginning to rise, but Osric motioned for silence. Drustan subsided, his face lined with rage. Kallen, too, looked furious. His fists were clenched so tightly the knuckles looked like they would burst through his skin.

I couldn’t stop the tears rolling down my cheeks. I sobbed, aware that I wasn’t the only one crying. Aware, too, of Drustan and Kallen both looking at me with vastly different expressions. Drustan’s was soft and full of grief, but Kallen’s was tormented—the face of someone haunted and damned by the things he’d allowed to happen.

This faerie had been brave enough to stand up for her child. If she had to take this punishment, at least I could be brave enough to witness it.

My eyes blurred at that. “How does anyone have children in Mistei?” “I don’t know.” A tear traced down Lara’s cheek, and she wiped it away. “I thought I wanted to someday, but now…”

Well that’s certainly applicable nowadays

“That was someone’s child,” Lara said, rushing on heedlessly. “The mother—” “Knew the price of disobedience. And the cost of loving anything.”

“No protest would sway the king. And Leo…He was good. He stood with her, was punished by her side. Knowing what would happen after she gave birth, he was desperate to get her and the baby away.” His throat bobbed. “He died trying to find a way through Osric’s wards at the bottom of the hill.” A noise left me, a soft oh of shared grief. “After the birth, Mildritha’s child was taken from her,” Drustan said. “Not even a week later, she killed herself.”

“The human is off-limits,” Kallen said. “She belongs to Earth House.” Garrick had the nerve to laugh. “She’s a human. Why does it matter? She’s worthless.” Kallen moved so quickly I didn’t see more than a black-and-silver blur before his sword rested at Garrick’s throat. “Think carefully before you question my orders.”

No apology to me, of course. I glared at Garrick, wishing him dead. The dagger hummed in agreement.

“Are you well?” Kallen asked once we had descended several levels.

Bruh be fucking for real rn

I’d never felt so free.

Damn bitch 🥵

“No,” Aidan whispered, sounding utterly scandalized. “Kenna, you absolute witch, tell me everything.”

Lara met my eyes across the room, then lifted her chin. “I did. And I would do it again. Are you jealous, Garrick? Maybe you want me to hit you, too.”

Fuck yeah

What if I just left the dagger somewhere and walked away? I hadn’t known it was homicidal when I’d first picked it up.

lol

Do you have a name? I thought suddenly. Caedo.

He laughed. “You’re special for more than one reason. No one’s ever lasted this long, you know. Maybe I like this better after all.”

I just had a horrible thought that this is Anya

“He’s decided it’ll be more entertaining if the contestants are allowed to kill each other.”

Um WAHT

I forced myself to take a deep breath, reaching for reason. I’d only known Drustan for a few months. King Osric had ruled for eight hundred tyrannical years, and this was the first true chance to stop him. Of course Drustan’s cause was more important than me.

I love a reasonable girl

Lara smiled, radiant as the moon. “It’s the first item in your new collection.”

Awww

Kallen had proven himself more complicated, from grieving the changeling to saving me from Garrick to his downright civil behavior tonight. The last thing I wanted was for one of my most confusing enemies to become even more complex—or worse yet, sympathetic.

Or to fuck him

“No one misses me,” Kallen said.

“The danger in looking at the wrong people, Kenna, is that sometimes they want to look back.”

And I did, teaching him a rollicking dance I’d always loved. It wasn’t dignified or elegant, but it was fun. We spun madly, and as he threw his head back and finally laughed freely, I laughed with him.

Okay but I love them

You mean you’re getting a new girl from the brothel?”

It’s Anya

And that dance with Kallen, the way we’d laughed…It had felt like discovering solid ground in a bog where I’d only encountered treacherous mud before.

I cared for Drustan and wanted to be with him openly and proudly.

Honey 😬😬😬😬😬😬