The Dawn of the Cursed Queen (Gods & Monsters, #3)

by Amber V. Nicole

Apparently, her maker, Kabitch—sorry, my pen slipped—Kaden

If I must die a fiery death at her hands… I just hope I go with my Xavi.

Samkiel was a light.

“Come on my tongue, akrai,”

Wicked, wicked girl.”

“Only for you.”

“Treacherous.” Thrust “Filthy.” Thrust “Woman.”

my Dianna…”

“Or akrai.”

“That’s my girl,” he groaned. “My pretty, pretty girl.”

“You are divine.”

I hoped it gave him at least a moment of peace.

I hoped he only glowed for me.

He still struggled with them at night, new nightmares haunting him now. I hated it and vowed to burn the world in retaliation for what it took from him.

Samkiel needs to be if we encounter them because if they raise a weapon to him, try to hurt him, Hand or not, I'll kill them myself."

"You are amata. I'd expect no less."

"Reggie, I will. I just don't know how, and a part of me worries that if I say it out loud, he will disappear. You know, I watch him sleep just to make sure he's breathing. I feel like I am going insane."

I'm carving a path of blood and destruction to hide him from the world.

Samkiel gets worn out even with the smallest use of power right now. He thinks I don't notice, but I notice everything about him.

"No matter what, I will kill anyone and everything to make sure she doesn't find him. Even if he hates me or I die in the process."

"It was the one with the ponytail, wasn't it? She's always watching him. I wonder if anyone would notice if I pushed her off the balcony. Wait, can they fly?"

“Dianna,” I said, raising a single brow. “You’re being mean.”

My Dianna set my whole body aflame. She always did, even when I was too stupid to realize what was between us. She was my living flame.

When she looked at me, touched me, and spoke to me with admiration and determination, I truly believed I was more than enough.

I already had the biggest reward life could have offered me. It was her. It was always her.

“I thought we were pretty serious,”

“I am not jealous. That would assume Roccurem is better than me, which he isn’t.”

“There’s that cocky god we all adore.”

I wished for her to trust me, to love me enough to tell me everything, to share her thoughts and dreams with me. I was just so damned scared to ask for it. If it wasn’t freely given, was it truly love?

“I apologize. I suppose I am irrational, especially when it comes to you. It’s just the mark has not formed. There is no binding letting everyone know you are truly mine.”

My strong, beautiful girl.

I did not tell her I remembered telling her I loved her or that she did not say it back. That part I kept to myself, fear a heavy, dreadful thing that told me no matter what we did or shared, she did not love me.

If he was the sun, by the old gods, she was the moon. Powerful, dark, and overbearing at times. She never left him, nor he her, as if they danced around each other for eternity. He didn’t respond but smiled and shook his head before turning to me.

“I prefer no killing, my akrai.

“It’s just for fun.” “Why would being with another be fun for me?”

“With all due respect, akrai, do not compare me to him or what you’ve experienced with your past lovers. I don’t need nor want any other form but the one you wear daily. Do you understand?”

“You might not have, but that is how it came across. You, Dianna, my dark-haired, fiery vixen, are and will always be enough for me. No shape or form or thing you bend to will ever make any part of me swell, as you put it, like you. Understand?”

Perhaps it was truly a funny thing not to realize how broken or damaged you were until someone came along and picked up every single fractured piece and showed you how just being you was enough.

“While you can take any shape you want, your true form is the one I prefer. So no, not even on your best day.”

“There’s my girl.” “There’s my girl.”

I had seen stars and moons far larger than my own, which astonished me. But nothing compared to this powerful, beautiful, handsome god king shoving his heart toward me and praying I did not hurt it. He was by far the most shocking and wondrous thing I had ever experienced.

I smiled weakly at Samkiel. He was learning how to lie for me. I was so proud.

But I think my favorite thing about him was how he never seemed to want to leave Xio’s side. He looked at her as if she hung the stars.

which one has a crush on my Cedaar?”

do you really think I need someone to protect me?” Cedaar made a face. “Yes. Have you met you?”

I was half afraid that if I didn’t heal soon, she would start threatening the healers or, worse, burn the whole damn place and send it to the seafloor.

My last thought was and always would be her.

All I know is that I can’t lose him. I wouldn’t survive it.

“I would have loved you then, too.”

“Remember, I love you…”