Dance of Kings and Thieves (The Broken Kingdoms, #6)

by L.J. Andrews

“Is she . . . the queen?” Malin asked. “She is. Elise. Mouthy, pushy, and I urge you not to believe a thing she says about me.”

“Queen Malin, I should tell you, I find your husband to be disagreeable, quick-tempered, and in most settings, wholly unpleasant.”

“That extends to everyone in your family as well. You heard me, Nightrender. We’re family.” Then, the queen looked forward again. Malin leaned close to my ear. “I think she will beat you down before this is over, Kase Eriksson.” “Have some faith in my stubbornness, wife.”

“I’m thinking my wife looked like a bleeding queen out there tonight. I’m thinking I’ve kept my hands off her long enough.”

Hells, I did not take orders well, but for Kase Eriksson? He could command me to burn the world and I would ask him to light the torch.

“I want you to watch me worship you,” he said in a hoarse voice. “I’ve always worshiped you. No crown, no ring, no bleeding kingdom will ever change that.”

In truth, the only safe place to me was in the arms of a killer, of a thief, of my husband.

“Your tone is harsh.” “I am always harsh,”

“What if only death awaits?” Herja hesitated. “Then you must make certain you fight for something worth dying for.”

“Instinct to survive led you here. By doing so, you found your arrow in the darkness. What if your instincts are more aligned with the Norns than you give yourself credit for? You depend a great deal on your sight, but there is a brain in your head, and you’ve used it to stay alive thus far.”

She would die for me. I would do the same. But I would make sure we lived for each other first.

“But there is a bloodlust in my brother we do not understand. I fear what he will become should he sink deeper into this darkness.” “Perhaps it is the darkness within us all that will win this battle,”

What I had learned about fear was it did not amount to weakness. Fear gave us power if we chose to use the terrors of our hearts to stir our blood, to pick up our swords, to kill for, and defend what we loved.

“Share your crown, step into darkness, and beastly ways may be forgotten. The light of his heart will brighten the night.”

“Woman, if you do not know by now that I would follow you anywhere, then I have failed in the worst way,” he whispered against her lips. “You’ve earned your first battle scar, and I will look at it every damn day with a bit of awe for its beauty.”

Hate burns with love when moonlight makes hidden truths known. Follow the raven and heal a broken crown and broken heart.