Reign of Stars and Fire (The Broken Kingdoms, #8)

by L.J. Andrews

“Does that actually work?” My lip curled. “Have you ever met someone on the battlefield who simply gave up because you asked?”

“She isn’t worth all this.” Saga was worth my every breath, my every heartbeat. She was not a love I simply felt in my heart, she was a love I tasted, one trimmed on every thought, every touch yearned to be hers.

Hate, vengeance, rage, once fueled every desire, every instinct. Now, a need to protect Saga, an obsession to hold her again, to tell her face to face that I loved her, powered each move.

a whisper filled the room. An unintelligible sound, then a burst of light ignited the small space, flinging the two of us apart.

The beginning of a new story, Ari. A tale of fated paths and the hate desperate to destroy them. Find them, find the bonds, and find those who are still missing. The whisper fluttered through my mind. A voice like Wraith’s, yet my phantom guide was absent.

“Lump, I’m writing a story, and feels like it’s gotta be sappy. I hate sappy, so I’m gonna need your help. You’ve been in love before, right?” Calista.

No mistake, he’d sensed, maybe known for a certainty, the beast of bloodlust had a role to play with the woman beneath him. He’d been the one to bring Valen to slaughter Elise, a way to kill his hjärta before Valen even realized. How could the King of Etta rise without the woman who was destined to end his curse? Flickers of the golden ropes leapt through the shadows. Tor and Halvar as the Blood Wraith’s Shade appeared. Both wrapped in golden ropes, they tugged their beast off the woman they didn’t know and tangled their ropes with hers, unknowingly.

I’d been the one to give the order for Siverie to slaughter Elise. I’d never told my queen the truth.

“Tell me, Davorin,” I shouted, wind whipping my hair over my face. “Did it make you piss yourself to see every attempt to divide us fail? Seems whatever tied us together is made of stronger things than a weakling like you.”

The royals of the North were joined by a fated love, but they were also connected . . . to me. Without my desire to slaughter Elise, I would never have sought her out after Siv went rogue. I would never have learned of her connection to the Blood Wraith. I’d never have manipulated her into bringing him to me. I would never have found . . . my family.

I spun on my heel and chased the wild vortex. I wanted to keep going, wanted to see how the tangled web we’d treaded for turns came to be, how it ended.

Davorin glared at me and hunched over his knees. His face contorted into a cruel wince when all I returned was a smug wink, stretched out my arms, and let the power of the storm pull me down.

Hells, I missed her snarls and anger. Fight me all day, so long as she loved me in the night.

With every twist, and every tale witnessed, Davorin’s darkness had been there, battling with the pull of the fate spell cast the night the fate king discovered his betrayal.

Davorin would greet the Otherworld in pieces. Then, when he passed over, I’d find a way to follow, and cut him into smaller bits.

The children opened the paths? All this time, I thought the king had written the curse that created the broken kingdoms, but the paths that would split to different worlds, only to bring us back together again, were caused by . . . the littles.

“The king did not sing the song of a beast and his rogue queen, nor of a thief and her dark love. He did not sing of a broken-hearted raven and her golden king. Riot Ode’s song divided his power over magicks. He gave his gifts to the land to hide for others to find. He sacrificed his life for a curse that went against a natural order. It destroyed him but allowed another’s song to take shape.”

“Our song was to protect the raven princess from more pain. I didn’t realize by singing her a tale of a love that would be gentle and passionate and honorable would unravel a world.”

When the battle lord grew too powerful, the fate king realized he had a new way for his power to live on, a hope that the gods-magic could rise stronger against an enemy he could not destroy.”

Seidr was the vein where all the magicks were held. Even the gift of memory walking like the shadow queen you know. The lands are more connected than you’ve realized, and now you have seen that you were the catalyst for uniting them. The Golden King and his Raven Queen were the first song of a new path. The first tale that opened the way for others.”

have need for you to cease whatever is going on here, wife. I need to see you and touch you, or I will grow rather violent.”

“You are my every sunrise,”

“You are my every sunset,”

Ari’s chest rumbled in a kind of growl. “Woman,” he whispered, nipping at the lobe of my ear. “If I do not have your mouth on mine in the next moment, I will opt to go back to sleep and try all this again.”

In an instant, Niklas fell inside as though he’d been leaning on the door. Next, Stefan fumbled over his boots. Halvar was the last to enter, blade drawn, and stepped over them. The first knight stilled. “Ari, you bleeding bastard.”

Bo lifted his eyes once, and he caught Ari’s glare. He tried to turn away. “Look at me,” Ari snapped. He tugged me fully behind his body. “You come as close as you did to getting my wife killed, and I swear to you I’ll spend weeks sending you to the Otherworld.”

“Ah, dearest Lord Gorm,” Ari said, smiling. “I’ve missed your sentiments the most.” “I doubt my voice was missed over the queen’s.” “It was a close call.”

had a frozen heart for turns, but nothing has felt so empty as this time without you.”

A sigh that was meant for satisfaction, but one that had my thighs clenching. “Be careful what wicked sounds come from your throat, husband.” Ari peered over his shoulder. “Why is that, wife?”

“Not until I get what I want. My name. Off your tongue. Loud enough every kingdom can hear it.” He kissed me again. It was more than a kiss—it was sheer, seductive dominance.

“Too much,” I breathed through a moan. “Gods, oh gods, Ari.” “Then let it take you,” he said dragging his tongue between the cleavage of my chest. “Fall apart, I swear I’ll be there to catch you. Your pleasure is my pleasure.”

“Never have I seen anything so stunning.”

“I love you, Saga,” he said softly. “Life with you is my greatest honor.”

Perhaps someday I would be able to take more than ten paces away from my wife. Tonight was not that time.

figured my presence had been missed long enough and you all knew how to truly appreciate me now.”

The next person who tried to take me from my wife would sleep with my knife in their eye.

a new trick,” she muttered flatly, as though she hated that she’d done it. “Don’t you like my voice, thieving prince?” “Her power is growing and changing,” I said, ignoring Calista’s

Within a snake’s mouth lies a key to the past. Beyond the gates of stars resides the final task.

We’d tear the isles to pieces, no matter the casualties, to keep each other breathing. Preferably, breathing together.

“We’ve all fought wars. We’ve all lied, tricked, schemed. This bastard might be the flame behind our hate, but he does not know us. He does not know what we become when those we love are in harm’s way. Everyone here fights for people they love. Not because we hate the battle lord.” The prince chuckled darkly. “Dreams of being the one to take his head are merely an added benefit.”

“Four.” Calista raised her hand. “If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times. We might not be much to look at, but some say Raven Row houses the history of the first kingdom.” I smirked when she laughed, smacking her brother’s arm like it was a grand jest.

“All we’ve got is a mad king who hates the sun. Or so I hear. That’s why I said history, as in the past. We’re all just the rotten leftovers.” Ari folded his arms over his chest. “Odd to live in a place where no one knows much about the governing body, no one even thinks much of them, yet no one has made a rush for power?” It was strange. Thoughts for the Western royalty were like a flicker of light before the wind snuffed it out. Ari made a good argument—why didn’t the Western Kingdom have skirmishes or tensions or any significant trade we of other lands discussed?

“Good my husband remembered he had a wife and stopped chatting.” “Your husband does not remember his name at the moment.” I kicked off my boots. “Tell me why you’re pressing those perfect breasts to the window for anyone to see? Those belong to me, or must I remind you?”

“You’ve got my ass against the pane where anyone might see, yet you look ready to hide under the covers,” I said.

“You ought to know, I realized I’m violently in love with you.” “You’ve only just realized this?” I grinned. “As in, I think I will cause a great deal of violence in your name and there would not be a drop of guilt.” I hesitated. “I told you once you thawed me, too, and you have. I have never, nor will I ever, feel this way about anyone. Whatever happens, know that.”

Davorin wanted to take this from me, from us. He could try. He would lose.

“They wouldn’t remember. The curse, it divided us all. Gave us new histories. It erased lives according to Wraith.

“Ari, Saga.” Cuyler called. A curse and what sounded like a slap to the head followed. “Gods, father.” Gorm’s deep hiss must’ve been a chastisement for his son. “I’m sorry,” Cuyler said, “but they’re rather informal for a king and queen.” Saga and I shared a look and laughed.

“There is no need, My Queen,” Gorm called to me. “We will not let a hand bring you harm.” “Good. For Ari too?” Gorm arched a thick brow. “It is customary for warriors to protect both a king and queen, My Lady.” “There.” I patted Ari’s chest. “You hear that? Gorm shall protect you.”

“Lies. I’m too wonderful to despise in earnest. I even convinced enemies to love me.” Ari patted Elise’s back. “Which reminds me, I’m afraid you must stop this endless pining over me, Elise; I am a vowed man now.”