The Ragpicker King (The Chronicles of Castellane, #2)

by Cassandra Clare

Even last night, she had dreamed of a dark-haired woman with fire spilling from her hands and of a man turning to ash against a white marble pillar.

“Forget anything Jerrod or I may have said about the dangers of murdering Gremont,” Kel said, his voice low but surprisingly steady. “Go ahead and kill him.” Merren did not look surprised. He did, however, look relieved. “I’m so glad you said that.” He exhaled. “You see, I’ve already poisoned his wine.”

“For you, no. For him, perhaps. Has anyone warned him you tear princes into little pieces?”

I saw you dancing with Lin, she wants to say. I saw the way you looked at her, and the way she looked at you. It must tear you apart not to get what you want.

The magician and the stone must then travel together to the caves of Sulemon, where, having passed the Halls of Hewn Stone, the gem must be cleansed in the Place of Bitter Water before it being bound unto the Sorcerer whose power it will hold.

And for the Gods’ sake, if I ask you to do something and you know it to be stupid and dangerous, tell me no. Refuse me, the way you like to do.”

“Please. I am not ordering you away from the King. I am begging you, for my sake. Go now.”

Yet nothing, nothing, has ever infuriated me the way you do.”

“Let me feel your muscles,” Zofia commanded, and Aron blushed again but obeyed with good humor, letting Zofia squeeze his arm and exclaim that she hadn’t felt a biceps like this one since she’d been the lover of Ruthless Nestor, the most fearsome pirate ever to sail the seas until Laurent Aden.

let me take a bite

“If you could cut this fascination out of me, like a cancer, oh, I would let you. For it has tortured me, Lin.

“I acknowledge you,” Aron said, “as the Goddess who has been promised. And I present myself as your guardian, as my ancestor Judah Makabi guarded the Shekinah Adassa during the fall of Aram.”

I am Asher Benezar, I was exiled by my father. I think you know my story.