A Vow of Embers (The Eye of the Goddess, #2)

by Sariah Wilson

Jason, the sailor I had foolishly fancied myself in love with, was the prince of Ilion. He had spent every moment of our time together trying to trick me into declaring my love for him so that he could bind me to him, making it impossible for me to refuse to marry him.

she was Alexandros’s sister, a princess of Ilion. I wondered if she had told them how she had betrayed my trust and brought her brother to the gates of the temple in a misguided attempt to protect me. She believed that I was the savior from some prophecy, destined to save Ilion, and thought that the prince could keep me safe.

It was strange to be so murderously furious with someone but still able to appreciate a tiny gesture like this that they had made.

“Look at this,” Ahyana breathed, and when I saw what she was holding, my throat went completely dry. It was a black pearl necklace.

“But embers mean that the fire is still there. It can be revived. You only have to breathe on them to bring them back to life. And the tiniest of embers can create the mightiest of flames.”

“Mother says I need to marry a princess when I’m older. Perhaps I’ll grow up and marry you after Alexandros is gone.”

People didn’t tell you about that part of grief—how pieces of that person would slip away from you bit by bit until you had nothing left.

“Just because things have always been done that way doesn’t mean you have to keep doing

Xander stepped into the room and I had never seen him this angry. He burned with glorious, righteous wrath, here to mete out divine punishment to anyone who dared oppose him. “Get away from my wife!” he roared.

He dropped his sword and came over to me, picking me up in his arms. I clung to him, shivering. Not only because I was cold and wet and naked but because I had been so sure I was going to die. He took me back into the bedroom and sat me down on the bed. He let go of me and I didn’t want that. I needed him. “Don’t leave me,” I pleaded. “I’m not leaving you,” he said. He grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around me tightly, then pulled me into his lap. “I won’t ever leave you again.”

My last thought before I drifted off was that lying in Xander’s arms made me feel like I had come home.

Reflections are always true. But they may not be the way that we’re accustomed to seeing ourselves.

“Maybe that’s the secret,” Ahyana said. “Being afraid but doing it anyway.”

will not share you with any man. You belong to me. The sooner you realize that, the better. I will kill anyone who touches you.”

“The gods and goddesses quarrel with one another over the hearts of mortals as they draw their strength from those who believe.”

You have no idea the power you have over me. How I would give anything if you would only put your hands on me. Your lips. Your tongue. I would scale any mountain, cross any sea, slay any dragon, just for the chance to be with you. I would let you break me apart and rebuild me any way that you wished. You constantly fight with me over everything, determined to win, without realizing that you already have.”

It’s not just your body that I want. I would have it along with your mind, your heart, and your soul.”

“You only have to ask,” Xander said as he struggled with another knot. “I would kill for you. Lay waste to nations. Let the world burn, if you wanted it.”

you belong to me and I belong to you.”

I should have spent time learning. I wanted to be a warrior riding into a possible battle but instead I was in a cart. Like a turnip.

I had never felt so alone. Until I remembered that I was not alone. I didn’t have to do everything by myself. There were so many people who cared for me, and I could rely on them, depend on them.

I didn’t know what was waiting for us, but I did know that with the people I loved by my side, we would stop the darkness. We would save Ilion and Locris. All of us together. Many for one.