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September 24 - October 2, 2025
“I’m going to rip your hands off.” He stepped to the side just a few inches. “That’s not going to happen either.” I stalked toward him, the tips of my fingers stinging. “Then I’m going to beat you with your own fucking hands.”
What really got me—what sank its claws into me—was that Poppy hadn’t entrusted me with her fear of losing control. She hadn’t come to me. And she knew better. Poppy knew I was her shelter. Her home. The foundation that helped her stand. At least, I’d believed her when she told me that. But she’d lied. Poppy didn’t truly believe that. And that cut so fucking deep that it left a gaping wound I wasn’t sure could be stitched.
“Casteel,” Kieran whispered softly, his concern thick in my throat. “I’m going in with you.” It was a statement. And a warning. “Fine.” I cleared my throat as I stared straight ahead. The shit that had gone down between us had no place beyond this door. “I’m going to need your help in there.” “You have it,” he said, his voice low. “Always.”
“I have no idea what that means.” His raspy chuckle caused my heart to swell. “You will,” he said. “One day, when you least expect it, you’ll understand.”
lol me and Jen every chapter
“Who did that to your neck?” She lifted her fingers to the bruises. “Damn it, I was hoping they’d fade.” “They didn’t,” I bit out. “Who did it, and where are they?” Her shoulders tensed. “I’m okay.” “That’s not an answer, Poppy.” She let out a sigh, her back bowing slightly. “They’re somewhere you can’t go—” Eather thrummed in my core. “Wanna bet?”
His cold nose grazed my neck, and the emotion I picked up from his was the softest, sweetest kind of love. You should let go before Cas castrates me. Delano’s fur muffled my laugh. He would never. “I’m starting to get jealous,” Casteel remarked.
Sliding his hands to my arms, he pulled back with a grin that was all sharp edges and bad choices. “My Queen, you look even more lovely than before.” “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” Casteel muttered as Delano prowled to my side once more, eyeing the Elemental like he wanted to take a bite out of his leg.
“It’s true. You’re Sotoria.”
I know we all guessed this, but still to have it confirmed UGH THE AGONYYYYY
“But to Kolis…” “He will see you as Sotoria.” She confirmed what I knew already. The rush of icy fury that rolled off Casteel caused my heart to skip. I turned to him without conscious thought, our gazes locking. “Then I will take his eyes, and he will see nothing,” he gritted out. “That, I promise you.”
Casteel leaned in and folded his hand around the nape of my neck. It was as if we were the only ones at the table. “If you need that, then so do I. It’s as simple as that.” I could hear my heart pounding. “No, it’s not.” “It is.” Casteel pulled me toward him until our faces were only inches apart as he said, “Because I will never be at peace if you’re not.”
“Mother and Father are fighting,” Emil remarked under his breath. “Again.”
“That’s exactly what you’re saying—what you’ve been saying,” Casteel fired back. “You don’t trust that I will do the right thing.” Air hitched in my lungs. “And I don’t understand now, just like I didn’t understand before, why you would say that.” Casteel didn’t respond. “Can you explain it?” I asked, my heart thumping. “I’m sure Kieran can.”
“Would you trust that I could keep you level? That I would be able to stop you from losing control?” My chest stuttered. “Yes,” I whispered. Casteel inhaled sharply. “That’s a lie, Poppy.” “No, it’s not—” “If it was true, you never would’ve,” he cut in, slicing his hand through the air, “asked Kieran to be the one to put you in the ground.”
