A Thorn in Every Heart (Enchanted Legacies, #1)

by Kate King

“I told you, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. As long as I’m breathing, no one will touch you.”

“You have to tell her not to bring up flying,” Kastian mutters under his breath.

I’ll play nice as long as possible, pretending to be the perfect loyal soldier, but if anyone tries to hurt Alix or any of my friends, I won’t be caught off guard the way I was ninety years ago. This time, I’ll fucking kill them all—even Thorne.

“‘Your Highness,’ is it? Wasn’t it just yesterday that you were telling me to go fuck myself?”

He sounds unhinged, and…hot? I don’t like when guys have too much alpha male energy, and I definitely don’t go for roided-out psychopaths. So why am I suddenly warm all over?

“Belle doesn’t swear.” I raise an eyebrow, momentarily distracted from what I’m upset about. “Um, yes, she does. Whose fault do you think it was when I called my kindergarten teacher a cun⁠—”

“You seemed fine with him kissing you,” he grumbles. “Okay, fine. I can see you’re determined to be dense about this.”

“It’s always winter?” I ask, popping my finger back out of my mouth. “Do you mean it’s just a cold climate or⁠—” “It’s always winter,” he repeats. “The seasons never change anymore.” Okay…weird distinction, but I’m willing to go with it. At least we’re talking about something. “Did they used to change?” I ask.

Daemon has always sounded slightly Irish to me, while Kastian, Odessa, and Jett sound British.

“You were busy,” I say. “I’m not going to wait around for any man. My time and attention belong to people who are thinking about no one but me.” Without warning, his hand shoots out and lands on the wall behind my head, boxing me in. He leans down so his mouth is mere inches from mine and bares his teeth. “Then I should get every single minute of your fucking attention.”

Meanwhile, I’m supposed to be acting like I’m in love with the king, but he and I can’t even seem to manage a polite conversation. When Thorne looks at me, there’s absolutely no heat, but when Daemon and I snap at each other, there is enough heat to light the damn building on fire.

“Stay close to me. I don’t want you getting lost.” I roll my eyes. “Yes, Daddy.” His eyes flash with something like interest and he grips my arm tighter. “Say that again.”

“The only thing that would make me happier is if there’s a music store around here. If you could get me a new violin, I wouldn’t just let you spank me, I’d marry you in a heartbeat.”

“I call Thorne by his first name and treat him differently than everyone else because I’ve known him my entire life. He’s my older brother.”

Fae males don’t leave their partners. Ever. There’s a kind of…shift that takes place once you meet the right person. Once that instinct kicks in, we become entirely loyal for the rest of our lives. It’s not a choice, it’s⁠—” “An instinct,” I finish for him, thinking of the curse.

“Back me up. Tell her how all you guys act like virgins in a brothel the second you see a human.”

Still, I feel an overwhelming compulsion to get her because she’s mine. I don’t understand it.

He’s blatantly not interested in her—it’s clear from the way he doesn’t want to be around her, and doesn’t even seem to be aware of her presence. I can barely stop myself from watching her long enough to have this conversation, but Thorne is very clearly not suffering from the same obsession. But does that mean there’s something wrong with him? Or is there something wrong with me?

“Thousands of years ago, Fae had wings all the time, but they evolved past it. Now the wings only come out in moments of intense emotion.”

Males tend to show their wings around their soul-bonds, even before the bond has fully formed.

“Because the second we start moving, your pretty little cunt won’t be so pretty anymore. You’ll be so sore you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

I do not want to think about that because some stupid part of me is dying to be a part of some perfect little family unit, and the last thing I need is to forget that I don’t belong here.

“To my ear, we’re speaking Thermian. The continent of Ellender is enchanted with universal language.” Oh. Huh.

“You know, men should be more open to smut. I’ve learned so much from books like this.” I feel his eyes on me, and heat creeps up my neck. “You’ve learned a lot, huh?” “Um…yeah.” I lick my lips. Maybe that wasn’t a thought I should have said out loud. He smirks. “By all means, share with the class.”

“I told you the next time you touched her, I’d make sure it was the fucking last!” Daemon roars, his face contorted with rage.

“Good. If you knew half the things I’ve thought about doing to any male who looks at you, you should be afraid. As long as I’m breathing, no one will fucking touch you, because I’ll kill them and fuck you in their blood.”

“You’re fucking mine, Alix, and no one but me will ever touch you again.”

“Sorry, mate. Believe me, I know. An incomplete bond makes you feel fucking crazy.” I just nod, even though that makes no sense. Kastian hasn’t formed a bond with anyone yet. And hopefully, neither have I.

“Tu es tellement belle que je ne peux pas me contrôler en ta présence.”

“Je suis amoureux de toi, mais tu vas être ma mort.” “What does that mean?” “It means you’re a beautiful demon sent here to torture me.”

“Tu te sens tellement bien Pêches. Je ne désirerai jamais personne d’autre que toi.”

“Je pense que tu es mon soul-bond,” he says, breaking our kiss. My entire body is loose and lazy, but at those words, my eyes widen and I pull back from him again.

“I don’t know where you’re from or what kind of world you grew up in, but here, if the king tells you to go to his bed, you do it.” “That’s horrific,” I snap. “That kind of person shouldn’t be king at all.” She laughs. “Wouldn’t it be nice if we could choose our rulers, but alas, that’s not the way things work.

“I wore that necklace for years, Ali. How do you think I look so good for my age? Don’t tell your mother, but I think she’s older than I am now by a few years, at least.”

Before I sent her away, I was almost sure that Alix was my soul-bond. Now, I’m positive. Being without her is physically painful, like I cut off my own right arm and let the wounds fester.

“You just said it! Thorne only loves himself. He never soul-bonded anyone even though he’s been married multiple times. He didn’t even seem to care for his parents. You’re his brother, and he obviously doesn’t love you.”

The sound of cracking bones and tearing flesh fills the air as I twist his head around and forcibly rip it from his shoulders and his lifeless body crumples to the ground.

“I fucking love you, Alix. I love you–” he looks back at his friends “—I love all of you, but I can’t protect any of you. I’ve exhausted everything I can think of and it wasn’t enough, so you have to go. I’d gladly sacrifice my last minutes with you if it means you’re safe.”

That doesn’t feel random, it feels like fate, and maybe I’ve never believed in fate before but I like the idea that Alix was always meant for me.

“Pulling her pigtails on the playground?” “Yeah,