Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)

by Devney Perry

“Not all monsters are born from the gods, my queen. Some of us were made.”

“Sore, my queen? We’ll have to add riding to your training regimen. That, or being ridden. I’ll have a word with Zavier.”

A breeze drifted in from the open window. And he was livid. “Hello, my queen.” Well, fuck.

Did you ever stop to think that maybe the door to your cage has always been unlocked, Sparrow? And all you had to do was push it open?

“I hate you.” It should have broken the moment. It should have pissed him off. But he stared at me like I was something to behold. Something to cherish. Something to protect. “Yes, you do,” he said. “Don’t forget.” “Never.”

“Odessa, wait.” It wasn’t his order that made me stop. It was my name. I was always Cross or Sparrow or my queen. But rarely Odessa. I’d never loved my name more.

“You asked for my name,” he said. “You told me I had to earn it.” He nodded. “Ransom. My name is Ransom.”

Ransom closed the gap between us in a single stride, his hands framing my face, fingertips diving into my hair. His eyes changed as they searched mine. Not silver. Not hazel. Not even emerald green. They turned gold. The same gold I saw each morning in my mirror. “You are mine, Odessa.” It was a growl, more animal than human. And the shiver that cascaded down my spine might as well have been my own blades, cleaving me in two. Mine. It was everything I’d wanted to hear for weeks. It was the lie that shattered my heart.

“We shouldn’t have to fight this hard, Ransom,” I whispered. Love shouldn’t come with this many lies. “Why not? Isn’t this what we should be fighting for?”

“Ransom.” He smirked. “Odessa.” “I don’t like holding hands.” “How do you know? You’ve never held mine.”