Shield of Sparrows (Shield of Sparrows, #1)

by Devney Perry

Though considering the fifteen-year age difference, I wasn’t holding my breath.

ewww lol

The Guardian. A man rumored to be more vicious and deadly than any creature crafted by the gods.

“Her.” The Guardian’s eyes flicked in my direction, and the whole room followed his gaze. To me. “Prince Zavier will marry her,” he declared. “Tonight. As the bride prize for killing your marroweels.”

Since the Shield of Sparrows, the five kingdoms had endured, surviving nine migrations.

And then, the laws that bound husband to wife. A King cannot kill his Sparrow, and a Sparrow cannot kill her King, either directly or indirectly, without death befalling them both.

“You can stop, Odessa,” Zavier said. I shook my head. “I can hold it.” “You’ll drop it on your toe.” “I’m fine.” Gods. I was going to drop this sword on my toe.

lolll

And the dark-green blood seeping from its slit throat.

the other one was red

And what I saw made my knees buckle. This wasn’t the same man I’d been verbally sparring with for weeks. This wasn’t the same man who’d taunted me relentlessly. This man was a monster.

Im lostttt

“There was something wrong with those bariwolves, wasn’t there? It’s the green blood.” Those beasts had been sick. “Yes.”

“We kill the monsters. We kill them all. Every last one.” Him. He meant to kill the monsters. Then himself. He smirked, his arrogant mask falling into place. “Just think of how happy your father will be when I’m dead. You can even tell him you killed me, just like he asked. My queen the assassin.”

And the king himself had an imposing figure, as tall and broad as Ransom.

“What happened with his brother?” I asked. “I killed him.” That, I already knew. “Why?” “Because he was the man who took those girls in Westor.”

OH.

It wasn’t that he’d chosen Jocelyn. It was that he hadn’t chosen me. Why was I never the first choice? Why was I always the consolation prize? With Father. With Margot. With my tutors. And now with Zavier.

wait im crying

He was going to set me free with his death.

“She’s not my daughter, Odessa,” Ransom said, and the breath I’d been holding rushed past my lips. “She’s my sister.”

And I have made peace with my destiny. But before I step into my grave, my choice is you.”

Make it stop. Make the burning stop. I swore to serve my king and burn burn burn. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Me? Why would Ramsey want to kill me? Or had that man only been talking nonsense?

Her eyes softened. Eyes a familiar, rich forest green.

Knew itttt

“She can’t. She took a blood oath.” I reached for his hand, linking our fingers. “So she’s been feeding me information instead. Books and journals. Ideas and tales. So that I might put it together and be the one to tell you the truth, since she’s sworn to secrecy.”

TEA

There was an intricate etching on the cover. A winged emblem. The same emblem on the pendant I wore around my neck.

They stared at the army beyond the walls, probably wondering why we’d bar entrance to soldiers wearing the Turan crest and the king—their king.

oh tea they evillll

Banner.

TEAAAAAAA

Jocelyn twisted, waving someone forward. Brielle appeared at her side, and when she spotted us all, a strangled cry came from her throat. “Banner?” Relief washed over his face as he opened his arms. “Brielle.”

UR LYINGGGGGG

Hot tears dripped to the dirt at my boots. “I love you.” “Yes, you do. Don’t forget.” “Never.” “Neither will I.” His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I will find you. Here, or in the shades.”

There should have been a monster’s lifeless body in the courtyard. There should have been a winged beast with my sword in its chest. Instead, I’d pulled my sword from this woman’s body. A woman with red hair, the spiraling curls a mix of orange and strawberry and copper.

ODESSA IS A CRUX????????

“Where are you going?” Cathlin called. I kept walking. “To find my wife.”

period king