The Second Death of Locke (The Hand and the Heart, #1)

by V.L. Bovalino

Get out. Now. As soon as you can. They never need you as much as you need them.

He smirked at her, and oh. She could often pretend that she and Kier were nothing more than the most devoted of friends, but sometimes the ache in her chest was difficult to ignore.

Oh indeed

No, she would not leave him. But perhaps, someday, it would be far easier for her heart if she did.

I love a good yearn

He never used too much of her, no matter what she said, and that was the truth—however much he needed was just as much as she was willing to give.

She’d seen too much of him, opened him up too many times and sealed him shut, felt the nodules of his bones and the slick heat of his bare muscles.

Thats intimate and hot in a way I will not unpack

My love is yours, as that which beats within my heart is yours, and that which powers the fabric of the world is yours through mine own hand. Take from me, that I may be thine.

Keep it close to your chest, Maryse. True names are for Hands and husbands.

Oh I cannot wait for him to use the full name

“It wouldn’t matter to me,” he said, “if you were.” She threw an arm over her face to hide her wince. It was, quite possibly, the worst thing he could’ve said. She wanted him to care. She could’ve fallen on her knees right then and there and begged him to care.

Ugh. Men.

“I promise on your true name and your taken, Gremaryse Pellatisa Carnelion Masidic Locke, sworn Seward, Grey Flynn, that I will not die on you.”

Not what I meant but I'll take it

He knew every single thing about her except for that clawing, desperate want.

“You are a vision, even with blood clots in your hair. But I don’t know if all would share my depraved tastes.”

My god

She was still squeezing Grey’s hand and ruining the bit of bread, still just a girl who’d run away from safety into something she didn’t understand—but Grey understood better than anyone that little girls grew up, and little girls with titles grew into rulers with power.

It was always meant to be this, she could see now, looking up at Kier and watching him look back. The two of them together, dying like this, so close that years from now, someone would come back to this place and find their bones locked together.

Oh the romance is devastating