Feathers So Vicious (Court of Ravens, #1)

by Liv Zander

Which meant that I needed to convince Malyr to marry me.

If I managed to have his child in my belly before I freed Marla, or at least have him think that I might,

“But I insist on six weeks to…” get pregnant, “come up with a plan.”

“Lie down over my lap so we may begin with your atonement.” “Pardon me?”

“What can I say? She came to me, wanting to atone.”

Im geeked. The way he keeps using the word "atoned"

But most of all, I ached for Malyr’s shockingly controlled touch.

“Such a fucking good girl,” Sebian crooned,

“Given how you took her maidenhead, it’s only fair that I get what’s left of it. I want her.” He wants me.

“She moaned your name in her sleep.” “Did you, sweetheart?

“You have no idea how tight she is, Malyr. Fuck, you feel so good, sweetheart. So fucking good.” Sebian

“We are deathweavers, Malyr. If we don’t feed death to our shadows, they will feed on whatever is in reach. Stop. Fearing. Them.”

That I had once shoved my anoa into a flour sack and tried to drown him in a river hadn’t exactly helped my relationship with that bird…

My eyes fell to my amulet that hung on a leather string from his neck, making me want to clench my eyes shut in shame. The white stone dangled inches from my face, worthless to anyone in this world… but worth the world to me. It belonged to my anoaley. My fated mate.

“I have to say, pretty Raven boy, I am growing rather impatient with this nasty… shadow business around those cursed lands of yours,” Brisden said.

So thats where Lorn got that name from and that explains why he flipped tf out

The barrel tipped slightly beneath me as the first stab violated me, burning and ripping, letting a shout tear from my lungs and urine trickle down my inner thigh. He forced himself deeper until his skin slapped against mine, hurting me, grunting in pleasure while I whimpered in pain.

Oh. My. God.

My cheeks warmed, reminding me of how good he’d felt inside me. How gentle and patient he’d been. How he’d made love to me… … in front of my betrothed. And at my betrothed’s request, just to add to my confusion.

“Do you know that he likes his vent tickled? Do you know he’s a fucking fa—”

Until I turned, sensing all heat dissipate from my cheeks at the sight of Malyr. He leaned with his shoulder against a stone column wearing a fine tunic, looking all sorts of wrong. Because he was smiling.

“Gallows on a cliff, with the sea stretched out behind it. A golden-haired woman’s body dangling from a noose, drowning beneath salty waves.” A vision.

“And here I thought I would certainly find you sleeping in the stables come morning.” “Why would I? It’s much warmer between your wife’s legs,” Sebian murmured, flashing Malyr a lopsided smirk.

“Lord Aros of House Batana,” Sebian said. “He’s Lorn’s fated mate.” Him.

gave me a wink. “Or I might just do it.” Again that flutter in my belly,

Males often gift beautiful objects to a female in courtship, they said. Nothing but Ravens quarreling for power.

Gods be merciful, Malyr’s reaction when he’d found the ribbon on me made so much more sense now! The raven the night of the storm? It hadn’t attacked me. It had courted me!

Shiiiii

My breath hitched at his possessive tone, the warning that growled through his voice. He sounded angry. Enraged. Jealous?

Sebian leaned into me, running a finger down my thigh behind the privacy of the tablecloth before he whispered, “Take it from his mouth, sweetheart.”

I opened my eyes, only to find his closed. Until people clapped. Malyr ripped his eyes open. We both jerked back

Lmaooo

“Yeh ash valtem haron fer’ya. I will forever provide for you.” My lungs stopped mid-inhale, giving room for his words to resonate as the edges of my vision speckled. Why did he sound as if he meant it?

A familiar tune. One that whirled through my chest, stirring up a tangle of shock. This was not a Raven dance.

Dont fw me rn!

I’d heard a hundred times—during celebrations in Tidestone’s great hall, betrothal feasts in the courtyard, and my dancing lessons with Risa. But… but how could this be?

So he intended to hate me until his death. Understood.

“Fated only to end in emotional tragedy.”

“Yeh ash valtem flig ak’ya,” he said quickly, releasing his hold of me just as fast as he mumbled, “I will forever fly with you.”

“I’ve seen him do many things to many women, but never that.” Sebian

“We have to be careful.” Sebian stroked his fingertip over my lips, painting them with my arousal. “Or there’ll be a little prince or princess in the cradle ten months from now, and we can both scratch our heads while we try to puzzle out whose child it is.”

“Yeh ash valtem lailla ok darrida,” Malyr whispered. “I will forever protect our young. And I would never, ever let my unborn child get anywhere near your father.”

But that twinge beneath my ribs at the distance between us? That longing for his strong body to frame my other side? That was new.

“The female chooses, sweetheart… not the other way around.”

“I would rather suffer The Endless Ache than watch my mate endlessly suffer me. You, however, will.”

‘Whatever it takes to make you look at me like that,’ I mouthed back,

enjoyed the closeness between us, the smell of our mingled scents, the way our breaths became one in the gap between our quivering lips. Connection. Intimacy.

One year. One year of her pushing her tits up and fluttering her eyes at Malyr, and now she’d managed herself into his rooms? Now?

Youve got to be fucking kidding me. After she just told the girl she hadnt been there. She mustve been hella jealous

“And if you run from it this time? Little dove, there will only be one set of arms left to run into. Mine.”

“Come here.” Malyr rolled onto his side, propping one hand under his head in support while he patted the quilt with the other. “I want my wife closer.”

it is my hope that this will ease your fear and convince you of my sincerity. My… commitment to this.”

“Yet you kissed Lorn.”

Right he kisses Lorn but not her... For why?

“Little dove, the wrong ones we kiss are considered, but the ones we never bother to kiss…? They are forever rejected.” Rejected. Forever.

Was that why Sebian never kissed me? Because, deep down, he knew that I could be many things—bedmate, distraction, revenge. Heavens, perhaps even a sense of redemption whenever he took care of me, saved me, protected me. But never his mate. Never worthy of his death-defying love.

nobody ever truly wanted me. Not my father. Not my mother. Not Sebian. Why was I never worthy of love? Never worthy of a kiss? Never worthy of—

A kiss. A real kiss. Malyr tasted sweet and dark, like the last blackberry on a snow-covered branch,