The Ascended (The Aesymarean Duet, #1)

by Bree Grenwich

I was Thais Morvaren, wielder of stars, and I had come here to learn how to kill a god.

"You think you could break me?" "Break you?" His laugh was cold. "Breaking would be such a waste. I'd much rather watch you bend."

"You enjoy playing with fire, don't you? Seeing how close you can get before you burn." His thumb brushed the corner of my mouth. "Before I make you burn."

"Survive, starling," he breathed against my hair before shoving me toward destiny.

"And you're a little twisted.” His eyes glittered. I simply stared at him, unable to form words. The fucking nerve of this man. His gaze narrowed. "Such a fascinating contradiction. The killer who melts when someone shows her exactly how powerless she can be."

"Your body doesn't lie as prettily as your mouth does."

"Well, I haven't cursed you yet, and you haven't stabbed me with any stars. I'd call that friendship." "High bar."

"Do I have permission, starling?" He leaned closer, his scent filling my lungs. "Can I make you burn?"

"That's not dancing," he finally said, though there was no judgment in his tone. "That's freedom."

"For what it's worth," he said quietly, "I think the world would be poorer without Thais Morvaren in it."

"This," he said, his voice dropping to a register that vibrated through my bones, "is the only honest thing in this entire realm."

”I’m going to burn you alive, Thais" he growled, his voice scraped raw. "To make up for all the time wasted."