More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“You’re an absolutely stunning, murderous little creature,” he murmured.
“You do look quite lovely, Penellaphe.” “Thank you,” I said. “What about me?” Casteel asked, and behind him, Naill sighed. “You look passable.”
My lips parted as I looked up. The gathering clouds had turned the sky the black of midnight, from the east to the west, to the south and north. Not a single trace of sunlight could be seen, even though it couldn’t be more than an hour or two past noon.
“This is an omen. A powerful one.” Jasper shook his head in wonder. “A good one from the King of Gods.” The unnatural clouds started to scatter, and sunlight broke through as Jasper smiled. “Nyktos, even asleep, approves of this union.”
The gods realized their mistake. That they had underestimated the capacity for love—of two souls and two hearts that were somehow meant to be joined. They were heartmates.
“I have a feeling you will make a very interesting Queen.”
We fight to live. We fight to protect what we’ve built here. We fight to protect one another.
“I go by several names. The Dark One. Bastard. Cas. Prince Casteel Da’Neer,”
“Call me whatever you like as long as you know it will be my voice that will be the last sound you hear.”
“Unless you have a different idea. If so, I’m very curious to learn more about it, wife
“Did you forget that I’m armed?” I asked softly. “Are you thinking about using it against me?” In the glow of the fire, both dimples appeared. “If so, this sleeping arrangement may get very uncomfortable for Kieran.”
“Ask where every single god or goddess sleeps, because that will lead to more questions. I just know it will,” he said, and I rolled my eyes. “You should be asleep like them, Your Highness.” “Don’t call me that,” I snapped. “Then go to sleep,” Kieran ordered.
“Stop.” The mist solidified, took form, and became more golden. It was tall. She was tall. Tumbling waves of hair the color of fire twined together. A face blurred, but eyes the color of molten silver burned through the mist. Through me. “Go home. Take what is yours, and you will find what you seek there. The truth. Go home
“She was right there. Where there is…there is nothing. She told me to go no farther. That the truth wasn’t here. She told me to go home and to…” I started shivering, and I couldn’t stop. “To take what was mine. And that I would learn the truth.”
“Who did you say you saw? Who stopped you?” “I don’t know who it was, but it was a woman,” I told him. “Why?” “Because that was a god,” Kieran said hoarsely. “Returning to their place of rest.”
back to the gods seeming to like you. Nyktos gave us his blessing basically. If that was Aios last night, and gods, it just might’ve been her, she woke to ensure your safety,” he said, and there was a bit of awe in his voice. “I’m going to repeat that, Princess. A god woke from hundreds and hundreds of years of sleep to protect you. That is not something that has ever happened before as far as I know.”
A Blood Forest tree stood, rooted where my blood had first fallen.
Queen Eloana removed her crown, and with wide eyes, I watched her place it on the Temple floor, at the feet of the statue of Nyktos.
“Lower your swords,” she commanded, her chin lifting even as she lowered to one knee, even as a potent, helpless sort of rage drenched the space around her, one that carried the stench of a long-buried fear come to fruition. “And bow before the…before the last descendent of the most ancient ones, she who carries the blood of the King of the Gods within her. Bow before your new Queen.”
