The ​Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and Ash, #3)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“I…I tried to eat Kieran.” “He won’t hold it against you.” “I tried to eat Kieran while I was naked.” “That’s probably why he won’t hold it against you.”

“She’s embarrassed about it,” he went on, “because it’s a sex book. And not just any sex book. It’s full of all kinds of dirty and unimaginable—” I snapped forward, punching him in the stomach. “Fuck,” Casteel doubled over with a grunt as Naill let out a low whistle. “Gods.” I crossed my arms. “Happy now?” “Yeah,” he exhaled raggedly. “I will be once I can breathe again.”

“Obviously, I don’t have experience in the whole marriage department, but be that as it may, you’re my wife. That means we don’t pretend anymore, correct? That, always and forever, we are real with one another.” “Yes.” I nodded. “Not about anything. Not even when you don’t want me to worry. I know you’re strong and so resilient it’s fucking unbelievable, but you don’t have to always be strong with me. It’s okay to not be okay when you’re with me,” he said, and my breath caught. “It’s my duty as your husband to make sure you feel safe enough to be real. You don’t have to pretend that you’re okay with everything that has happened, Poppy.” Oh… Oh, gods. His words wrecked me. Tears scorched my throat and rushed to my eyes. I did the only mature thing possible. I smacked my hands over my face. “Poppy,” Casteel whispered, folding his fingers around my wrists. “That sounded like it hurt.” “It did.” My voice was muffled. “I don’t want to cry.”

“Foursomes?” Kieran repeated, his gaze shifting to me. “I imagine you had a lot of questions about that.” “I did not,” I snapped. “I don’t believe that for one second,” Kieran stated, a half-grin forming. “You probably asked how it was possible.” I had totally been wondering that, but those words never once passed my lips. “Would you like to explain it to her?” Casteel asked. “That won’t be necessary,” I cut in as Kieran opened his mouth. “I have a vivid enough imagination, thank you very much.” He looked a little disappointed.

The dimple appeared in his right cheek. “Common sense. That must be a new thing for you.”

“Let me guess,” he said. “You have a question.” I frowned as I crossed my arms over my chest. “What?” He glanced over at me. “Nothing.” I exhaled heavily. A moment passed. “Kieran?” “Yeah?” “I have a question.”

“You can stand? Or have I blown your mind and your muscles?”

“I imagine Wilhelmina knows—” Casteel choked on his drink as my mouth dropped open. Jasper’s eyes narrowed. “You okay over there?” “Wait,” Casteel coughed again, eyes watering. “Wait a godsdamn second. Wilhelmina? Who is Wilhelmina?” Jasper frowned, clearly confused. “You never met Willa?” Oh, my gods. There was no way. “What is her last name?” Casteel asked. Please don’t say Colyns. Please don’t say Colyns, I repeated over and over as Kieran’s father stared at Casteel as if he’d lost his mind. “I think it’s Colyns.” My jaw was now in my lap. Godsdamnit, Casteel’s theory had been right. Miss Willa was an Atlantian. I couldn’t believe it—wait. Did that mean she was here, in Atlantia? Oh, wow, if so, I had…so many questions for her.

“Look at us, agreeing on who to kill and who not to.”

“Skeletons!” Vonetta shouted, unsheathing her swords. “Couldn’t you have said that you saw skeletons in the hole?” Casteel cursed as another bony hand appeared, this one clutching a sword in its grip. “Armed skeletons!” Vonetta yelled. “Couldn’t you have said you saw armed skeletons in the hole?” “Sorry.” Emil unhooked his swords. “I was kind of taken aback by the sight of fully functional, fucking skeletons with weapons. My apologies.”

“Cutting off the head does not work,” Emil shouted, and I turned to see a…a headless skeleton tracking the dumbfounded Atlantian. “I repeat. It does not work!”

“I regret the decision to join you all,” Emil announced. “I regret this decision very much.”

“If this thing comes to life, I am out of here,” Emil grumbled. “You will never see an Atlantian run faster.”

Relief started to seep through her. “I have no feelings for your husband,” she said. “Not before, and definitely not now.” “Good.” I met her gaze, smiling. “Because if you did, I would probably tear you apart, limb by limb, and then feed what remained to a pack of hungry barrats,” I said. “Now, would you like to find Kieran? I think I remember which room he’s in.”

My lips pursed. “I might’ve said something like I’d tear her apart limb by limb and feed her to barrats.” He stared at me. I sighed. “It wasn’t one of my finer moments, I admit.”