The Blood Traitor (The Prison Healer, #3)

by Lynette Noni

We can look at the darkness and let it consume us, or we can recognize that it’s only temporary, trusting that once it passes, the light will return,”

“I didn’t, when you first arrived,” Cresta answered bluntly. “But you’re like an annoying rash—you’ve grown on me.” Unbidden, a snort left Kiva.

“Life is worth living, even the parts that make us feel like we want to die.

“Who did this to you?” he asked, in that same quiet tone, but now it was brimming with something else: anger.

“I can’t change the past. But I can still be annoyed by it.” “That’s a life motto right there,” Kiva said dryly.

“There’s no point living in what-ifs. Don’t waste energy fearing problems that don’t yet exist.”

“You’re the one who wouldn’t look at me! You told me you wanted nothing to do with me—so I gave you that!” “I lied.”

“Not once, even on my worst days, did I hate you. Hearing you say that, knowing you didn’t want to live—” The haunted look returned to his face. “I felt like I was being stabbed in the heart all over again.”

“I did fall in love with a lie, but that lie was you. I fell in love with you, Kiva. I am in love with you. Then and now, nothing about that has changed—except now I know the real you.”

Once there, Torell looked straight at Jaren and said, “Protect her.” More serious than Kiva had ever seen him, Jaren replied, “With my life.”