The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia, #1)

by Carissa Broadbent

The child was perhaps four, perhaps eight—it was hard to tell, because she was so, so small, even by human standards.

Starting the not like other girls trope early i see

And love, understand, is sharper than any stake.

Years are long to a child so young, and memories so short.

“Maybe our skin doesn’t scar the same as yours, but our hearts do. Sometimes they never heal.”

And though my wounds had closed, the one deep in my chest bled more than ever. It made me just as vulnerable.

“Go away.” “That’s an uncharacteristically boring retort.”

“Oh, I know, princess. I know.”

This is so cliche but oh lord am i lapping it up

The little serpent was so very lonely. She slithered right into those lovely, elegant fingers. She did not even see the claws.

I had never noticed these things before, and certainly never found beauty in them. Now, I tucked each one away like little secret gifts.

“I’ve lived through some injustices in the last couple of centuries. Seen some fucking travesties. But one of the biggest, Oraya, is that anyone taught you that you should become anything other than exactly what you are.”

He smelled like the sky—he tasted like falling.

No, it turns out that fate changing is a subtle beast. The air turns just a little colder, the direction of the wind just a little lost. You