Instinctual (Rise of the Iliri, #2)

by Auryn Hadley

One look at her reminded us all of what we were supposed to be. The pride in her eyes proved that we hadn't always been property. We hadn't been created to live as slaves! Once, long ago, we were the ones in charge, and it had been women like her who'd kept us safe.

Things would never change unless someone took the first step,

Sal nodded, her hand touching the skin of his chest. "I can't do this without you, Jase. I'm lost without you." Through her touch, he saw the truth of those words and swore to himself that he could wait for her to realize it, too.

I want to live to be old. In order to do that, I want to serve with the best soldiers I can, because who you fight with matters as much as who you fight against."

"Nothing we do will happen fast, you all realize that, right?" "But yer doing something," the pale woman said. "It matters."

"They think we want rank and standin'. They do na realize how little that matters. We want this." He gestured between them all. "Corvae. It's the happiness ya get with a true bond. The harder they push, the more we decide ta fight fer it."

We will never know what will be, only what is.

That's what they do to us. The bars are made of politics and manners, but it's still a cage.

Thank you. I didn't expect this. I thought humans hated me." The girl shook her head. "Nah. Most of my friends want to grow up and be a Black Blade, just like you."