Glow Of The Everflame Quotes

That if a man made you doubt whether his love for you would survive anything, he does not deserve you.

Burn, my Queen. Glow so bright, the darkness trembles.

For every spark that has lost its light and needs a little help remembering how to glow.

If a kiss is the reward, my Queen, I’ll get on my knees for you whenever you want.

It’s a reminder that no challenge can destroy the parts of us that truly matter. We’re not reborn in the flames. We’re revealed.

Perhaps, for the right person, we endure the pain, because the torture of never having them at all is the more unbearable fate.

I am yours, Luther Corbois. Scars and all.

I want to burn alive in that fire in your eyes. I want it to melt me down and forge me into the weapon you need me to be. I want to stand by your side for the rest of my life, and I don’t need you to marry me and make me a fucking king to do it.

You are my Queen, and I am your sword. Point me at your enemies, and watch them fall. Lead this world, Diem, and I will follow you—into war, into death, into the tundra of hell itself.” He took my palm and set it against his chest, just above the patch of unscarred skin that lay beneath his jacket. “You are the fate my heart was spared for. As long as it beats, you will never fight alone.

His thumb raked across my lower lip. “I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin. I want to kneel at your feet, soaked in the blood of your enemies, then worship your body until you scream my name.” His hands slid to my hips and tugged me closer. “Yes, Diem, I want to serve you—in every way a man can.” I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe.

Let me do this for you,” he begged. “I could hope for no greater death than this.

Embrace your phoenix. Rise from the ashes, and burn bright once more.

You are fearless. You are strong. You do not cower in the faces of gods nor kings. You are fated for greater battles than this, so you do whatever it takes, and you fight like hell.” “I will,” I vowed. “Remember who you are, Diem Bellator.” He clasped the medallion at my neck. “But remember you are a phoenix, too. We do not fear the flames, for the hotter we burn, the higher we fly.

He traced the edge of my jaw. “Forgive me. They all need to see it.” “See what?” I rasped, barely able to speak. “Who will come for them if they dare to come for you.” Then his lips were on mine.

Everyone says this phoenix represents dying and coming back as something new, but I disagree. I think it’s a symbol of surviving when the world burns down around us. It’s a reminder that no challenge can destroy the parts of us that truly matter. We’re not reborn in the flames. We’re revealed.

Don’t worry about it, Queenie. We’ve got your back.

Strange, how armor could be both a shield and a cage, keeping the arrows out while trapping the monster in.

I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin.

You are the fate my heart was spared for. As long as it beats, you will never fight alone.

I was drowning in this man. From the moment I met him, I had been kicking against the current and holding my breath, struggling to get back to the safe, familiar surface—but every look, every touch, dragged me deeper still. I felt the burning of it in my lungs, as real and visceral as if I were plunging into the Sacred Sea itself. And maybe it made me weak, or a traitor, or a fool, but gods did I want to close my eyes and sink forever.

For every spark that has lost its light

You make so many promises, but the only thing I ever really wanted was honesty. And it’s the one thing you still refuse to give.

But rest assured, my Queen, when I do kiss you, there will be no confusion. You will know that I have claimed you—and I won’t have any desire to deny it.

I am Diem Bellator.” I stared up through my lashes, the glow of the Crown casting ominous shadows down my face. “And I kneel for no one.” Fight.

I would have walked into the flaming heart of the sun itself,” he shot back. “If you are suffering, nothing will keep me from coming to your aid. Least of all something as trivial as death.

When all else fails, keep moving,” I said to the empty room, echoing the command my father had drilled into me. “If you cannot run, then walk. If you cannot walk, then crawl.” ​His voice filled my stormy mind. If you are outnumbered or overwhelmed, or if all seems lost, just keep moving. Onward, until the very last breath.

Frankly, the fact that your brother’s heart still beats is owed only to his impressive ability to avoid pissing you off.” “Then how are you still alive?” That had definitely been aloud. Luther’s joyless smirk rang with the promise of a battle. It was equal parts thrilling and immensely unnerving. FIGHT.

You could try to look a little less pleased with yourself every time you turn a new member of my family against me. Sorae used to adore me. Now when I use the front entrance, she tries to take a bite out of my arm.

I don’t just want a piece of you—I want them all.” His thumb raked across my lower lip. “I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin. I want to kneel at your feet, soaked in the blood of your enemies, then worship your body until you scream my name.” His hands slid to my hips and tugged me closer. “Yes, Diem, I want to serve you—in every way a man can.

When he didn’t answer, I lifted my eyes to his—a critical mistake. The depth of the emotion I saw there crested over me and pulled me out with the tide. I was drowning in this man. From the moment I met him, I had been kicking against the current and holding my breath, struggling to get back to the safe, familiar surface—but every look, every touch, dragged me deeper still. I felt the burning of it in my lungs, as real and visceral as if I were plunging into the Sacred Sea itself.

Every person in this room wants something from you,” he said after a heavy pause. “They look at you, and they see the things they want to take. I know, because I lived it. From the moment I became heir, everyone wanted to be either my friend or my lover. When you took the Crown, I swore to be different—to serve your goals, not mine. I told myself that even if you had no one else, you would at least have me. I never wanted to become just another person who wanted to steal a piece of you for themselves.

I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin. I want to kneel at your feet, soaked in the blood of your enemies, then worship your body until you scream my name.

I pledged you my loyalty, and you have it, no matter your choice. But I cannot keep lying to you or to myself. I want all of you, Diem.” His lips brushed against mine, his words breathing straight into my lungs. “You already have all of me.

It felt as if something in him had hooked itself on something in me.

A fragment of memory ripped through me. A man, standing outside the healers’ center, his profile softly lit by the glow of a lantern. Not a patient—a visitor. Whispering with my mother.

What do you want, Luther?” His eyes dragged slowly to me. He held me there like a butterfly cupped between his hands, fluttering against his touch and wondering if he would be my doom. Every hair on my neck stood on end as he turned his lips to my ear, his voice low and rough. “Something I cannot have.

Eleanor shot a nervous glance at Taran, her voice hushing. “When his sons were young, they would often show up at school with lashes or burns. Very often. Rumor is the King spoke with Garath and made it stop, although...” She chewed on her lip. “That was when their healing abilities began, so no one knew for sure.” I eyed Aemonn and Taran. Both were staring anywhere but their father, looking miserable and exposed.

He hesitated. “I saw the Ignios gryvern a few times while in the army. He’s a mean, nasty brute.” Sorae let out the faintest whine, and an odd pulse of emotion I didn’t understand came across the bond she and I shared. I walked over and itched the underside of her chin.

And I have failed. Completely, irreversibly failed. I don’t just want a piece of you—I want them all.” His thumb raked across my lower lip. “I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin. I want to kneel at your feet, soaked in the blood of your enemies, then worship your body until you scream my name.” His hands slid to my hips and tugged me closer. “Yes, Diem, I want to serve you—in every way a man can.” I couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. “I want to burn alive in that fire in your eyes. I want it to melt me down and forge me into the weapon you need me to be. I want to stand by your side for the rest of my life, and I don’t need you to marry me and make me a fucking king to do it.

Good. We’ll kill them all at once. We’ll destroy the entire ballroom before they have a chance to fight back.

One horse. Only one horse.

They want us to feel small, Eleanor. They want us to be quiet, be predictable, be unimportant, behave. Then they make us think we deserve it. But I think they’re just terrified we’ll stop listening to them and start listening to each other.

House Hanoverre agreed not to come after you if I make a bonded bargain to marry Iléana.

For the first hour, he had burst out laughing every time he glanced at my black dress.

He walked over and grabbed my arms, pulling me in for a fierce hug. His voice turned rough. “I said things I regret, too. I lost my temper. I was so scared there would be no one left to protect you and Teller when I left for the war.” “I know,” I whispered. “I’m so sorry, Father.” He clutched me tighter. “I’m sorry, too. My sweet Diem, I love you so much.

He roughly cupped my face in his hands, his fingers clinging to my skin like he might fall to his death if he ever let me go.

It’s a fight to the death, D.

He was about to take Garath’s head off for insulting you. And you were getting jealous over Iléana—” “I was not jealous!” “—and he keeps smiling at you. He doesn’t smile at anyone except Taran and Lily.” She shot me a mischievous look. “And those are not the smiles he gives Taran and Lily.

Blue,” they whispered. “The stones should be blue.

especially considering I—and all the other Crowns—would have no access to our magic while on the island.

Time has a way of erasing the pain and leaving behind the laughter.

He smiled wickedly. “I’d rather bond with you. In private.” “Taran,” Luther warned. I halted him with a laugh. “I wouldn’t dream of causing any family drama,” I purred, which Taran answered with a snort. “I’ll sit with Aemonn.

All the more reason I should be here. They need to learn now how to bow down to their mortal King.

Diem darling, Luther is the Keeper of the Laws. It’s his job to enforce King Ulther’s rules.

Please, Henri,” I begged. “Stay with me. Rule with me. Be my King.

A mate is so much more. A mating bond can only be made by love—true love.

I jerked to a halt. “Absolutely not,” I said, shaking my head. “I am not sharing a horse with you.” “It’s only a brief ride.” “Then I’ll walk. Actually, I’m the Crown. You can walk.” “You’ve taken to authority quickly for someone who swears she doesn’t want it.

But... there’s never been a Queen of Fortos.” Luther’s face glowed with affection. “You never were very good at following the rules.” My confidence shuddered beneath this new burden. “I don’t want this,” I whispered. “I can’t even be a good Queen to Lumnos, and that’s my home.

But family in the way you see it, full of loyalty and unconditional love—we make those bonds by choice, not by blood.

don’t just want a piece of you—I want them all.” His thumb raked across my lower lip. “I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin. I want to kneel at your feet, soaked in the blood of your enemies, then worship your body until you scream my name.” His hands slid to my hips and tugged me closer. “Yes, Diem, I want to serve you—in every way a man can.

It wobbled in my watery vision under the thunderstorm of tears I feared would never stop falling. Even when they dried up, they would still be falling. Until my last breath, until I crossed into the afterworld and back into his open arms, they would forever be falling.

You can’t shield forever,” he taunted. “You’ll run dry soon enough.” “Got a lot of problems with women going dry when you’re around, Rhon?” I shot back.

I thought you were fearless.” Luther’s lip curled back over his teeth. “So stop being such a coward.

There it was, pulsing and glittering, floating with unearthly grace a mere inch or so above my head. It

A mouse?” He leaned in, strands of my hair swaying in the gust of his ragged breaths. “We may be vipers, but you’re no mouse. You’re a fucking dragon.

Or maybe you prefer me in muddy pants and a borrowed tunic.” “Only when it’s mine.

I broke into a mischievous grin. “It’s not the size that matters Luther, it’s what you can do with it.” He groaned and lifted his eyes to the ceiling, though my pulse spiked as his grip on me tightened. “No wonder Taran likes you so much.

It was a gut-punch of awareness that I would never again feel the warmth of his hand on my arm or the scratch of his beard against my cheeks. I would never again experience the tender strength of his arms as he wrapped me into a hug. He was gone. My beloved, cherished father was gone. Because of me. Fight. Kill. Destroy.

He reared his walking stick back and I flinched in anticipation of a swing, but the moment his lavender eyes raised to mine, they bulged wide and his arms went slack. Beneath his bushy white eyebrows and the scraggly beard that extended nearly to his knees, his excitement as he gawked at me was unmistakable.

Good luck, Daughter of the Forgotten.” It was barely more than a whisper. When I spun back to see the Montios King staring into the center of the Temple, my presence seemingly forgotten, I started to wonder if I’d imagined it.

Though the grief of my father’s death would be with me always, for the first time in a very long time, the clouds had parted, and I was happy.

You’re a Corbois, Diem,” he murmured into my ear. “Embrace your phoenix. Rise from the ashes, and burn bright once more.

Let me make myself extremely clear. If you or anyone in your family makes a move against Diem, it will be the last thing you ever do. I will see to it personally that House Hanoverre is destroyed.” “Is that a threat?” Iléana hissed. “It’s a promise.” He paused, his voice turning dark. “And you know I always keep my promises.” Eleanor bit her lip as a smile threatened to break through. “Now we’re done.

But you came to the lodge that night to kill me,” I protested. “No—I came to swear fealty to you. I had my sword out to offer it in your service. Then I saw you standing there half-naked and spitting fire, the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, and I became...” He smiled guiltily. “...distracted.

He swiveled to block my path. “Impossible. Brecke didn’t enlist until after your mother left.” A sinking feeling pooled in my gut. Brecke had lied. But if he hadn’t met my mother in the army...

With respect, my Queen—” He returned my narrowed eyes and leaned his face to mine. “—your survival instincts are shit.

She gave me a light tap with her nose before retreating several steps. Her head rose to the sky, and a ferocious snarl tore from her throat and resounded across the arena. She whipped from side to side to repeat the menacing sound to each section of the crowd. She bared her fangs in a rumbling growl, then turned her focus to me. Her wings draped flat at her sides, and she lowered her head to the ground in a reverent bow. My heart squeezed—Sorae was kneeling.

He might be dangerous, but I’m gods-damned fatal.

Yes, Diem, I want to serve you—in every way a man can.

Then, I spotted him. With his raven hair and night- black clothes, he cut an ominous silhouette against the raging wall of flickering orange. I couldn’t make out the details of his face, and his imposing body was shrouded by the crowd clustered around him, but somehow, even among the pandemonium, I knew him. More than that— I felt him, his strange aura sweeping across my skin. Luther. As if he’d heard my thoughts, his head snapped in my direction. Even tucked as I was among a sea of onlookers, his glowing blue eyes found mine in an instant.

You are my Queen, and I am your sword. Point me at your enemies, and watch them fall. Lead this world, Diem, and I will follow you—into war, into death, into the tundra of hell itself.

Andrei Bellator, war hero, legendary Emarion Army Commander, Advisor to the Crown of Lumnos, beloved husband of Auralie, devoted father of Diem and Teller, was dead.

My eyes went wide with sudden understanding. Luther—the beloved, feared, universally respected Prince Luther, the late King’s favored and the hero of the realm—was a forbidden half-mortal, just like me.

He doesn’t speak,” the Sophos Crown interjected. “At least not to anyone outside his realm. And he lives on the side of a mountain, so I doubt he needs your assistance with a single flight of stairs.” I ignored them and remained at the man’s side. He seemed so frail, a strong wind might carry him away. I had a sneaking suspicion that he normally relied on his magic to ease his mobility, but his pride would not permit him to let any weakness show in front of the other Crowns.

Just because I’m choosing to play nice for now doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten that I’m a mouse in a pit of hungry vipers.” “A mouse?” He leaned in, strands of my hair swaying in the gust of his ragged breaths. “We may be vipers, but you’re no mouse. You’re a fucking dragon.

Taran raked his eyes over my body and gave a long whistle. “Looking good, Queenie. Too bad about that ugly growth on your arm.” Aemonn scowled at his brother.

More than any of the other Kindred, Blessed Mother Lumnos loved the mortals. She never wanted them forced into submission—she commanded her Descended to guard them from harm, not be the cause of it.

Who do you think carries out the executions of all those children on behalf of the Crown?

Citizens of Lumnos,” I announced, “I am no longer Unchallenged. My reign begins today.

Your mother has been manipulating us all with her secrets for too long. She has much to answer for, and I’m done protecting her.” He snarled and turned to the front of the boat, staring forward with narrowed eyes. “The moment you’re coronated, we’re going to get her.

I want every breath, every laugh, every tear. Every taste of your mouth, every inch of your skin. I want to kneel at your feet, soaked in the blood of your enemies, then worship your body until you scream my name.” His hands slid to my hips and tugged me closer. “Yes, Diem, I want to serve you—in every way a man can.

The elder couple were stunning in their elegance, floating forward as if carried on air. The elder man had tan skin and dark blond hair, lightly touched with grey, pulled into a single plait. The woman seemed otherworldly with her fair complexion and platinum tresses that fell in a silken sheet to the curve of her waist. Both had angular features that accentuated their cold, cunning eyes. I noted how they offered only a subtle dip of their chin as they approached.

Luther made it known that the only way to get to you is to go through him. He’s already feared for his magic. Now he fixes himself at your side, he surrounds you with his allies, he takes a bedroom nearby so he can keep watch. You speak of marking territory—Diem, my dear, he’s the one marking you as his.

My father, who taught me everything he knew. Who never saw me as weak because I was a girl, who taught me to embrace it as my strength. My father, who had loved me unconditionally, even when I hadn’t deserved it.

This group is used to being around power, so the Crown alone won’t intimidate them. They’re going to test you to see how you react.” Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t take the bait. If you get angry, they’ll think they’ve won.” I tensed. Reining in my temper wasn’t exactly my greatest skill.

And here I was thinking you all only carried weapons as jewelry,” I said, nodding at the ornate sword hilt peeking over his shoulder. “This sword is a family heirloom. It can cut as well as any blade in Emarion—and it’s seen plenty of battlefields.” He sounded a little defensive. It was, disturbingly, a little cute. “However, I knew you would prefer something less... conspicuous.

and coming back as something new, but I disagree. I think it’s a symbol of surviving when the world burns down around us. It’s a reminder that no challenge can destroy the parts of us that truly matter. We’re not reborn in the flames. We’re revealed.

You’re a wonderful advisor, Eleanor Corbois,” I said between sniffles, touching my forehead to hers. “And you’re an even better friend.” “Are you two about to kiss?” Eleanor let go of me as her eyes rolled to the ceiling with an exasperated groan. “I swear Taran, you really know how to ruin a moment.

So no, Marthe. I do not fear death. I do not fear a Challenge. And I definitely do not fear the petty threats of House Hanoverre.

Diem Corbois, are you ready?” I cast one final glance to the royal box. My newfound family had huddled together, their arms all draped on Teller in a show of support for him and a symbolic promise to me. My heart swelled with gratitude. I placed a fist against my chest, and as one, they returned the gesture.