Heat Of The Everflame Quotes

Show me your worst, my darling, and I’ll show you how far my love can go.

For all those caught in the flames, remember that the hottest fires forge the strongest swords.

Hate is easy—it’s mercy that requires the greater strength.

Desire?” He gave a dark, throaty laugh. “Desire is a pathetic word for what I feel for you. I require you. I am sustained by you. You are the flame that fuels my fire. Don’t you dare question that—not for a second.

Don’t mistake the pain of change for failure.

Satisfaction is the death of curiosity.

I used to play a game where I would change the subject and see how long it took him to bring you up. It never took more than three sentences. He had it bad.

I wonder where she picked up her habit of disappearing on the people who love her with no explanation,” Luther said flatly.

Your Majesty... you are our Crown.

When it seems like the world wants to crush your spirit and burn you alive, never forget my little flames, pressure and heat make diamonds.

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.

He was also dangerously skilled. It seemed all five of his brain cells had been devoted to the art of the fight.

He threw his head back and laughed. “You’re very cocky for a woman. What is it you think you have that I don’t?” “Knuckles that don’t drag when I walk. The ability to breathe through my nose. A neck.

an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.

I had little faith in gods or men, but I believed in the fearsome dedication of Luther Corbois with every fiber of my being.

There is no place in all of existence I would rather be than between your legs, and there’s no part of you I do not long to consume. With my eyes. With my hands. With my mouth.

But we don’t always get to keep the people we love forever,

You cannot solve a problem you refuse to look at,” I said.

Diem Bellator, you are everything I’ve ever wanted. You are my joy and my salvation. You are perfect. And I promise you this—I will love you for as long as love exists.

I want there to be no part of you that you hide from me because you fear it’s a part I will not love. I treasure your darkness as much as your light.” He dropped his mouth a breath away from mine, his words a whisper on my lips. “Show me your worst, my darling, and I’ll show you how far my love can go.

I kept the scar as a symbol of that promise.” His focus rose to me. “But you are the woman I pledged myself to. And now, this scar is for you.” He laid his hand over mine to flatten it over the scar’s rippled edge. “Let all those who might try to tear us apart see this and know how far my devotion will go. I will suffer for you, bleed for you, but most of all, I will survive for you. My body can be carved in two, open and dying, and still I will crawl from the ruins of my flesh and fight my way back to your side. Death itself could not keep me away. “My oath to you is written on my skin. Once, that vow was just to serve you.” He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Now, it is everything.

you dare mistake compassion for lack of courage,” he growled. “Anyone can slaughter their enemies. Hate is easy—it’s mercy that requires the greater strength. I’ll be damned if I let you believe that beautiful heart of yours is a weakness. Trust your instincts, my Queen—above all else, trust yourself.

All the nights I ever have—they all belong to you.

It takes being denied what you want to understand the power of wanting more. Satisfaction is the death of curiosity. And this group has been satisfied in abundance.

Nuestra noche se acerca y, cuando llegue, seré la última primera vez que tengas.

Don’t you dare mistake compassion for lack of courage,” he growled. “Anyone can slaughter their enemies. Hate is easy—it’s mercy that requires the greater strength.

And don’t forget why they banned these books for mortals in the first place.” “Why is that?” “Because an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.

don’t forget why they banned these books for mortals in the first place.” “Why is that?” “Because an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.

You went with me even though you knew you would be exiled from your home?” His brows knit to a deep crease, as if my question made no sense. “Diem... you’re my home.

It is not just my body that craves you, Diem. It is my heart.” He clutched at his chest. “My scarred, ruined scrap of a soul. Your smiles, your affection, the way you look at me, the way you see me... that is my lifeblood. I would sooner wither without food or water, sink into the sea until my lungs burst, abandon my magic and let my godhood burn me alive from within than endure one more day of life without you in it.

Perhaps the Umbros Queen was planning to have a feast over our executions. “Don’t fight back,” Zalaric warned. “She’s ruthless about protecting her reputation. Don’t insult or threaten her, Diem. Be quiet and polite and—” Taran groaned. “We’re all gonna die.

I wanted him inside me. Not just between my legs—I wanted his blood coursing through my veins, his bones fused to mine to make me strong. I wanted to tear myself open and keep a piece of him hidden away inside me from this vicious world that kept trying to tear us apart. My need for him burned in my lungs, hammered in my heart, slicked between my clenching thighs.

I barely made it to the parlor before my knees gave in. My hands clamped across my mouth to muffle the sound as sorrow tore out of me in great, heaving sobs. Not for me, but for the man in my bed, from whom so much had been taken and so little given in return. A man for whom something as simple as happiness had been a rare, fleeting gift. A gift the gods hadn’t even let him keep for more than a day.

Don’t you dare mistake compassion for lack of courage,” he growled. “Anyone can slaughter their enemies. Hate is easy—it’s mercy that requires the greater strength. I’ll be damned if I let you believe that beautiful heart of yours is a weakness. Trust your instincts, my Queen—above all else, trust yourself.

Diem, when you and I finally get a night alone together, looking will be the least of what I do to you.

According to the old mortal religion, all life began as sparks from the Everflame that fell to the earth as glowing seeds. At death, those found worthy by the Old Gods would be placed among its burning branches, where their earthly bodies would turn to ash but their souls would remain forever warmed by the Undying Fire. Those found unworthy were doomed to an eternity in a cold hell encased in ice, far from the Everflame’s redeeming heat.

Shadows work the same way. Darkness isn’t just the absence of light—it’s the absence of everything. No light, no heat, no air. True darkness can destroy even life itself.

Don’t you dare mistake compassion for lack of courage,” he growled. “Anyone can slaughter their enemies.

Happy reading, dear,” she chirped, strolling away. “And don’t forget why they banned these books for mortals in the first place.” “Why is that?” “Because an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.” Chapter Thirty-Five The next few hours were some of the most enjoyable I’d ever had.

I could look at you forever, and it wouldn’t be nearly long enough.

Had I held myself back all these years because I didn’t want to give my heart away, or had I simply never found someone worthy of giving it to?

I would do anything for you. As long as I can do it with you.

But I had almost given up once before, and it had nearly cost me everything. Since then, I’d sworn to never be weak again.

But this was a promise that I was enough, and that was the promise I’d needed most of all.

Diem... you’re my home.

The books—” “Fuck the books.

Let all those who might try to tear us apart see this and know how far my devotion will go. I will suffer for you, bleed for you, but most of all, I will survive for you. My body can be carved in two, open and dying, and still I will crawl from the ruins of my flesh and fight my way back to your side. Death itself could not keep me away.

You said I was a Queen worth fighting for. Luther Corbois, you’re worth fighting for, too.

Blood.

You’re very cocky for a woman. What is it you think you have that I don’t?” “Knuckles that don’t drag when I walk. The ability to breathe through my nose. A neck.

I worked with patients in similar situations. Children hurt by parents, wives hurt by husbands. Sometimes their reactions didn’t make sense to me. Sometimes it even made me angry. Wounds take many forms, and not all of them are physical. Healing from a trauma like that can be...” I sighed sadly. “...complicated.

I no longer feared giving my heart away, either. Gods, I craved it. I wanted to carve out half my heart and nest it inside his ribs, let it beat in rhythm with his own, keep it company, hold it in sorrow, dance with it in delight.

My oath to you is written on my skin. Once, that vow was just to serve you.” He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles. “Now, it is everything.

Your Majesty... you just became the Queen of Fortos.

My heart desires you too, Luther Corbois.

For you, my love, I’ll sink to any low.

Would you really do that for me? Leave everything behind?” “I would do anything for you. As long as I can do it with you.

Show me your worst, my darling, and I'll show you how far my love can go.

My Queen,” he murmured, the words rumbling against my lips. “Hello, Prince,” I gasped. “I missed you, too.

Happy reading, dear,” she chirped, strolling away. “And don’t forget why they banned these books for mortals in the first place.” “Why is that?” “Because an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.

who believed in me and my dream and was willing to sacrifice everything for it, who would walk to the ends of the continent and back just to put the briefest smile on my face—I didn’t just envision a future with him. I wanted it.

Desire is a pathetic word for what I feel for you. I require you. I am sustained by you. You are the flame that fuels my fire. Don’t you dare question that—not for a second.

Diem,” my mother shouted. She had a mortal child cradled on her hip, another cowering at her side, their tiny hand clutched in hers. Her expression was resolute, but I saw the glint of fear in her eyes at the mass of soldiers closing in. “Be careful, my little warrior. Remember everything Andrei taught you.

I must insist, Your Majesty. Only Montios Descended may go beyond this point.” “But I’m not a Montios Descended.

Montios governs itself differently from the other realms. Here, it is our Council, not our Crown, that makes decisions for our realm. The Crown is a member of the Council, but the rest of us are chosen by the people of Montios. If we cannot come to an agreement, the Crown’s will is decisive. Otherwise, they have only one vote, the same as each of us here.

A bright light and a heavy pain at my temples—not an injury from the bomb’s blast, I realized now, but the onset of a new Crown. That’s why my Crown had looked different, felt different. The Arboros Guardians hadn’t been familiar enough with the Crown of Lumnos to know, but Luther and the others had.

My gaze rose slowly to the Councilors. “I will help you however I can, but I have to ask... why are you telling me this?” Hepta’s head cocked, the creased lines of her aging face becoming more prominent with her frown. “I don’t understand what you mean.” “Why save me and bring me here? What is it your Crown wants from me?” “Your Majesty... you are our Crown.

The light at the center dimmed, then took the form of a man, his back turned to me. He stiffened, his shoulders rolling. His head turned slightly, revealing the hint of a cold smile. Slowly, he turned, and I sucked in a gasp. I’d only ever seen him from afar in my visions, but now, it was as if he was right before me, standing in my presence and staring directly into my eyes. My dark grey eyes—just like his.

Second, a message from the Blessed Mother. I know not what it means, only that it is essential you heed these lines: Eleven must fall for one to rise. Share the gift to pay the cost. A dying star will rekindle the spark. What is forgotten is not lost. Remember my sister’s words. Beware my brother’s wrath. Good luck, Daughter of the Forgotten. May you strive to seek virtue in all things.

He finally let his guard down with me that day. He showed me his smile, his laugh, his doubts, his trust. I hadn’t realized it then—and I would have fervently denied it for weeks that followed—but that was the moment the spark between us became a flame, the beginnings of our inevitable blaze.

Perthe crashed to the soil, somehow managing to stay on his feet. He staggered forward with the momentum, then slowed to a walk, then stopped. His shoulders slowly rose and fell. He turned to face me. Lifted his chin. Placed his fist over his chest, then sank to one knee. Tears flowed down my face in rapids. I pressed my fist to my chest and lowered my head in a final salute to my faithful guard.

This man’s aura was violence incarnate, pure apex predator, the kind accustomed to never losing a fight.

Out of nowhere, my mother launched forward. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her face buried in his chest, her petite form swallowed up by his towering, muscular build. He stiffened, his eyes shooting to me in alarm as he awkwardly patted her upper back.

But I was the Queen of Lumnos. And I would be controlled by no man.

In the midst of the chaos, my ears caught on a very different noise. A soft, rhythmic beat—far away, but quickly approaching. Familiar in a way that went deeper than memory. Thump, thump, thump. Wings. My heart sang. “Oh gods,” one of the men at my side breathed. “Is that a...?” “Incoming,” the archers screamed. “Gryvern incoming!

I gave myself to her the moment I met her, and I have not regretted it for a second. I have laid my life at her feet, and I would do it again and again, a thousand times over. She has my faith, my loyalty, my vow... I believe in her with everything that I am. There is nothing I would not do to see her fulfill her destiny. No matter the cost.

Not siblings, then. Friends?” I cocked my head. “More than friends?” She arched her head to the sky and let loose a low, mournful howl so thick with emotion it brought tears to my eyes. “Oh, Sorae,” I whispered. “The Kindred separated you thousands of years ago, and you still care for him, even after all this time?” Sorrow soaked the bond in answer. She slumped her head on the ground, her wings falling limp at her sides. I squeezed my arms around her and stroked a hand down her back. “No wonder Tybold’s so cranky. He must miss you, too.” I sat up and looked at her. “He saved me in Ignios, you know. He worked around his King’s orders to protect me and Luther.

I did not know what it was to need until I met you. One look from you—just the fucking sound of your voice—and my cock gets hard. One touch of your skin, and I can barely think beyond dragging you into the nearest bed. Every second I’m not inside you is another wasted moment of my miserable life.

When forgotten blood on heartstone falls, then shall the chains be broke. Life for life, old debt requires, or eternal be his yoke.

Anyone can slaughter their enemies. Hate is easy—it’s mercy that requires the greater strength.

He strolled to Taran, who stiffened bodily, and hovered a hand just above the wound at his shoulder. “May I, Terry?” “It’s Taran,” he grumbled. Zalaric shrugged. “Whatever.” Taran’s mouth popped open. I bit my lip to hide my smile. A speechless Taran was something I never thought I’d see.

Taran grunted and started to shuffle away, then stopped and looked back. “You know, if you ever come to Lumnos... and if you ever learn to say my name correctly... maybe you could teach me some of your tricks.” Zalaric’s grin widened, and Taran’s cheeks turned pink. “With your magic.” “I’d love to, but I’m afraid I can’t visit a realm with no hairstylists.” Taran frowned at Zalaric’s short, tight curls. “Lumnos has hairstylists.” “Really?” Zalaric took a strand of Taran’s messy dark blonde waves and twirled it in his fingers. “Are they just too expensive for you, then? I can loan you some gold if—

I was a creature of the embers, fire incarnate, a living flame. If this was what it meant to burn, I wanted to burn forever.

Alixe!” I gasped. Taran pulled the flap open wider and waved at her, then pointed excitedly at me and grinned. Alixe rolled her eyes at her cousin’s antics, but she flashed me a smile and a deferential nod. My tension eased enormously.

She laughed. “If it were anyone but you, Luther would commend them for being so selfless in battle. You’re a credit to your father.

I heard Taran’s low grumbles. “Why do you get to decide?” “When the Queen is asleep, Luther’s in charge. When they’re both asleep, I’m in charge. When all three of us are asleep, you’re in charge.” “If the three of you are asleep, then there’s no one left for me to be in charge of.” “Exactly.

I treasure your darkness as much as your light.

The King’s back arched unnaturally toward the sky. “Remember my sister’s words. Beware my brother’s wrath.

The heart doesn’t care who it should love. Only who makes it sing.

Run away, Vance. Leave this realm, and don’t ever come back,” I said, lacing the command with Umbros magic. “And stop helping Ophiucae.

You are the flame that fuels my fire.

Taran looked over from where he was pinned to the ground with Zalaric straddling him. He set his jaw and shoved Zalaric off, jumping to his feet and striding toward us. At the last moment he paused, let out a quiet grunt, and doubled back. He grabbed Zalaric’s wrist and dragged him along.

Being stuck between two worlds is not easy, is it?” I asked softly. He sighed. “No. Especially when neither of those worlds really wants you.” I laid my palm on his cheek. “I suspect there are a great many people who want you in their world, Zalaric Hanoverre. And you can count me as one of them.” He flashed a smile, though there was no joy in it—only a wistful resignation. “Luther was right. You are a Queen worth fighting for. In another life, I wish we could have been allies.

Yes, Taran, you can enjoy yourself tonight,” I said. He fist-pumped the air, and my smile finally broke free. “You too, Alixe.” She looked uneasy. “Are you certain? We’re going to be heavily outnumbered.” I shrugged. “The Queen had a clear chance to kill me at lunch. If she didn’t strike then, I doubt she’ll try now. As long as we keep playing her game, I don’t think we’re in danger.” Taran pounced and threw his arms around my ribs, crushing me against him. “Of all the Queens I know, you’re my favorite.

You,” she said simply. “My successor will be your most difficult adversary. They will stand in the way of what you need to do. They will drive a wedge between you and those you love, they will cost you a terrible price, and there’s a strong chance they’ll put you in a premature grave. I fear telling you now will only make it worse.

Everything slotted into its proper place, a cruel puzzle whose image was forming before my eyes. There were so many signs. So many. His moodiness, his fatigue. His pale, hot skin. His inability to sleep. I was supposed to be a healer—how could I miss what was right under my nose?

Emotions cycled across Taran’s face—grief, fear, uncertainty, hope—before landing solidly on rage. He turned his glare on Luther. “I do take it back. Fuck my oath. My loyalty to her dies with you. You want her safe? Then live.

That doesn’t look like any gryvern I’ve ever seen,” Luther murmured. The dot became a silhouette: A horned reptilian head. Sprawling, red-tipped wings. A hulking leonine body with fur so dark, it was nearly black. And on its back, a grey-eyed man whose skin gleamed like moonlight. With a Crown in the shape of a ten-pointed star hovering over his head. “Blessed Kindred,” Doriel breathed. “The lost realm. The stories are true.

Guard my people well,” the King said. “Blessed Kindred,” Luther murmured. “I think that’s—” My legs trembled and gave way. I fell forward, the stone blissfully cold against my scorching skin. Luther rushed to grab me, but on some buried instinct, I raised my shield to keep him away. The King’s back arched unnaturally toward the sky. “Remember my sister’s words. Beware my brother’s wrath.

Above my head, my Crown had changed. A new peak had formed, and woven among the thorny, star-dotted vines and glittering crystal was a ring of throbbing, tangled veins. I pulled my magic back, and our gazes met. “My Crown,” I rasped. Luther tenderly cupped my face. “Your Majesty... you just became the Queen of Fortos.

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.

I’d never met any other Descended whose power could match mine, but with her, it wasn’t even close. If my magic was a spark, hers was the gods-damned sun.

Stay with my mother, I said into his thoughts with the last tiny shreds of my magic. Get her to Teller.

She blew out a sigh. “The Arboros Queen is with us—with the Guardians, I mean. She has let us operate freely in her realm for years. She helped the rebels get on and off the island the day of the attack.

My mother smiled. “You’re not the only half-mortal Crown. She and her mortal father were very close. She promised him on his deathbed she would do everything she could to help his kind.” Luther nudged my leg. “Looks like we might have just found our first ally.” Our

More riddles I don’t understand,” I muttered. “Why can’t anyone ever speak plainly?

It was a godstone dagger to the heart, Diem. No one survives that, mortal or Descended.

Touch her,” he snarled, throaty and vicious, “and I’ll peel every last vein from under your flesh and strangle you with them.

Don’t tell me Fortos men are afraid of one weak little woman,” I mocked.

I don’t think we should be calling for any Flames when we’re in fucking Ignios,” he grumbled. “And isn’t that saying forbidden?” I smirked. “I’m the Queen. I’m un-forbidding it. The Everflame was here long before Lumnos was. If the Descended and the mortals have to learn to play nice, the Old Gods and the Kindred do, too.” He groaned and squinted up at the morning sky. “Blessed Mother Lumnos, I am your devoted servant. Please don’t punish me for her blasphemy.

Don’t test me today, Taran,” Luther growled. Taran shot me a look and pointed a thumb behind us. “This is your fault,” he mouthed. “Sorae’s getting that thumb,” I mouthed back.

I mounted her back and turned my glare on the Fortos commander. “Know this—I am not afraid of the Emarion Army, and I am not afraid of the Crowns. If I hear of one more mortal going missing from my realm, every last one of you will repay their loss in blood. I am the gods-damned Queen of Lumnos. If my people suffer, so will you.

As we soared for the clouds, a ripple of movement drew my focus back to the ground. In the dirty, downtrodden square of my beloved Mortal City, one by one, the mortals lowered to their knees.

I have not yet cast my vote.

the smirking face of the Ignios King stared back.

Hello, daughter. At last, we finally meet.

I wanted to carve out half my heart and nest it inside his ribs, let it beat in rhythm with his own, keep it company, hold it in sorrow, dance with it in delight.

I’ll stand by you through anything, Diem, even when I disagree. I hope you know that. Whatever consequences may come, we face them together.

wanted to carve out half my heart and nest it inside his ribs, let it beat in rhythm with his own, keep it company, hold it in sorrow, dance with it in delight.

Zalaric stroked his chin. “She means a great deal to you.” “She is my Queen. She is a gift from the Blessed Mother herself. She is...” Luther swallowed and dipped his chin, and he was no longer talking to Zalaric. “I gave myself to her the moment I met her, and I have not regretted it for a second. I have laid my life at her feet, and I would do it again and again, a thousand times over. She has my faith, my loyalty, my vow... I believe in her with everything that I am. There is nothing I would not do to see her fulfill her destiny. No matter the cost.

Using your magic in tandem like that is a very rare skill. Are you family?

He walked over and kneeled to bring himself to their eye level, then pulled several gold coins from his pouch. “May I buy two more of them from you?

Because an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.

But for now...” She reached across me to grab a trio of bottles by their necks, then tapped me on the nose. “I’m going to enjoy this evening like it’s my last.

Godstone.

Because life is cruel,” he snapped. “And we don’t always get what we desire.

If it was Blessed Lumnos, maybe her Crown is the gift,” Taran said. “More like a curse,” I muttered. “And if she wants me to give it away, I apparently have to die first. Whoever her faithful heir is, he can wait his turn. I didn’t survive the Challenging just to give my life up for some prophecy.

Remember my sister’s words. Beware my brother’s wrath.

It is not just my body that craves you, Diem. It is my heart.

I am the gods-damned Queen of Lumnos. If my people suffer, so will you.

A violent ripple rocked through my arms as his blade clashed against mine and bounced away. Though my magic had held, the brutal force of his swing sent me stumbling back. He was strong. Very strong. Dangerously strong. He was also dangerously skilled. It seemed all five of his brain cells had been devoted to the art of the fight.

The Old Gods have never taken anything from me. And they’ve never asked anything of me, either. They’re content to sit up in the heavens and watch, and I’m content to entertain them.

If the three of you are asleep, then there’s no one left for me to be in charge of.” “Exactly.

No, Hagface. That’s not it.” “What did you just call m—” “Because I’d never leave any of them behind. I’d find a way to save them all, or I would die trying.” “But—” Yrselle raised a palm to stop her. “It may not fit the game, but it’s indeed the truth. Any other answer from Diem would be a lie.” “And that’s why we swore her our oath,” Alixe said, tapping a fist to her chest in salute. Taran echoed the gesture. “Agreed.” “Agreed,” Luther said softly, setting his palm flat over his heart.

Distract me.” I fisted my hands in his sweater and arched my neck toward him. “Make me forget everything but you.

The pain of the buildup was so much more enticing than the pleasure of letting go—because that would mean coming back down to earth, where all my troubles lie in wait.

You cannot solve a problem you refuse to look at,” I said. “No, you cannot,” she agreed. “So I wanted to say thank you—for making me look. And I’m sorry I was not brave enough to do so on my own.

Hagface. I decided to name her Hagface.

Why is that?” “Because an education is the most powerful weapon of them all.

Give him our gift, Daughter of the Forgotten. When the end has come, and the blood has spilled, give our gift to my faithful heir, and tell him this is my command.’” His eyes went wide. “The voice you heard,” he said, sounding suddenly urgent, “did it sound like a woman?” I balked. “Yes—how did you know?” “Has anyone given you anything?” he pushed. “Has anything appeared to you?” I shook my head, and his expression darkened. “Think hard, Diem. There must be something.” “There’s nothing. I never even met Ulther before that day.

She was following my orders,” I cut in. “Fuck your orders.” Taran leapt up and crossed in front of Luther, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “Cousin, let’s step out and take a walk.” I let out a wry laugh. “No, if Luther suddenly has so much to say, let’s hear it. It’s about time some brutal honesty comes out, isn’t it?

I need a High General who can accept my choices to put myself at risk. I trust you with my life, Luther, but I can’t trust you with my orders.

It’s time to get used to having them at your side, not me.” He gave me a fleeting stare. “A compromise for a compromise, Your Majesty.” He pulled away and disappeared down the hall.

He laid his hand over mine to flatten it over the scar’s rippled edge. “Let all those who might try to tear us apart see this and know how far my devotion will go. I will suffer for you, bleed for you, but most of all, I will survive for you. My body can be carved in two, open and dying, and still I will crawl from the ruins of my flesh and fight my way back to your side. Death itself could not keep me away.

Look at me,” Taran shouted. “I’m four feet tall! My head barely reaches above the tables!” “At least that explains why the vendors have been smiling down at your crotch all day,” I teased.

I’d like to see him try, I thought. She laughed. “Me, too. It would be a hell of a match.” I frowned. That was... odd.

Taran scoffed. “Don’t apologize to him. Not after what he did.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s time to move on, Taran. We’re all trapped here together.

If I hadn’t told her, she would have taken it from my head anyway,” Zalaric snapped. “Then I’d be dead like my friend, instead of here helping you.

I wanted to marry you. I wanted to start a family with you.” “I tried to want that, too. I just don’t think I’m that kind of person.” “Are you going to be that kind of person with him?” I couldn’t answer. That same question haunted my own thoughts. Henri laughed harshly. “Well, make sure you warn him so he doesn’t waste his life pining for a woman who will never fully give herself away. Give him the courtesy you never gave me, and let him leave before you break his heart, too.

Is that a threat?” I shot at Remis. “Do you know what I do to those who threaten my family?” “I am not the threat to your family, Diem. It’s you. It has always been you.

Remis sighed wearily. “You should not provoke my brother. Garath is a dangerous man.” “And I am a dangerous woman.” “I’m not sure you realize just how dangerous you are. Is this your plan as Queen, use your magic to threaten everyone you dislike?” “I’ll do more than threaten,” I shot back, though Remis’s criticism had struck deeper than I wanted to admit. My father’s final words to me had been a similar condemnation of my temper and a lack of faith in how I chose to reign. His disappointed tone rang in my ears with each and every failure, an immortal reminder that I was still letting him down.

I almost laughed. If he thought I was causing trouble now, he would be apoplectic at what else I had planned.

Thank the gods,” I breathed. “Thank the Kindred,” he gently corrected. “It’s their magic.” “The Kindred wanted these borders. I’ll thank whatever god of chaos is helping me work against them instead.” He sighed and raised his eyes to the sky. He murmured a quiet prayer, then sent an offering of his shadows into the ether. I watched his reverence with conflicting emotions. I’d never believed in anything the way he believed in Lumnos. He never wavered in his confidence that she was watching him, his guide and his guardian, sending him blessings in good times and comfort in bad. Much as I enjoyed taunting him with my heresy, in truth, some part of me longed for the solace his faith seemed to bring.

You are the flame that fuels my fire. Don’t you dare question that—not for a second.

I dragged myself out of bed and smoothed my wrinkled dress, then closed my eyes and tucked the Crown out of sight. This was about us. Diem and Luther, not a Queen and a Prince. I’d already let those lines blur too far.

I understand,” he said quietly. “Whatever you’ve decided, I accept it, but before you say anything, there’s something you should know.” “No. I need to get this out first.” “Please, Diem, let me explain—” “I have trusted you from the very beginning, Luther.

You can do that?” I asked. “Erase pieces of someone’s memory?” More laughter rose around the room. “Oh, we can do anything,” the Luther-admiring female Centenary said with an arrogant sniff. Hagface. I decided to name her Hagface.

An ember given is a flame received.

My eyes caught with Zalaric’s. He looked confused—almost conflicted. Like he couldn’t imagine why I would do that for him. Like he wasn’t sure he even wanted it. That, I could understand. To have someone willing to die for you—it was a gift, but it was also a burden. A liability, Alixe had called it. For someone like Zalaric, so adept at navigating a dangerous world all on his own, that burden might not be so welcome.

Luther tensed at the sight of my blood and reached for my arm, sparks of light and shadow swirling at his palm. My other hand shot out to his leg and pressed gently in a wordless order to stand down. He stilled, the softest rumble rolling low in his throat, then slowly eased back into his chair. His hand slid over mine, holding it in place on his thigh.

They bound their physical bodies so they could age and pass from this world together. But they did not die as you and I understand it. The afterlife is only for those with mortal blood in their veins—the mortals, the half-mortals, the Descended. The Kindred have no mortal blood. Their bodies perish, but they endure.

I gingerly pulled away his bandages and let out a broken cry at what I saw. The wound was rank and festering, the flesh grey at its center, and it reeked with a putrid smell. A slurry of crimson blood and dark poison oozed down his side.

I almost did, so many times. But then you would smile at me or laugh at Taran, and I knew once I told you, I would never see you happy again.” His voice turned rough. “That was more than I could take.

I crumpled over him beneath the crushing weight of my anguish. He was right—smiling, laughing, it all now felt foreign. Something I’d done once upon a time, but not now. Not ever again.

I’ve been using your poultice. I took what was leftover each time you made it for Taran.” “Maybe it wasn’t enough—I can make more.” “I did make more. I watched you to learn how, then I stole your ingredients and made a larger batch. It didn’t work.” “Then you did it wrong!” I shouted.

Defeat hung over him like a storm cloud. For him, this was the end. He had been fighting this war all alone for days in every way he knew how, and now he was kneeling on the battlefield, the enemy’s sword at his neck, ready to face the inevitable with honor.

Good,” I said firmly. “I can’t promise you’ll be safe—I can’t even promise I will be safe. But I can promise you’ll have a Queen as your ally.” He took a deep breath. “Then let’s go home.

My mental shield dropped, and her thought magic crashed in from every angle. But instead of controlling me—it ignited me.

Though the others gawked in confusion and more than a little alarm, Luther beamed, his eyes bright with fiery affection. He loved me. He loved me.

Eleanor took my arm. “Why don’t you sit with me? We’ll pull up some chairs in here by the fire.” I took up her offer before Maura could object. Eleanor carefully eased me into a chair—facing away from Luther. Zalaric and Alixe joined us while Taran stayed back to help Maura maneuver Luther’s unconscious body. Eleanor peppered me with questions about our journey to keep me distracted. I couldn’t muster more than a handful of words to each, and the others eventually chimed in to fill in the details.

Here,” I pleaded. “My offering of magic. Take it—take every drop I have. Take the Crown, too. If that’s what you want from me, you can have it all.

I threw the knife against the wall and offered up my bleeding palm. “Here. A bonded bargain—his life in exchange for whatever you want. My life, my soul. I’ll fight this war in your name. I’ll die for it, if you wish. I’ll pay any price you ask. You hear me? Any price.” My head sank low, too heavy to lift, my voice choking beneath my sobs. “Take it. Please. Please. I’m begging you...” Words gave way to a long, sorrowful wail as I collapsed forward and succumbed to my despair. I knew my prayers would go unheard. She wasn’t listening. The gods never listened.

Streaming down the smooth marble of the bust, beginning at the eyes and rolling over the apples of its cheeks, were tears. Dark, crimson-black tears. Blood tears. My heart seemed to still, watching, as I climbed to my feet and slowly walked closer. I reached out and brushed a finger across them, my eyes growing large as the blood trickled down my palm and mixed with my own.

I raised Luther’s hand to my lips and kissed his knuckles. It didn’t matter now. I’d offered up my soul for his, and I had no regrets. If the gods came calling, I’d be ready to answer.

I began to strip off my clothes. The key to the Umbros Queen’s library fell from where I’d tucked it in my bandeau and hit the ground with a clink. Doubt I’ll ever be using that again, I thought tartly as I snatched it up and tossed it to the back of my wardrobe.

I placed a hand on Luther’s back. “This changes nothing between us. Whatever battles I face, I want you there to fight them with me. I can’t do this without you.” “You can. And you will.” He pulled out of my reach and grabbed his glass, draining it dry. “We’re still going back to Lumnos. High General or not, I’m getting you home safely. I’ll take on all three of you, if that’s what it takes.” Tired of arguing and feeling guilty over my decision, I let out a heavy sigh and nodded. “Alright. We’ll go home.” “No tricks, Diem. Promise me.” I shouldn’t have been hurt by his distrust—I’d earned it. But I was. “I promise,” I said quietly.

Answer me, my heart. How do you wish to beat?” He set a gentle kiss at the corner of my lips. “Do you prefer it soft?” His lips lingered there as his voice turned dark and his fingers caged my neck. “Or do you prefer it rough?

And dream of him, I did.

The man who’d sworn to be my equal partner in all things, who had seen me for all that I was, my light and my darkness, and not only accepted me, but cherished me. Loved me. The man I’d given myself to, wholly and unconditionally. The man I wanted to spend my forever with. The man I wanted as my mate. And now I’d never get the chance.

Finally, his body curved into mine like two pieces carved for a perfect fit. My tension flooded away, along with a soft, relieved breath. His touch was a blade of the best kind, a sword that felled the nagging beast on my heart.

When you jump—when you stand on the ledge, look down, and embrace what you see with arms wide open—there’s nothing helpless about it at all. Instead of terrifying, it’s liberating. You’re not in freefall... you’re in flight.

Fine. I forgive you. But I’m not sure Lu will. He got that I’m-going-to-murder-someone look again. It was even worse than after the island.” “He worries too much.” Taran snorted. “Have you met yourself? There’s a lot to worry about.

They nearly had to physically restrain me from buying every book

Itried to kill my father.

Because you exiled them all! You think that absolves you of what happens outside your borders? If you know people are dying, and you have the power to stop it but you look away, that blood is on your hands, too.

To be continued...

This wasn’t a fight to be won. These were open wounds that needed cleaning, tending, and time—and even then, the scars might never fade.

Remember, the weapon in your head is more important than the weapon in your hands. Outwit them, outfight them, outrun them—but above all, outlive them.

Lead the way. I’m ready to meet the Queen of Umbros.

Their spears were tipped in glittering black points that hovered inches from his chest.

Each thump of our boots on the soil was a grim reminder of the two precious hearts we’d left behind.

I missed having a father in my life.

Nothing could have braced me for this.

To be disarmed is to court death. By wits or by weapon, be ready at all times.

This was it—my chance to escape.

tainted with a dot of... Blood.

I wasn’t entirely confident I’d be able to follow through and strike the killing blow.

Who decides what it is to be virtuous? Where I come from, what’s considered virtuous for a man is called scandalous for a woman. The virtues a Descended is encouraged toward are punished in a mortal. Acts that harm no one are labeled vices, while the loudest purveyors of virtue do the most harm of all. All this to keep some groups in power and others subservient. I admit, I find no honor in that.

But this kind of grief didn’t heal. It waited.

Save Taran and get us home.