er, just the sticky memory of him pressed into her skin. Her body still ached, still buzzed in

in white sheets that stunk of denial. Whoever had dressed her back up in innocence was d

had nothing to do with sleep. Her lips-god, they still tingled, bruised from Kael's savage mouth. You'd think it'd be enough to scare her straight. But nah. She

e-don't forge

s for a beast, kingdoms burn, yada yada. Her bloodline spent centuries terrified of that story. If on

t for show, but because it felt right. Like she was wearing her anger on the outside. Her eyes, rimmed with sle

, all frantic whispers and sideways glances. Rumor had it black smoke had poured from t

but her eyes-damn, her eyes-were knives. Her father drew back,

here were you last night? We had a co

urgical, like she was thinking of skin

mple," she said,

ath. Someone dropped a goblet.

s cursed," he

mile curling wicked.

t. The way people looked at her-like she'd gr

moon, full and fat and watching her like it knew every secret. The mark over

her head this time. Not a shadow. He strode out

ep," he said, voice low

blink. "They're

e." His smile

him. "You called m

id you were meant to be. Doesn't mean it'll be a cakew

shot back. "S

ost sad. "I w

't pretend this is some fairytale.

e, breath warm at he

ed through her-hot, wild, overwhelming. Her knees buckled. She ar

e and dark, herself leading armies of beasts and the damned. It

murmured, voice rough.

s, ancient priests, forgotten mages. Not mindless, not rotting. But changed. Marked

ed-eyes burning, voice like an avalanc

st time, she wasn't a girl pretending to be powerful.

hing new. Som

Kael found her in

r with a hunger that made the stones quake. She screamed his nam

the keep. Every cry a spell, every climax a ste

d radiant, and the mark on h

asn't sleep

chose

et the world tremble. She was ready t