Blakely “You did what?!” Draco at least had the care to wince at my shrill tone. Azrael on the other hand flashed me a smile that dripped with pride. “We had no choice, tiny goddess. Drefan had an entire room full of phoenix flame. Enough to level a city of innocent people. Killing him and destroying the phoenix flame in the process was our only option.” I shared a look with Orion, which was odd considering it seemed like we were on the same page for once. Neither of us knew what to do with the information Draco and Azrael had sprung on us not even fifty feet from the castle’s entrance. I slumped into the carriages seat with a huff. “Casimir isn’t going to take the news of his brother’s death well, is he?” Draco shook his head. Despite his pale face and the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around his torso, Azrael’s lips tipped up in a crooked grin. “He’ll likely want revenge.” “That’s great,” I muttered. “Let’s make sure you live long enough to see it.” Peeling the mask off my f

Blakely There were two things I was certain of. One: The ancient force of evil after us wouldn’t get the chance to kill me because I was seconds away from offing myself. Two: Azrael was up to something. We sat out back of my parents lavish, luxurious house. The patio was just as I’d seen it through Lunette’s mirror. Pale stone led to a staircase, down to a field of emerald grass and an inground pool set with it’s own diving board and built-in waterfall. I was still reeling from seeing not only my sister, but my father. Where Lina had blossomed, Dad had regressed. He looked—well, he looked awful. Dark circles lined his eyes, and he had a beard that looked like an overgrown hedge. When he pulled me into his arms I was stunned speechless. My father had hugged me in the past, but it was those awkward half-hugs where the person lazily drapes an arm over you and then calls it a day. This was different. He clung to me like I was a life preserver in the middle of a vast ocean, and when

Blakely “You were going to run away?” I asked. Mom pinched her lips together. “She thought I didn’t notice her gathering supplies, but my bank statements are proof enough. Winter coats, hunting knives, and packs of freeze-dried food. That’s only the cheaper things. Don’t even get me started on the tent she bought.” Lina fixed me with a flat stare, one so severe that my face began to warm. Without hesitation—without an ounce of playfulness—she said, “I knew you weren’t dead. I don’t know how, but I could feel it in my chest. So, I was going to come find you.” The air rushed from my lungs. My sister was going to come into the Godly realm to find me. She was going to do this all on her own, without a single shred of help. Tears pricked the backs of my eyes and I blinked, glancing away as I fought to shove them down. My fiery, willful little sister who had been given everything was going to sacrifice it all for me. Gingerly cradling her glass of wine, Lina brought it to her lips and

Blakely If I survived this, tales would be told to my grandchildren about how their mother valiantly stood her ground against the gruesome, terrifying Librarians, and did not yield despite the fear coursing through her veins. It would be a lie, of course. Every cowardly instinct in my body was telling me to high tail it the fuck out of there and leave the three massive Gods to fight on my behalf. Now that would be a true test of love. Orion pinned me against the wall with his body, his hand clasped over my mouth. I didn’t have time to accept that he’d thrown himself in front of me without hesitation, because the Librarian was quickly closing in on us. It wheezed as it inched closer, it’s cloak sweeping over the ground. I didn’t dare blink, fearing it would hear my eyelids meet or my lashes brush one another. Peering at it from around Orion’s large frame, I heard Draco’s voice enter my mind. “Do not move. Perhaps it will turn away.” The Librarian stopped a foot away from Orion’s

Blakely “Her family?” Orion’s gritty voice followed with, “We would never betray her. Never. All this time we’ve been searching for her.” If Ismene felt disrespected by Orion’s poorly repressed snarl, she didn’t let on. No, her mind seemed to be somewhere else, split between different tasks or points in time. We held only a portion of her attention, but it was enough. “Even still, there are those close to Lunette who have not cared nearly as much in regard to her disappearance.” I was beginning to notice more and more about Ismene. She had a kindness to her, a sympathy that burned in her eyes, but she didn’t withhold the truth no matter how much it might hurt. There was a bluntness to everything she said, as though she cared more about fact than feelings. “Ozul was trapped in a basement for Goddess knows how long,” I shot Orion a look letting him know that I hadn’t quite forgotten my stay in the mansion of stars lower level. “And Solana—Solana has been looking too.” Ismene lifte