All Chapters of QUEEN OF THE RUINS: Born to Power. Crowned in blood : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Kamara’s POVIt was well past three in the afternoon and still no sign of him.Was he deliberately avoiding me… or was I reading into things the way I always did?I shoved the thought aside, focusing instead on the cup of ice cream in my hands, the once solid, now a sad, melted swirl I kept stirring without actually eating.With a sigh, I kicked off the bed and padded downstairs, bare feet carrying me through the quiet house. I pushed open the balcony doors and stepped outside, the warmth of the afternoon sun brushing my skin.From here, I had a perfect view of the deck.The deck where everything had shifted.My grip tightened slightly around the cup as my eyes traced the familiar space, the railing, the steps and the spot where I’d stood barefoot, daring myself not to think and failing miserably. Stop it.I leaned against the railing, letting the breeze tug at my hair as the ocean stretched endlessly ahead of me, calm and unbothered. The waves rolled in steady rhythms, completely in

Jace’s POV“Won’t you invite me in?” Oscar finally broke the silence that had been lingering for more than half a minute..I tore my gaze away from the man and locked straight onto Oscar’s gray eyes. “What the fuck are you doing here?” I demanded. “And how did you find this place?”His smirk softened but wasn’t gone. Just reshaped into something mockingly sympathetic, like a fake sad face.“That’s no way to address the man who just reunited you with your long-dead brother,” he said lightly. “C’mon. Invite us in, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”My jaw tightened with every second that passed.I glanced back at the man. He didn’t look excited. Didn’t look angry either. If anything, his eyes were dull—like this conversation was already exhausting him.“C’mon,” Oscar urged again. “Let us in.”I hesitated.Every instinct I had told me this was a bad idea. That once they crossed the threshold, whatever this was would stop being a doorstep problem and turn into something much

Brian’s POVThe door shut behind him..I stayed there for a second longer before I straightened..I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and looked at the red staining my skin.I adjusted my jacket, rolling my shoulders back like nothing had happened. Like I wasn’t still tasting iron at the back of my throat.The warehouse parking lot was nearly empty now. The men were gone. The cars had cleared out.This place didn’t exist on any official map. It was one of my father’s old meeting spots. Abandoned.Except it never really was.I walked toward my car, keys spinning around my finger.Halfway there a sound from behind caught my attention. I stopped for a moment but didn’t turn.If someone wanted to follow me, they could try harder.I reached my car, opened the door but right before stepping in, I caught my reflection in the window.I looked beat up., split lips and bruised jaw.I wiped at the blood on my lip again.Another sound burst from behind me but before I could react, my body s

Kamara The click of the lock was the loudest sound I’d ever heard. It wasn't the sound of a prison cell closing this time; it was the sound of the world being shut out.Jace didn't move for a long beat. He stood with his back to the door, his hand still resting on the deadbolt. The apartment was sweltering, the air thick with the scent of his workout and smell of the alcohol on the table. When he finally turned around, the stoic bodyguard was gone. In his place was a man who looked like he’d been pushed to the very edge of his tether.I stood my ground by the sofa, my heart hammering so hard against my ribs it felt like it would bruise. "Jace," I breathed, his name a plea and a challenge all at once.He crossed the distance between us in two blurred strides. He didn't hesitate this time. His hands found my waist, his fingers digging into my skin through the fabric of my clothes, and he hoisted me up until I was eye-level with him. My legs instinctively wrapped around his hips, and I

Kamara’s PovI stood in the entryway, staring at the closed door, half-expecting him to burst back in and tell me it was all a lie. But the hallway remained silent.Ten minutes later, the silence broke.Three sharp knocks echoed through the apartment. I opened the door, and the air in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.The man standing there was older, perhaps in his late late thirties, with a face that looked like it had been carved out of gray granite. A jagged scar ran from his temple down to his jaw, disappearing into the collar of a high-necked black coat. His eyes were flat, colorless, and utterly devoid of the fire I had grown used to seeing in Jace."Kamara," he said. It wasn't a greeting; it was a confirmation of cargo. "I am Silas. Your father has authorized your immediate relocation."He didn't wait for me to invite him in. He stepped past me, his movements stiff and efficient. He carried a small black device that he began running over the walls."Where is he?" I asked,