Crown Of The Wrath Bringer Novels & Stories

“Your Highness.” The prince’s eyes met hers—ocean blue, searching, and for the briefest moment, surprised. He inclined his head slightly. “Miss Ellwood.” His right hand, resting at his side, bore a signet ring that caught the light as he moved—a ring adorned with the royal crest, worn on the same hand that bore a scar across the knuckles. A scar. Isabelle’s heart stuttered. A memory stirred—rain, darkness, a strong hand pulling her from danger, a voice calling her brave. Could it be? No, surely not. The coincidence would be too great, the unlikelihood too vast. She blinked, and the moment was gone.

The city lay cradled between stone cliffs and frozen pines, cloaked in mist and moonlight a neutral ground carved from old treaties and older blood. Even here, I could feel the tension in the air. Wolf-shifters moved through the streets in wary silence. Some bore the white tattoos of the Highland Clans, others the storm-gray brands of the South. They nodded as I passed, respectful, but wary. I was Frostfang, northern royalty and a healer in a world that only valued warriors. My wolf stirred beneath my skin. Something is wrong, Nemphis whispered. I didn’t answer. I couldn’t afford to listen to instincts, not here, not now. I looked up and admired the Hall.

Beside us, Bella clapped her hands in delight, her expression one of untouchable arrogance. "Kill her, Lorenzo! Chop off her hands and feed them to the dogs! A pathetic, low-born woman like her could die ten thousand times and it still wouldn't atone for my son's life!" Bella even spat on me, acting as if she were already the Sovereign of the city. Lorenzo raised his right hand high, another heavy blow ready to fall. Just then, the rhythmic thud of heavy, synchronized footsteps echoed from the end of the hall. Each strike of expensive leather against the floor carried enough raw pressure to turn the air to lead.

Then Rowan shouted from below. Then: "NOW WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO WIN!" Honestly? Fair. Very fair. Reasonable honestly. Then the beam fired. BOOOOOOOOOOM! Reality screamed. The attack crossed the distance instantly. Impossible to dodge. Impossible to block. Then every Crown ignited. Immediately. The First Crown. The Third Crown. The Fourth Crown. The Sixth Crown. All of them. Together. Their power surged through the battlefield. Then Ava screamed. Then: "THOMAS!"

Even the pleasure of revenge seemed unnecessary. Half the blood debt from my previous life had finally been collected. Next, it was time for the woman behind the door.