Dearest Diary,
Even as I sit here in my night rail, my sleeveless and gloriously low-cut gown of red silk resting next to me on the ottoman, I can feel the path my
paramour’s hands took, can taste his smoky-sweet flavor on my tongue. Can imagine what I’d like to do with him next.
The Red Pearl is not a new place for me, as you are well aware. I haunt it regularly, like a crimson ghost with unfinished business. The reason for that is simple: The energy in the place is unparalleled. It is an establishment of vice and pleasure, and at the root of it all…life. People
come to the Pearl to live. And that, my dearest and oldest friend, is my goal for each day I am in this realm—as you know. But tonight’s series of events deserves an entry. I believe I may have written about this lover before, but tonight was special. He is special. Everything about what happened is
extraordinary.
For a Seer of some power, it is not easy to catch me unawares, yet I found myself surprised more than once this night. First by the appearance of someone I never thought to see in the Red Pearl—a girl in a robin’s egg
blue cloak and lace mask—then by a waking vision of the room upstairs and knowledge of exactly what I had to do, not to mention the surprises of the rest of the night, which I cannot wait to capture in great detail on these pages.
The Maiden came into the Pearl tonight, dear one. The Maiden! I knew it was her the minute she walked through the door, and I couldn’t take my
eyes off her as she played cards with a few guards, drank some champagne, and took in the environment like a starving beggar taking in sustenance for the first time in much too long. And as I watched her, I felt myself falling into that misty abyss of vision, where everything seems both surreal and much too real. In brilliant multicolored detail, I saw exactly what I needed
to do. And so, when the opportunity arose, I directed sweet Penellaphe upstairs to the door I knew would change her life forever.
Once she was away, I shifted my attention to the reason for the Maiden’s acute distress. A captivating man of some years, sandy hair a halo around
his head, sun-weathered skin begging to be touched, and eyes so clear a
blue it was like looking into the sea—one you wouldn’t mind drowning in. And then I saw something I had never seen before with him. Something I never thought to see. My second sight flared to life, and I caught the
unmistakable aura of a being of unfathomable age. Something I hadn’t seen since I’d crossed paths with none other than Penellaphe’s previous
guardian, Leopold. The man was a viktor. But there was also something… more about this mortal. Something utterly unique.
I was so shocked by the discovery that I found myself immediately taking steps toward him. We were known to each other—quite intimately, in fact—but I had no previous designs on spending time with him this eve. Yet what I’d just seen made the lure to go to him almost unbearable. And not just because of his magnetic draw, which he had in spades. It was power.
The gifts bestowed upon me by the Fates called to those given to him.
Now that my eyes had been opened, I could only imagine what a night with him would be like. Unfortunately, Sariah still knelt by his side, her hand running up and down his strong and muscular thigh, her adoring gaze taking in the handsome, almost gruff veneer of his visage—one I knew could
soften into something akin to art. And I noticed that he rubbed at his temple, likely beginning to suffer from one of the migraines that often plagued him.
I wished I could take away his pain.
With a sigh, I decided to leave him to Sariah’s adoring attentions and
took my leave, excusing myself up the stairs to the middle of the hall, where a table rested below a dormer window that opened to the roof. The moon
shone brightly through the glass, beckoning me like a siren’s song. I flipped the latch and pushed it out, the opening just large enough to permit a person to pass through. Scaling the table and stepping out onto the Red Pearl’s roof, I took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the night, closing my eyes and basking in the wonder for a moment before settling myself on the tiles, situating my red gown around me.
Head back, soaking in the night and ruminating on what I’d just seen, I started when someone pushed aside my long fall of hair and gently kissed
my neck. I kept my eyes closed, imbibing the feel of firm lips with just a hint
of stubble and the smell of leather and musk. My aura tingled, and I knew exactly who stood behind me. It was as if I’d conjured him with my thoughts.
He nipped my earlobe and then settled himself beside me on the roof. I met his clear blue eyes and smiled. When he returned the expression, such a beautiful look on that brutally handsome face, it made my heart skip a beat. It somehow felt like the greatest gift. Still, I saw some pain in the lines at the corners of his eyes.
I hitched up my skirts and settled myself facing him on his lap, looking into his eyes as I moved to massage his head and temples, scratching my
nails across his scalp before kneading the tight muscles of his neck. He
dropped his head back, a moan of pleasure escaping that went straight to my core.
Still rubbing the base of his neck with my fingers and his temple with the thumb on one hand, I brought the hand at his nape around and ran my
fingertips down his throat, reveling in the way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed thickly. He raised his head and opened his eyes, his gaze meeting mine. The look in those blue orbs was so intense it took my breath. I saw need there—a desire that matched mine.
His hands firmly on my hips, I undid the ties of his long vest and tunic so I could reach more skin, my fingers tracing and charting and putting to memory every scar. He had a body honed for battle, and the strength I felt in not only his physical presence but also his character had turned me on
from the first moment I saw him in the Pearl years ago. With him at my
mercy now, thighs tensing, rod thickening, fingers clenching, I felt powerful.
And despite his leadership with his men and brutality with his foes, I knew him to be open to submission and oftentimes tender in his dominance.
He slid one hand to better cup my bottom and raised the other to slide beneath the bodice of my gown, his large, calloused hand cupping my
breast and making my nipple pebble. My head fell back on a moan, and I pushed myself into his touch, the movement bringing me into more direct contact with his impressive cock between us, clearly on board with
whatever happened next.
The jolt of wanton electricity the movement shot through me pulled a gasp from me, making me snap my attention to his face once more. His gaze was on my chest, on the breast he’d freed, and I watched as he licked his lips. A rush of heat flooded me, making me clench with desire. I lifted some
on my knees, ignoring the way the roof tiles dug into my skin, and moved to give him better access. He didn’t disappoint.
In the next heartbeat, he had his firm lips and hot mouth pressed to my chest, his talented tongue laving and licking and flicking across my
sensitive peak. I felt its twin tighten with jealous need, the friction of it rubbing against the silk of its confines ramping my desire. Both breasts felt heavy—swollen with want. It made me groan, and I both felt and heard
Vikter chuckle.
More frustrated than amused, I pulled the halter of my gown over my head and let the crimson material pool at my waist, baring myself fully to him. Then I placed a fingertip under his chin and tipped his head up so his gaze met mine. With an eyebrow raise and a sly smile, I told him without
words what I needed. And he didn’t disappoint. He pressed my breasts together, alternating between nipples with long licks and swirls of his
tongue and nips of his teeth before kissing away the sting. I was positively drenched from just that attention and found myself panting for more.
I moved back just a bit and smiled at the sound of protest he made—he was most definitely a breast man. His sounds of disapproval didn’t last long as I reached between us and palmed the rigid length of his cock through his breeches. He groaned and raised his hips, seeking more of my touch. I wanted the same, so I didn’t hesitate to undo the fasteners at his waist and
delve my hand into the opening.
He throbbed in my palm, silken skin over steely heat. As I pumped my hand up and down his length, I watched the expressions cross his face, relished the way his mouth dropped open to emit short pants of heated
breath, each of which caressed my aching nipples and fanned the flames of my desire.
Swirling my thumb over the head of his cock, I spread the liquid there, imagining the pleasure we were both about to experience. When I hitched up my skirts and moved so his crown rested at my pulsing, drenched opening, he lifted his lids and said something to me about the people below and anyone walking by in the hall being able to see. I remember
emphatically stating, “Let them. We’ll teach them something,” before placing my hands on his shoulders and impaling myself fully on him.
We both let out shocked puffs of breath at the invasion, which soon turned to groans and moans of pleasure as feelings bombarded us. He
stretched me deliciously, his length immediately hitting that spot deep inside
me that made me even wetter—and neither of us had even moved yet. He lifted his hands to my breasts once more, fondling and caressing, his eyes focused on his ministrations. Every swipe of his thumbs over my nipples
made my core tingle and convulse around him, causing him to involuntarily lift his hips in response, sending him trailing over that hidden treasure deep within.
Before I could even catch up to the sensations, I came around him with a shocked cry, the convulsions so intense it was almost painful. I felt him
throb and jump inside me in response as he uttered a rough oath to the gods. And then his hands were on my hips, lifting me and slamming me down on his length, the brutality of the claiming ramping up my desire once again and stealing my breath. As he lifted me, I rotated my hips, swirling myself around his length before he pulled me back to him, the movement coaxing another curse from him and a breathy exclamation from me.
I was ramping up again so fast I hadn’t even had a chance to catch my breath from the first orgasm before another blasted free, drenching us both in my pleasure. He didn’t let up, didn’t let me regather myself as the
aftershocks continued, making every nerve ending in my body tingle.
Before I could even track what he was doing, he’d lifted me from him and reclined, pulling me up so I straddled his head instead of his waist. And then his mouth was on me, wrenching a rough cry from me that quickly turned into my oath to the gods as he feasted. He sucked on my nectar, making sounds of appreciation and delight that made me pulse. He swirled his tongue around my swollen clit, following its length like few men knew to do. He delved in deeply and twirled within, the sensations just as good as when he’d been buried in me balls-deep. He nipped at my nether lips, then licked away the sting, making me ache. I needed more. And I told him as much.
With a skill few would possess, he somehow managed to get up and switch our positions, moving me closer to the window. His heat surrounded me despite the chill in the air. I felt him rip off his vest and tunic and then
saw it land beside me on the tiles before the skin of his chest touched my back, his heat soothing yet frustrating. He cupped one breast and pushed up the skirts of my gown with his other hand, his fingers slipping through my folds.
Making sure to anchor us both, he deeply plunged two fingers into me. It wrenched another gasp from my throat as he curled his middle digit to
stroke that spot deep inside again, then slightly scissored those wicked
invaders to stretch me, and swirled his thumb over my clit maddeningly. I felt like I would combust. I literally panted at the sensations, never coming down from what he’d done to me before.
In a daze, I vaguely realized that he’d withdrawn and was pushing me closer to the window. When he placed a gentle hand between my shoulder blades and applied pressure, I realized what he wanted and felt my inner muscles clench at the thought. A smile graced my lips as I leaned over the
sill of the dormer window and rested my hands on the table below, wiggling my derriere in invitation.
I heard a chuckle followed by a sound of protest from behind me and then felt a sudden chill, only to next find myself being pulled back so Vikter could place his clothing on the sill to protect my stomach. I flushed with
gratitude and endearment at his thoughtfulness. When he gently guided me back down, I went willingly, anchoring myself and preparing for the carnal onslaught about to ensue.
And he didn’t disappoint. He flipped my skirts up my back and plunged, wrenching a cry from me that I was sure those down the hall could hear distinctly—not that it would be differentiated from the other sounds rising
from within the Pearl. He set a furious rhythm with his thrusts, withdrawing almost to the point of separation before shoving back in. It was exactly what I needed, what I craved, I only wanted…more. And so, I told him as much.
And he delivered.
He moved one hand to the base of my throat in a proprietary hold that only fanned the flames of my desire. I never felt threatened or in danger with him. What I did feel was conquered—and for someone as independent and old as me, that was a rarity. Never faltering in his indefatigable pace, my cries turned to screams until I shattered in one of the most intense
orgasms I’d had in ages, the pleasure locking every muscle in my body and pulling all my connective tissue tight until it snapped like a rubber band, making me sag against the sill and catch myself on the table.
As I did, I felt his thighs tighten against the backs of mine, and his length grow inside me before he finally tumbled over the cliffs of pleasure and released himself deep inside me, the hot jets setting off aftershocks of orgasm within me and bringing a huge smile and a contented sigh to my lips.
As I looked up, I caught sight of someone coming down the hall, beige- brown skin almost glowing in the light of the sconces, blue eyes flashing with mirth as he looked at me and gave me a crooked smile and a tip of his head before continuing on and knocking on the sixth door on the left.
Vikter slid from me and placed a kiss in the center of my back before I felt him use something to clean me and then set my skirts to rights. He turned me to face him. When I looked up into his roughly handsome visage, I saw satisfaction there. Relaxation. I asked him how his headache was, and he just laughed, the rumbly sound settling somewhere deep in my belly, causing sensations I didn’t know how I could still feel.
He helped me right the top half of my gown, and I helped him clean up, do up his breeches, and re-don his tunic. He kept the vest in his hand—that would definitely need to be laundered, and I almost chuckled aloud at what those who took care of it would think.
When we were both put back together, I peered over the end of the roof and found a group of smiling people staring up. They waved and hooted, smiling goofily, one couple clearly needing to come in and get a room
before guards seized them for public indecency—something I should have probably been more worried about.
Vikter went through the window and then helped me through, picking me up from the table as if I weighed nothing and setting me before him. He
simply stared into my eyes for a beat before pinching my chin in his thumb and forefinger and tipping my head so he could take my lips in a languorous kiss. He placed one last peck on my mouth, caressed my cheek with the
backs of his knuckles, and then backed away before turning on his heel and heading down the stairs without a word.
I took a deep breath and leaned against the table behind me, listening to his footfalls, my gaze tracking his departure and reliving what had just happened and what I’d uncovered tonight.
Vikter Wardwell, a Royal Guard, was also a viktor, an eternal being born with a goal: to guard someone the Fates believe is destined to bring
about great change or purpose. But from what I saw, he was also…different. And I couldn’t wait to find out more.
That’s right, dear diary… Vikter is a viktor, the very first, in fact, chosen and commanded by the Fates. But here’s the kicker. Most viktors don’t know anything about their previous lives or exactly why they are where they are in this one. But given what I saw this night, Vikter is different. He
remembers. And he knows. And there seems to be even more to that story besides.
Which makes me wonder what is to come for our dear Penellaphe Balfour. I’m sure it’s even greater than what I’ve seen.
KNOWN WOLVEN
Much before my time, the kiyou wolves were given mortal form to serve as guides and protectors to the children of the gods. Strong and loyal, they hold a high place in society because they were chosen by the gods themselves. Several wolven have played a role in the story that has unfolded, particularly as it pertains to the tale of Poppy and Casteel. I wanted to record them in one place in case the information was ever needed.
Click here to see a full-size image of some wolven by Jemlin C.
ALASTIR DAVENWELL †
[see Alastir’s file for additional information]
Hair: Long, sandy-blond.
Eyes: Pale blue.
Body type: Broad-shouldered.
Facial features: Ruggedly handsome.
Distinguishing features: Deep groove scar in the center of his forehead.
Other: Raspy voice. At least eight hundred years old but looks in his forties.
Personality: Not prone to violence. A bit of an alarmist.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Incredibly loyal to his kingdom.
Background: Was King Malec’s bonded wolven but has been unable to shift since their bond broke. King Valyn and Queen Eloana’s Advisor to the Crown. After he betrays Cas by kidnapping Poppy, Poppy kills him by slitting his throat.
Family: Daughter = Shea †. Niece = Gianna. Great-nephew = Beckett
†.
ARDEN †
Eyes: Vibrant blue.
Preternatural appearance: Silver and white fur.
Other: Imprint is like the salty sea.
Background: Was one of Poppy’s main guards. Dies in an underground chamber full of Craven.
BECKETT DAVENWELL †
Hair: Black.
Eyes: Winter-blue.
Body type: Body of a thirteen-year-old boy.
Facial features: Tan skin.
Preternatural appearance: Black fur.
Personality: Energetic. Excitable.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Has a habit of not watching where he’s going. Loves to chase leaves and butterflies while in wolven form.
Background: Killed by Jansen so the changeling could take his place.
Family: Alastir is his great-uncle. Shea and Gianna are his cousins.
COULTON
Hair: Bald.
Eyes: Winter-blue.
Facial features: Olive skin tone.
Other: Older.
Background: Works at the stables in Spessa’s End.
DELANO AMICU
[See Delano’s file for additional information]
Hair: White-blond.
Eyes: Pale, wintery blue.
Body type: Tall. Heavy and strong as an ox.
Facial features: Pale skin. Boyish features. Distinguishing features: Near-constant crease in his brow. Preternatural appearance: White fur.
Other: Imprint is springy and featherlight.
Personality: Reserved. A bit of a softie.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Not bonded to an Elemental Atlantian.
Background: Whole den killed by the Ascended, including his family.
In a relationship with Perry.
Family: Mother, father, unknown number of sisters †. Sister = Preela †.
EFFIE †
Background: Dies by a spear to the chest in Oak Ambler.
GIANNA DAVENWELL
[See Alastir’s file for additional information]
Hair: Warm blond and wavy.
Eyes: Pale wintry blue and wideset.
Body type: Buxom and voluptuous. Several inches shorter than Poppy.
Facial features: Thick brows. Sharply angled cheekbones and nose.
Small mouth but full lips.
Background: Casteel’s second intended after Shea.
Family: Uncle = Alastir †. Cousin = Shea †. Second Cousin = Beckett
†.
IVAN †
Preternatural appearance: Brindle fur.
Background: Jericho’s cohort. Staked to the wall by Casteel.
JASPER CONTOU
[See Jasper and Kirha’s file for additional information]
Hair: Shaggy and silver, waving around his ears and at the neck.
Eyes: Pale blue.
Body type: Tall.
Facial features: Tan skin. Stubble on chin.
Distinguishing features: Black ink on both arms swirling all the way to shoulders.
Preternatural appearance: Impossibly large. Silver fur.
Other: Has foresight. Imprint is like rich soil and cut grass. Earthy and minty feeling.
Personality: Family-oriented.
Background: Head of the wolven. Member of the Council of Elders.
Family: Wife = Kirha. Son = Kieran. Daughters = Vonetta and new infant.
JERICHO †
Hair: Dark and shaggy.
Eyes: Pale blue.
Body type: Large.
Facial features: Hint of a beard.
Personality: Blood-thirsty.
Background: Was part of Cas’s original crew from the time at the Red Pearl. Killed Rylan and tried to grab Poppy in the process. Loses his left
hand to Cas’s ire. Tries to take out Poppy in the dungeon. Staked to the wall by Casteel but left alive. Eventually killed by Cas when he removes the bodies from the wall.
KEEV †
Facial features: Onyx-hued skin.
Other: Appears a decade older than Poppy.
Personality: Stoic and slightly distrustful.
Background: Injured during Ascended attack and lets Poppy take his pain so he can heal. Lost someone a long time ago. Killed by the Ascended
—one of the heads slung in Spessa’s End.
KIERAN CONTOU
[See Kieran’s file for additional information]
Hair: Dark and trimmed close to the skull. Eyes: Striking pale blue like a winter sky. Body type: Lean.
Facial features: Warm beige skin. Sharply angled face. Goes from coldly handsome to strikingly attractive when he smiles.
Distinguishing features: Slight accent. Faded claw marks across his chest. A healed puncture wound near his waist.
Preternatural appearance: Fawn/sand/tawny-colored fur. Slight foresight—has feelings that tend to come true. Nearly as tall as a man, even on all fours.
Other: Fine dusting of hair on his chest. Over two hundred years old.
Imprint is like cedar: rich, earthy, and woodsy. Blood smells like the woods, earthy and rich.
Personality: Snarky and sarcastic. A bit anal. Not the hugging type. Not modest. About as transparent as a brick wall. Go-to expression is bored with a hint of amusement.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Moves with the grace of a dancer when he fights. Often sleeps in wolven form and kicks in his sleep but sleeps deepest as the sun rises. Loves biscuits…well, food of all types.
Doesn’t like crowded cities. Excellent at making alcoholic drinks. His loyalty to his family and those he loves goes beyond any bond, including the Primal notam.
Background: Bonded to Casteel since birth. Lost a great love—Elashya
—who was born with a wasting disease.
Family: Mother = Kirha Contou. Fater = Jasper Contou. Sisters = Vonetta, and a new baby sister, name unknown as yet. Aunt = Beryn.
KIRHA CONTOU
[See Jasper and Kirha’s file for additional information]
Hair: Cornrows – narrow rows of small, tight braids.
Eyes: Wintery blue.
Facial features: Skin the color of night-blooming roses. Broad cheekbones. Full mouth.
Other: Sometimes has a way of knowing things like her husband and son.
Personality: Warm and maternal.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Likes to knit. Has a green thumb. Really hard sleeper.
Family: Husband = Jasper. Son = Kieran. Daughters = Vonetta and new infant. Sister = Beryn.
KRIEG †
Background: Died in the Massene battle. Head left on a spike near the Pompay border.
KYLEY †
Background: Died in the Massene battle. Head left on a spike near the Pompay border.
LADY CAMBRIA
Hair: Blond with silver strands.
Bloodline: Wolven.
Personality: Finds humor in others’ ridiculousness.
Background: Assists with the security of the kingdom and holds a position in the Atlantian Army.
LIZETH DAMRON
[See Hisa Fa’Mar’s file for additional information]
Hair: Chin-length and icy-blond.
Eyes: Wintery blue. Facial features: Fair skin. Personality: Brave.
Background: Wolven general. Hisa Fa’Mar’s girlfriend.
LYRA †
Hair: Pin-straight and dark brown.
Eyes: Pale blue.
Facial features: Golden-brown skin.
Preternatural appearance: Smaller-sized. Deep brown fur.
Other: Imprint is like warm, rolling waters. A bit younger than Kieran.
Personality: Brave. Sweet.
Background: Is Kieran’s friend with benefits. Killed by Isbeth.
PREELA †
Background: Malik’s bonded wolven. Was captured and tortured by the Blood Crown before King Jalara killed her. Bones made into seven daggers.
Family: Brother = Delano.
ROALD †
Background: Died in the Massene battle. Head left on a spike near the Pompay border.
ROLF †
Preternatural appearance: Brown fur.
Background: One of Jericho’s cohorts. Attacks Poppy in the dungeon and is killed by Poppy with the sickle sword then nailed to the wall with bloodstone by Cas as a warning.
RUNE
Preternatural appearance: Brown and black fur.
Background: With group at the Bone Temple. Saved by Naill and then killed by a dakkai but then brought back to life by Poppy when she’s merged with Sera.
SAGE
Hair: Short, dark, and spiky.
Preternatural appearance: Blackish gray fur.
Other: Imprint is like fresh rain.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Appreciates the male form—especially Reaver’s.
SHEA DAVENWELL †
[See Alastir’s file for additional information]
Personality: Wild. Brave. Smart. Never backed down from anything.
Outspoken.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Capable of defending herself. Never asked for help and often refused the offer.
Background: Casteel’s intended. Turned traitor while trying to rescue Casteel and ended up being killed by him.
Family: Father = Alastir †. Cousin = Gianna. Second Cousin = Beckett
†.
VONETTA CONTOU
[See Vonetta’s file for additional information]
Hair: Black cornrows—tight, narrow braids—that reach her waist.
Eyes: Wintery blue.
Body type: Tall.
Facial features: Skin the color of night-blooming roses. Sharply angled face. Broad cheekbones. Full mouth.
Distinguishing features: Throaty feminine laugh.
Other: Sixty years younger than her brother, so about one hundred and forty.
Personality: Easygoing. Kind. Suffers no fools when it comes to men.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Loves candied fruit and demands it from Kieran when he annoys her. Terrible cook. Quick with a blade. Found it hard to believe that anyone in Solis was innocent until she met more Descenters.
Preternatural traits: Fawn/sand/tawny-colored in her wolven form but smaller than Kieran. Imprint is woodsy like white oak and vanilla.
Background: Spessa’s End Rise Guard. Helped Casteel remember who he was and remind him that he wasn’t a thing after his imprisonment.
Family: Mother = Kirha Contou. Father = Jasper Contou. Brother = Kieran. Sister = new infant not yet named. Aunt = Beryn.
ATLANTIA CHARACTERS
 |
Alastir Davenwell † Wolven
Advisor to the Crown (King Valyn and Queen Eloana) Malec’s bonded wolven
Betrayed Casteel and was murdered by Poppy
Arden † Wolven
Died in a Craven attack in underground chambers
Aurelia Draken
Only one of three draken awakened
Beckett Davenwell † Young wolven Poppy heals him
Killed by Jansen so he could take his place
Carriage Driver From Saion’s Cove
Casteel Da’Neer Elemental Atlantian New King of Atlantia Poppy’s heartmate
Joined with Poppy and Kieran
Coulton Wolven
Works in the Stables at Spessa’s End
Dante † Atlantian
Killed while scouting with Delano near Spessa’s End
Delano Amicu Wolven
One of Cas and Poppy’s inner circle
Dominik Atlantian
A commander of the Crown Guard
Effie † Wolven
Killed in Oak Ambler battle
Elian Da’Neer †
Da’Neer ancestor who summoned a god
Elijah Payne † Atlantian
New Haven resident
Killed by Ascended and head thrown at Spessa’s End
Eloana Da’Neer Elemental Atlantian
Previous Queen of Atlantia Helped to entomb Malec
Emil Da’Lahr Elemental Atlantian
Part of Cas and Poppy’s inner circle Has a casual relationship with Vonetta
Gayla La’Sere
Atlantian
General in the Atlantian Army
General Aylard Atlantian
General in the Atlantian Army
Gianna Davenwell Wolven
Casteel’s second intended after Shea
Griffith Jansen † Atlantian Changeling
Rare changeling that can take another’s form Killed by Poppy
Harlan
Mortal or changeling
Works the stables in Saion’s Cove
Hisa Fa’Mar Atlantian
Commander of the Crown Guard Lizeth’s girlfriend
Ivan † Wolven
Part of the group that tried to kill Poppy in the dungeon Staked to the wall by Casteel
Jasper Contou Leader of the Wolven
Kieran and Vonetta’s father
Jericho † Wolven
Left hand removed as punishment for trying to take Poppy w/o orders and then staked alive to the wall by Casteel—later killed
Joshalynn Atlantian Council Elder
Keev † Wolven
Killed in New Haven
Kieran Contou Wolven
Bonded to Casteel
New Advisor to the Crown Joined with Poppy and Cas
Kirha Contou Wolven
Kieran and Vonetta’s mother
Lady Cambria Wolven
Council Elder Alternate
Landell Atlantian
Resident of New Haven
Very against Poppy becoming Queen Casteel rips his heart out of his chest
Lin Atlantian
Soldier in Aylard’s regiment
Lizeth Damron Wolven
General in the Atlantian Army Hisa’s girlfriend
Lord Gregori Atlantian Council Elder
Lord Murin Atlantian Changeling
General in the Atlantian Army
Lyra † Wolven
Was Kieran’s friend with benefits Killed by Isbeth
Magda † Atlantian
New Haven resident Killed by Ascended Elijah’s niece
Malec O’Meer [Mierel] God
Nyktos and Sera’s son
Has been entombed for eons
First to Ascend another—Isbeth (thus turning her into a demis)
Malik Da’Neer Elemental Atlantian Prince of Atlantia
Was held by the Blood Crown for ages Millicent’s heartmate
Marji Atlantian
Young
Was brought back to life by Poppy
Marji’s Father Atlantian
Saion’s Cove resident
Marji’s Mother Atlantian
Saion’s Cove resident
Miss Seleana Mortal
Seamstress in Saion’s Cove
Naill
Elemental Atlantian
Part of Poppy and Casteel’s inner circle
Naill’s Father Elemental Atlantian
Runs the mills in Evaemon
Nektas Draken First draken
Bonded to Nyktos
Daughter Jadis was taken by the Blood Crown
Nithe Draken
One of the draken Poppy summons
Nova Atlantian Guardian
Odell Cyr Atlantian
General in the Atlantian Army
Penellaphe Balfour
Primal of Blood and Bone and the true Primal of Life and Death Previous Maiden
Nyktos and Sera’s granddaughter Ires and Isbeth’s daughter Casteel’s heartmate
Joined with Cas and Kieran
Perry
Elemental Atlantian Casteel’s friend
In a relationship with Delano
Preela † Wolven
Malik’s bonded wolven Killed by King Jalara
Bones made into seven bloodstone daggers
Quentyn Da’Lahr Elemental Atlantian Young
Raul Mortal
Resident of Evaemon Stable hand
Reaver Draken
First to rise when Poppy summons Nyktos’s guards
Renfern Octis †
Mortal Young
Killed by Lord Chaney
Roald † Wolven
Killed near the border of Pompay
Rolf † Wolven
Part of the group that tried to kill Poppy in the dungeon Beheaded by Poppy with the sickle sword
Staked to the wall by Casteel
Rose Mortal
Palace manager at Evaemon
Rune Wolven
Present for the Bone Temple battle
Sage Wolven
Has a thing for Reaver
Shea Davenwell † Wolven
Alastir’s daughter Casteel’s intended Betrayed the Da’Neers
Casteel killed her with his bare hands
Sven
Elemental Atlantian Council Elder Perry’s father
Fascinated with and knowledgeable about Primal magic
Talia Atlantian Healer
Thad Draken
Part of the group that Poppy summoned
Sera brought him back to life in the god times
Valyn Da’Neer
Previous King of Atlantia Casteel’s father
Vonetta Contou Wolven Kieran’s sister
Has a casual relationship with Emil
Wilhelmina Colyns Atlantian Changeling
Seer
Oldest Council Elder
Has a fondness for recording her carnal encounters in red journals
Wren Mortal Descenter
SOLIS CHARACTERS
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Agnes Mortal
Masadonia resident Marlowe’s (Cursed) wife
Blaz † Mortal Descenter
Clariza’s husband
Working with Malik when he was posing as Elian Killed by Isbeth
Britta Mortal Maid
Used to dally with Casteel
Bryant † Mortal
Huntsman/Guard
Died during Hawke’s ruse
Callum
The first Revenant
Was around in the time of the gods Sotoria’s brother
Clariza † Mortal Descenter
Blaz’s wife
Working with Malik when he was posing as Elian Killed by Isbeth
Commander Forsyth †
Command of the Rise Guard in Oak Ambler Killed during Oak Ambler takeover
Commander Jansen Atlantian Changeling
Was posing as a guard as part of Casteel’s ruse to capture the Maiden Killed by Poppy when he reveals his true colors
Coralena † Revenant Handmaiden
Poppy’s foster mother
Killed when Isbeth made her ingest draken blood
Dafina † Mortal
Lady in Wait
Dies during the Rite massacre
Diana † Mortal
A second daughter – ten years old Killed by the Ascended
Duchess Jacinda Teerman † Ascended
Poppy’s guardian Leader in Masadonia Killed by Poppy
Duchess Ravarel
Ascended
Leader of Oak Ambler Disappeared
Duke Dorian Teerman † Ascended
Poppy’s guardian Leader in Masadonia Killed by Hawke
Duke Ravarel Ascended
Leader of Oak Ambler Disappeared
Duke Silvan † Ascended
Leader in Massene Killed by Poppy
Framont † Ascended Priest
Killed by Poppy
Hannes † Mortal
A member of the Maiden’s Royal Guard Died in his sleep
Hawke Flynn Elemental Atlantian Casteel’s alter ego
Royal Guard for the Maiden
Ian Balfour † Ascended
Poppy’s brother Cora and Leo’s son Isbeth has him killed
King Jalara †
Former King of Solis Ileana/Isbeth’s husband Killed Preela
Poppy beheads him as a message to Isbeth
Leopold †
Viktor
Poppy’s foster father
Nobody knows exactly what happened to him, though it’s assumed he returned to Mount Lotho to await rebirth
Lev Barron † Mortal Descenter
Lost a brother to the fever and another to the Rite Presumably killed by Duke Teerman
Lieutenant Smyth Mortal
Royal Guard
Loves to get on Hawke’s case
Lord Brandole Mazeen † Ascended
Duke Teerman’s friend Used to torture Poppy
Poppy cut off his arm and then head
Lord Chaney † Ascended Poppy kills him
Lord Haverton † Ascended
Leader at New Haven Secretly deceased
Loren † Mortal
Lady in Wait
Dies during the Rite massacre
Luddie † Mortal Huntsman
Casteel kills him with a crossbow bolt to the neck
Mac Descenter
Works the meat packing district
Magnus Mortal
Duke Teerman’s steward
Malessa Axton † Mortal
Lady in Wait
Presumably killed by Lord Mazeen, died drained of blood
Millicent Revenant
Isbeth and Ires’s daughter Malik’s heartmate Poppy’s sister
Miss Willa Colyns Atlantian Changeling
Council Elder Seer
Lived in Solis for quite some time
Likes to masquerade as a Lady at the Red Pearl Author of diary found in the Atheneum
Mr. Tulis † Mortal Descenter
Killed after trying to kill Poppy—staked to the wall by Cas
Mrs. Tulis † Mortal
Killed by Lord Chaney
Murphy † Mortal
Taken and killed during the Rite
Noah † Mortal Huntsman
Died while escorting Poppy to the capital
Pence Mortal Rise Guard
Peter † Mortal
Taken and killed during the Rite
Priestess Analia Ascended Priestess Poppy’s tutor
Queen Ileana/Isbeth † Demis
Queen of Solis Malec’s heartmate
Poppy and Millicent’s mother King Jalara’s wife
Ramon Mortal
Ascended took his son Abel
Ramsey Mortal
One of the Duke’s stewards
Rylan Keal † Mortal Royal Guard
Killed by Jericho during Hawke’s ruse
Sir Terrlynn † Ascended Royal Knight
Cas cuts off his head
Tasos Mortal
Rise Guard in Oak Ambler
Showed the group to the underground chambers full of Craven and dead Rite children
Tawny Mortal
Lady in Wait
Poppy’s handmaiden and friend
Stabbed with shadowstone and turned into something as yet unknown
Tobias Tulis †
Mortal
Child given over to the Rite
Vikter Wardwell †
Viktor
Poppy’s guard, friend, and trainer
The only viktor known to remember all his lifetimes
Wren Mortal Descenter
KNOWN DESCENTERS AND AIDS
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Descenters are mortals or Atlantians who follow the Dark One and wish to see Atlantia rise from the ashes. They are believed to be responsible for the disappearance of a number of Ascended and are known to start riots.
Some, but not all, Descenters have Atlantian blood. If they do not have Atlantian blood, they are usually kin to those who fought alongside the Atlantians during the war and therefore know the truth.
While Descenters follow the Dark One, they are not ruled by him. They do their own thing, and their love for their kingdom rises above and beyond any other loyalties.
Alastir Davenwell † Wolven
Advisor to the Crown (King Valyn and Queen Eloana) Malec’s bonded wolven
Betrayed Casteel and was murdered by Poppy
Blaz † Mortal
Clariza’s husband
Working with Malik when he was posing as Elian Killed by Isbeth
Clariza † Mortal Blaz’s wife
Working with Malik when he was posing as Elian Killed by Isbeth
Elijah Payne † Atlantian
New Haven resident
Killed by Ascended and head thrown at Spessa’s End
Ivan † Wolven
Part of the group that tried to kill Poppy in the dungeon Staked to the wall by Casteel
Jericho † Wolven
Hand removed and then staked alive to the wall by Casteel—later killed
Keev † Wolven
Killed in New Haven
Landell Atlantian
Resident of New Haven
Very against Poppy becoming Queen Casteel rips his heart out of his chest
Lev Barron † Mortal Blond
Presumably killed by Duke Teerman
Mac Mortal Bald
Leader of the Descenter group at the slaughterhouse
Magda † Atlantian
New Haven resident Killed by Ascended Elijah’s niece
Mr. Tulis † Mortal
Killed after trying to kill Poppy—staked to the wall by Cas
Rolf † Wolven
Part of the group that tried to kill Poppy in the dungeon Beheaded by Poppy with the sickle sword
Staked to the wall by Casteel
The Unseen
All-male secret brotherhood/organization Wear masks that resemble wolven
Wren Mortal
THE GUARDIANS
Atlantia’s elite soldiers. The Guardians are an all-female battalion of strong and powerful warriors birthed of the ancient Warrior bloodlines.
Physical Attributes:
All-female fighting force. Leader is tall and blond [Nova]. Wear all black.
Preternatural Abilities:
Only females of the bloodline have unique abilities due to their bloodline.
In terms of strength and mortality, they are like Elemental Atlantians. They need blood to survive.
Habits and Mannerisms:
Guardians always train the armies of Atlantia. One Guardian is equal to twenty trained soldiers. Long, warbling war cry.
Use stone swords that ignite when/if struck together.
History and Lore:
The last of their bloodline, they are born in a long succession of Guardians who will defend Atlantia to their dying breath.
Guardians are the only Warrior bloodline left. Only about two hundred Guardians remain.
KNOWN DRAKEN
Click here to see a full-size image of a draken by Kassia Ramos.
A very, very long time ago, even before Primals and gods and certainly before my time, dragons existed in both the mortal realm and the Land of the Gods. When the gods came to be, Eythos, the Primal God of Life, befriended the dragons. He wanted to learn their stories and histories, so he offered to give them mortal form. Those who agreed became known as the draken.
Aurelia
Preternatural appearance: Greenish brown scales. Long neck. Wings the length of her body. Larger than Nithe and Thad but smaller than Reaver. Rows of horns and frills around neck.
Background: One of only three females of the awakened twenty-three draken. Pointed out each of the draken to Poppy so she knew which was which.
Basilia
Background: Attes’s draken
Crolee
Preternatural appearance: Black and brown scales.
Family: Distant cousins = Ehthawn and Orphine †
Davina †
Hair: Long and honey-brown.
Eyes: Vibrant blue.
Facial features: Reddish brown skin.
Preternatural appearance: Small. Reddish brown scales.
Other: Most call her “Dav.”
Personality: No one knows if she likes them or is seconds away from setting them on fire.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Wears a slender, black- bladed dagger on her forearm and another on her thigh.
Background: Brought Sera meals. Killed when Kolis sent his draken.
Family: Older sister who died long ago.
Diaval
Hair: Long, wavy, and blond.
Eyes: Ruby-red.
Facial features: Handsome but smug.
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Ehthawn
Preternatural appearance: Large. Onyx-hued scales.
Family: Twin = Orphine †.
Iason
Hair: Dark.
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Jadis
Hair: Dark.
Preternatural appearance: Greenish brown scales. Long neck. Oval- shaped head.
Personality: Fearless. Inquisitive.
Background: Taken prisoner by the Blood Crown.
Family: Father = Nektas. Mother = Halayna †.
Naberius
Preternatural appearance: Black with red-tipped scales. Wide jaw and broad, flat nose. Horns sprout from head and curve back—as long as a mortal leg. Wide wingspan and spiked tail.
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Nektas
Hair: Long, black hair streaked with red (becomes streaked with silver).
Eyes: Blood-red with vertical pupil (become sapphire blue with vertical pupil).
Body type: Tall. Long legs.
Facial features: Copper skin. Broad, proud features.
Distinguishing features: Ridges on skin that resemble scales.
Preternatural features: Black and dark gray scales. Spiked tail. The size of three large horses. Long, graceful neck. Head is half the size of a horse’s body. Flat, broad nose. Wide jaw. Pointed horns on head like a crown. Body is at least twenty feet.
Personality: Quiet. Reserved. Sage-like.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Extraordinary hearing.
Can manifest clothing.
Background: Was Eythos’s bonded draken, the very first—was close to him even before he was given his dual nature. Created the first mortal with Eythos. When Eythos died, it severed the bond, and he ended up bonded to Nyktos by choice.
Family: Daughter = Jadis. Mate = Halayna †. Distant relative = Thad.
Bonded Primal = Eythos and then Nyktos.
Nithe
Hair: Soft, blue-black waves to just below his jawline.
Eyes: Sapphire blue with vertical pupil.
Body type: A few inches over six feet. Broad shoulders. Thick thighs.
Toned waist and hips.
Facial features: High cheekbones. Chiseled, square jaw. Plush lips.
Distinguishing features: Chin divot. Ridges on skin that resemble scales.
Preternatural appearance: Scales the color of ash. A little larger than a horse (smaller than Reaver and Aurelia but larger than Thad). Wings the color of midnight. Rows of horns and frills around neck.
Personality: Strong, silent type.
Orphine †
Hair: Long and dark.
Eyes: Crimson with a vertical pupil in the time of the gods.
Body type: Tall. Rounded hips. Looks soft.
Facial features: Pale skin.
Preternatural appearance: Large. Onyx/Midnight-hued scales.
Other: Looks to be in her twenties.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Likes to read.
Family: Twin = Ehthawn. Distant cousin = Crolee.
Reaver
Hair: Blond. Shoulder-length.
Eyes: Crimson with vertical pupil in the time of the gods. Blue with vertical pupil in recent times.
Body type: Long legs.
Facial features: Sand-colored flesh. Sharp, strong, chiseled jaw. Wide- set eyes tilted down at the inner corners. Full, bow-shaped lips. Not classically handsome but interesting and striking.
Distinguishing features: Faint but distinct scale pattern on skin.
Preternatural appearance: Purplish black scales. Large but not as big as Nektas. Smooth, black horns starting in the middle of the flattened bridge of his nose and rising up the center of his diamond-shaped head. The ones around his eyes are smaller but lengthen into sharp points that jut out from his frills as they travel up his head.
Other: Gruff voice. Can change his teeth and breathe fire while in his god form.
Personality: Aloof. Sarcastic. Easily irritated.
Background: Was young when what Kolis did came out. Was hidden away with the other younglings. First draken to emerge after Poppy summons Nyktos’s guards.
Sax
Background: Kolis’s draken.
Thad Hair: Fair.
Eyes: Crimson with vertical pupils.
Facial features: Pale. Soft features.
Preternatural appearance: Brownish black scales. Long neck with rows of horns and frills.
Other: Appears a few years younger than Sera.
Personality: Accepting.
Background: Sera is forced to kill him and then brings him back to life.
Family: Nektas = Distant relative.
NOTE: Seventeen of the twenty-three draken Poppy summoned were killed in the Primal storm that Vessa conjured.
DIARY ENTRY ~ FIRSTS OF FLESH AND FIRE
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Dearest Diary,
Tonight was a night for firsts, and you know I don’t have many of those anymore—though not for lack of trying.
This entry is dedicated to the new Queen of Atlantia, for without her,
this never would have happened. Though I do feel a little bit bad reveling in the moment here when the reason it did happen stems from some pretty
harrowing and quite unbearable circumstances. Alas, it was a splash in the pond of time, a moment of pleasure stolen amidst a multitude of chaos, and thus deserves to be celebrated.
I was traveling for some Council business, which took me just outside of Spessa’s End. That night, I had a vivid vision of leaping flames and flashing scales and knew that Penellaphe had summoned the King of Gods’ guards to help rescue her husband and bring an end to the Blood Crown. I had
seen some of those future events in flashes, as well, and knew a bit of what would be ahead in the days to come.
But back to my vision of fire…because fire it did become.
Please forgive me, I’m getting ahead of myself. Blame it on the lingering awe and continued satiation. A smile graces my lips even now…
Instead of leaving the area, I requested an additional night’s stay at the establishment where I had rented a top-floor room and decided to wait and see what might unfold. Something in my vision, though incredibly vague and not at all targeted, urged me to stay. And so, I did. One must follow
their instincts. Life would be ever so dull if we did not.
As the day grew to smoky darkness, I visited a local pub just down the street from my lodgings and settled in with a tumbler of whiskey and some stew. Just as I was about to give up and return to my rooms, the door opened, and one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen walked in.
He was a good few inches over six feet with broad shoulders and thick thighs, his upper body a delicious triangle as it tapered to a toned waist and
hips. His hair hung in soft waves to just below his jawline, and I watched slack-jawed as he raised a hand to run his fingers through it.
He wore casual clothing in varying shades of gray with a few black
accents and positively exuded an air of primal power with a hint of danger.
As he got a little bit closer and within the light thrown about the room from the fire, I took in his face. He had high cheekbones and a chiseled
square jaw, a divot in the middle that I wanted to lick. His lips were plush and inviting. Even his Adam’s apple was sexy as he swallowed.
He looked around the space, presumably attempting to find a place to sit. When his gaze reached the table where I supped, I took in his eyes. They were silken sapphire fire—a color not seen much. The wolven had ice-blue eyes, a sign of their dual natures. This blue signified the same, but the vertical pupils in that sea of cerulean solidified my assumption from when
he entered the pub. Before me stood a draken in his god form.
I gestured to the empty seat at my little table and inclined my head as I crossed my legs, letting the split in my skirts give an inviting view of a toned, rich brown thigh and calf. The draken followed the movement and then took me in again, looking quickly at the chair across from me before
finally heading my way.
My heartbeat stirred in my chest, excitement ramping. When he sat across from me, never taking his captivating gaze from mine, his aura nearly knocked me out of my seat. This was power. Ancient power. The power of the gods made flesh. And it turned me on.
I finally found my voice and greeted him, giving him my name and asking his. He didn’t say anything for so long that I feared I had scared him away, but then he finally spoke, his deep timbre rumbling and stirring
things in my chest and lower.
He told me that his name was Nithe and asked me if I knew what he was.
I assumed he could sense the changeling blood in me, perhaps even know somehow that I was a Seer. I told him I did, and we struck up a conversation. He was quite funny, something I didn’t expect. He was also
incredibly polite and made me feel appreciated, seen, and heard. We drank whiskey and enjoyed the fire and each other until the barkeep signaled last call.
Never taking my eyes from his, I bolstered my courage and asked him if he’d like to return to my rooms with me. He hesitated for only a second
before agreeing, then rising and taking my hand. I led the way, just down
the street, and climbed the stairs to my rooms, putting a little extra sway in my step.
As the door snicked shut, Nithe pulled me to him, the hard ridges of his
body cradling the softer planes of mine. He kissed me as if he were starving, tangling the fingers of one hand in my hair as his other took an adventurous journey down the dips and valleys of my backside.
I felt the impressive ridge of his manhood behind the flap of his trousers and my body responded in kind with a rush of heat and desire.
He stepped back just enough to bring his hands to the laces on my dress, and I mirrored him, untying the ties at his neck and waist and loosening the fly enough to see the crown of him. My mouth watered, and I couldn’t help but wonder if his scales presented anywhere while he was in his mortal form.
Shaking those thoughts for the moment, I continued divesting him of his clothing, turning him to help rid him of his shirt and noticing the fine line of ridges on his back that resembled scales. Then I helped him peel away mine until we stood before each other, gloriously naked—and I do mean
gloriously. Nithe was a work of art with sculpted pectorals and biceps, bulging triceps and shoulders. He was long and hard and shifted just to the left, something I knew from my vast experience meant very good things for me.
As he ran his lapis gaze down my body, my nipples pebbled in response, and I felt a quiver in my thighs. My breath caught, and I stood frozen to the spot, utterly captured by his attention. His power. I reveled in it, letting my head fall back and releasing a soft sigh.
Nithe took that as an invitation and moved in, licking and laving my
neck and breasts. I could do naught but grasp the silky strands of his blue- black hair and give myself over to the sensations.
When he hoisted me into his arms, I happily wrapped my legs around him, clasping my ankles behind his back and bringing us together as I
shamelessly rubbed myself against his erection. He let out a low rumbling growl that I felt in my chest and at my core, and I took his mouth with abandon.
I only released my grasp on him when he lowered me to the bed, bracing himself on his arms above me and taking me in once again from head to toe, his perusal like a physical caress. He made a comment about how I looked
like a goddess spread out before him with my hair splayed around my head,
and I blushed a little. It was possible that he knew firsthand—at least more than I.
I reversed our positions and he let me, lowering himself to the mattress with his delectable upper body propped on his elbows. He watched me
raptly, those vertical pupils expanding in the sea of blue, as I took him in hand and then lowered my mouth to him. I took as much as I could, using my hand to bring him additional pleasure, and smiled a little when a small hum made him groan and drop back onto the bed. The more I worked him, the more I relished his bliss, the more aroused I became.
As if he could sense—or scent—the change, he took control, moving in a fluid motion to position me on my hands and knees facing the balcony doors. He ran calloused fingertips down my spine, lingering on the globes of my ass for a beat before I felt him at my entrance.
He eased in at first, and the stretch was magnificent. As he worked
inside more and more, the fullness was almost more than I could bear. When he finally seated himself fully, hitting that spot inside me that made flashes of color burst behind my eyelids, I lost myself to the rapture.
Begging for more, he delivered, thrusting harder and faster, bringing me higher and higher. I felt as if I were at the highest peak of the Skotos Mountains, about to leap. But there would be no fall. No, I was sure I would fly.
One hand still on my hip to keep me steady, he brought the other around to cup a breast, my nipple beading against his palm. He squeezed, just this
side of pain, and I felt the rush where we were joined. He clearly felt it, too, as he groaned and rotated his hips as he thrust, hitting both my pleasure pearl and that magical spot deep inside.
I honestly wasn’t sure how I was still conscious, the pleasure was almost unbearable, yet I still hadn’t come. When he slid that hand on my breast down the front of my body and circled his index finger over my clit, I
shattered with a scream, my body spasming around his and pulling him in deeper, squeezing the silk over steel.
He pulled out while I was still trembling both inside and out, and I almost screamed my frustration until he flipped me over and immediately
took me again, staring into my eyes as he thrust and lifted my hips to meet his, sweat dripping from his brow and glistening on his chest.
I scratched my nails down his flesh, hard enough to mark but not to draw blood, and he hissed, his eyes closing. When he swirled his hips
again, and I felt myself tightening once more, I reached around and gently played with that tight knot of muscle, causing him to lose control of his tempo a bit. On the next thrust, I came with another shout.
He pushed inside one more time. Hard. Deep. Then he bowed his back and roared, his essence bathing me in warmth unlike anything I had experienced before. The aftershocks of my orgasm pulled all I could out of
him until he collapsed atop me, breathing heavily and seeming to take in my scent.
I petted his back, swirling my finger in the perspiration there, fingering the ridges that were a sensory dream, and marveling at how every muscle on his body seemed carved from stone.
At some point, I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew,
a gentle kiss on my temple roused me. Nithe stood at the side of the bed, still breathtakingly naked. He brushed some hair back from my face and then leaned down to kiss my lips. When he rose, he told me that he had to go but assured me that thoughts of our encounter would not be far from his mind
for quite some time. I told him the same and then watched as he walked to the balcony, his tight backside flexing with every step.
He opened the doors wide, glanced over his shoulder at me with a smile, and then jumped.
I gasped and flew off the bed to the railing, looking down. When I saw nothing, I lifted my gaze, taking in the magnificent creature in the sky. His scales were the color of ash, and his wings were huge and darker than midnight. He had jutting black horns starting in the middle of his snout to run up over the center of his massive head. The farther back on his head
they went, the longer and sharper they became, eventually jutting out from
thick frills. He looped a circle and then dove, banking at the last moment to come as close as he dared to the building.
I felt the brush of air on my face and body and put a hand to my chest, in absolute and utter awe. It was like a wave, and it wasn’t something I would soon forget.
I watched until I could no longer see him as he flew toward Spessa’s End and then returned to the room, closing and locking the balcony doors behind me.
Picking up his discarded shirt from the floor, I slipped it over my head and pulled it to my nose, inhaling and taking in the woodsy, earthy smell.
Surrounded by his scent and still tingling from our encounter, I fell asleep to sweet, sweet dreams.
Willa
THE LAST ORACLE
Not a lot has been revealed about the last oracle to be birthed, but what we do know is significant.
Prophecies are dreams of the Ancients. They are then shared with the oracles—rare mortals able to communicate directly with the gods without having to summon them—and then passed on to the Gods of Divination.
The prophecy we know today was the last dreamt by the Ancients. It is a promise known by only a few, dared to be spoken by even fewer, and only repeated by a descendant of the Gods of Divination—like Penellaphe, Goddess of Wisdom, Loyalty, and Duty—and the last oracle.
That oracle had the last name of Balfour. She was kind and a great conversationalist, and it is said that Princess Kayleigh Balfour of Irelone resembled her.
We know that Poppy received the last name of Balfour from her foster parents Leopold and Coralena, so it makes you wonder what else is hidden within that little bit of knowledge, doesn’t it?
THE DEAD BONES CLAN
The Dead Bones Clan is a group of vicious, cannibalistic mortals of the land outside the Rise. They used to live all across Solis, mainly where the Blood Forest now grows. Most assumed they were eradicated when the Ascended burned everything between New Haven and Pompay. But at some point over the past several hundred years, they ended up near Spessa’s End.
Physical Description: Wear masks made of human skin.
Habits/Mannerisms/Strengths/Weaknesses: Hang symbols from trees
—brown rope fashioned into a circle or noose with a bone crossing through the center. Like the Royal Crest but instead of a straight line or arrow slanting in toward the center, it’s a bone slanting out. Also create the symbol out of rocks on the forest floor. Supposedly kill and eat anything/one they perceive as a threat. They aren’t just anti-Craven with keeping people out of their territory; they’re anti-everything and everyone. Usually, only attack when hungry. Cannibals—but nobody knows why that is.
