Wicked Saints_A Novel by Emily A. Duncan

Author:Emily A. Duncan [Duncan, Emily A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult Fiction, fantasy, dark fantasy, epic
ISBN: 9781250195685
Google: 8rpuDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B07HF39CZH
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Published: 2019-04-02T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

When Serefin finally rose to meet with his mother, his head had incrementally slowed its pounding. Every step he took was a mild agony, but he pressed through it. He needed to show Grazyk their High Prince would not be slowed by anything, not the prospect of marriage nor assassins in the night.

Ostyia knocked on the door to Klarysa’s quarters before Serefin. The door was opened by his mother’s handmaiden, Lena. She nodded crisply at Serefin and gestured for him to enter. Ostyia elected to wait outside.

“I have been in this blasted city for weeks now and my only son has just finally deigned to grace me with his presence.” The graceful lilt of his mother’s voice came floating down the hall. Lena shot Serefin a sympathetic look. Serefin had always found his mother to be a bit baffling. Both of his parents were larger than life, greater than reality. He had seen so little of them growing up.

His childhood had been spent with tutors and servants. His parents were figureheads who would move in and out of his life with little permanence. They sometimes appeared in the evening at mealtimes only to disappear once again at the start of a new day. Serefin had Ostyia—whose family had always lived in the palace—as well as a cousin on his mother’s side, but that was all. The cousin had left when they were still very young, off to the country for his health. His aunt and uncle were still seen around the palace, Serefin knew that much, but he had never seen his cousin again, and had eventually stopped inquiring.

“I’ve been otherwise occupied,” he said, pitching his voice to reach his mother and following along after it.

The sitting room was lavish, as would befit a queen. His mother sat on a velvet-embroidered chaise, a cloth mask covering her nose and mouth. Her brown curls were swept up elaborately, and her spell book rested on a nearby end table.

She stood, setting her book facedown on the arm of the chaise. “Serefin,” she said, tugging her mask down.

She drew him into her arms, and he had to stoop so she could kiss his cheek.

“Mother, I’m glad to see you well,” he said as she sat back down. She motioned to the chair opposite the chaise and he sat.

“Well enough for your father to drag me back to this dirty city.” She paused, then conceded: “For a good cause.”

“Is it a good cause?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Straight to the point?”

“I don’t really have time for much else.” He crossed his legs, resting an ankle on the opposite knee. “I’ve spoken to Pelageya and the Crimson Vulture, and I have to admit I felt safer at the front.”

“And here I was going to ask if you were all right. I heard you were attacked last night?”

“I’m here, so I assume that means I’m fine.”

Klarysa smiled wryly. “I do find it interesting that you went to Pelageya before me,” she said, lifting an eyebrow. He knew that tone.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.