Game of Hate and Lies: A romantic fairy tale fantasy (The Broken Kingdoms Book 5) by LJ Andrews

Author:LJ Andrews [Andrews, LJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Victorious
Published: 2022-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

18

The Memory Thief

Beyond the peaks, a glimmer of sullen dawn broke through the glaze of darkness. Fire still rippled over the surface of my skin, an imprint of the possessive touch of the Nightrender I never wanted to shake.

I’d survived. A part of the warped version of the man I loved wanted to cut out my heart and put it on a pedestal in the great hall of the palace. But the stronger part still battled. No mesmer had the power to mask what his touch gave up. The truth that somewhere, deep inside, the Kase who’d always defended, always cherished his hayloft girl was breaking apart the lies.

I’d need to confess the truth of my little adventure and endure the fallout when the guilds ranted and threatened and, knowing Raum and Tova, pouted that I didn’t include them.

There wasn’t a chance to stew too long over how to break the news of my risky night to them before the snap of branches drew my gaze to the edge of the hedgerow around the alehouse.

My stomach clenched.

Hagen stood, broad and tall, arms crossed over his chest, and the frown on his face was a look I’d not seen since childhood. A look that informed me my older brother was severely put out with something I’d done, and he was going to let me know it.

“Where the hells have you been?” His voice was like rusted tin slicing over my skin.

I recanted. This was not the same reprimand from childhood. This was different. A new sort of panicked anger that only came when a man had survived losing everything, only to get much of it back, but the fear of losing his heart all over again now drove his actions.

I licked my lips and gave him the respect of meeting his eyes straight on. “I think you know, or you would not be so angry.”

More rustling sent a blanch of heat down the back of my neck. The Guild of Kryv stepped from the shadows. The only face who seemed happy to see me was Hanna. Then again, the girl looked like she’d just awakened for the day, and, to her, everyone must be gathering for a morning meal, not preparing to bury me alive.

Raum huffed and strode past my brother, stomping over to my side. “I saw you coming straight from the tower.”

My theory seemed to be right. Raum’s silvery eyes weren’t narrowed in a way that said he was bitter I’d kept a secret, more because I didn’t include him.

“You look guilty, Mal,” Gunnar said. He’d perched on a branch of an aspen tree, one leg dangling off the side, a smug grin on his face. Like this was wholly entertaining.

“She does,” Fiske added, leaning his elbow on Isak’s shoulder.

Niklas broke through the brush, his hand tangled in Junie’s, and the playful gleam of his eyes had gone to something poisonous.

At his back stood Tova with Dagny. Junius leaned back and whispered something to Dag, who grinned, nodded, then whispered to Tova.

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