The War of Two Queens

“We’re two hearts … one soul. We’ll find each other again. We always will.”

“Be careful but be brave.”

“Whether she ruled over all the lands and seas or was the Queen of nothing but a pile of ashes and bones she would - will - always be my Queen. Love is too weak an emotion to describe how she consumes me and what I feel for her. She is my everything.”

“I love you … With my heart and my soul, today and tomorrow. I will never get enough of you.”

“You have me,” he swore against my swollen lips. “Always.”“And forever,” I whispered.”

“I’m never not in awe of you. I’m always utterly mesmerized. I’ll never stop being that. Always and forever.”

“There are things far worse than death. Like her when she’s annoyed.” He jerked his chin in my direction. “She likes to stab things then. But when she gets angry? You’ll see exactly what a god is capable of.” The Priest’s eyes darted to me, and I smiled tightly. “I do get stabby. And I’m already annoyed by a whole list of things.”

“To speak her name is to bring the stars from the skies and topple the mountains into the sea.”

“From blood and ash... we have risen!”

“Don’t forget what he means to me, Poppy. I’ve known him my whole damn life,” he said. “We shared the same crib more times than not. We took our first steps together. Sat at the same table most nights, refusing to eat the same vegetables We explored tunnels and lakes, pretended that fields were new, undiscovered kingdoms. We were inseparable. And that didn’t change as we grew older.” His voice roughened, and he dropped his forehead to mind. “He was and still is a part of me.”

“But his name was love. It was power and strength.”

“Heartmates," he choked out."What—?”Casteel kissed me again. Hard. Consuming. He kissed me as if he could draw me into him. When his mouth left mine this time, he didn't go far. "Gods. Poppy, I miss you so bad it hurts.”

“Poppy," he breathed, kissing my cheek, the space below my ear, and then my shoulder. He pressed his mouth to the side of my neck. "My beautiful, brave Queen. I could stay here, holding you, forever."Oh, gods, I knew this was ending. Panic exploded. I wasn't ready. I wasn't. "Don't leave me. Don't leave us. I love you. Please. I love—""Find me again." His head lifted, and his eyes... they were no longer bright, his features no longer clear. Things were hazy, and I couldn't—oh, gods, I couldn't feel him. "Find me. I'll be waiting here. Always.”

“Don’t look at me.” Reaver picked up his biscuit. “This is entertaining as fuck.”

“Whether she ruled over all the lands and seas or was the Queen of nothing but a pile of ashes and bones, she would—will—always be my Queen. Love is too weak an emotion to describe how she consumes me and what I feel for her. She is my everything.”

“I ate a lot of ham,” I announced”

“From the first time I saw you nock an arrow and fire without hesitation? Handle a dagger and fight beside another? Fight me? I was in awe. I’m never not in awe of you. I’m always utterly mesmerized. I’ll never stop being that. Always and forever.”

“Be careful.” The female wolven pressed her forehead to Hisa’s. “But be brave,” she replied, kissing her. “Always,” Hisa confirmed. “But be brave,” I whispered, looking away. I liked that. Be careful but be brave.”

“I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you. It’s not like I don’t care.”“You know what I don’t care about?” I smiled tightly. “Your opinion on this.”“Real mature,” Malik spat.“Go fuck yourself.”

“Candlelight glittered off the diamond spires in the ruby crown as Isbeth glanced down at the Craven.“I don’t know if you realize this or not,” I said casually, “but you have a pest problem.”

“I can just burn them.”

“It used to bother me when someone saw them for the first time, but that was before I’d come to understand that they represented strength and survival—two things far more important than flawless skin.”

“You're many things. The Primal of Blood and Bone—the true Primal of Life and Death.”

“The one thing that would tie his lifespan to mine so neither Casteel nor I would ever have to say goodbye to him. The Joining.”

“You're the one who taught me that I cannot save everyone, but I can save those I love”

“You’re more than a Queen. More than a goddess on the verge of becoming a Primal. You’re Penellaphe Da’Neer, and you’re fearless.”

“Do you, Casteel Da’Neer, enter this Joining freely and with will of your own, only your own?” I asked as I lifted my left hand. It trembled slightly.”

“From blood and ash,” I shouted, lifting the hand joined with Poppy’s. People echoed the words through the town and the valley. Poppy looked up at me and then faced the crowd as she lifted the hand that held Kieran’s. “We have risen!”

“Is she always this demanding?” “What you call demanding, I would say is asserting her authority,” Kieran replied.”

“This cold, aching hollowness thathad woken in the last twenty-three days.It tasted like the promise of retribution.Of wrath.”