Treason: Book Two of the Grimoire Saga (a Young Adult Fantasy series)
Page 43
She turned back to the sword on the wall and smiled. “You will be rewarded for your patience.”
A footstep warned her of his movement, but he moved too quickly. He pinned her against the wall. She allowed it, for the time being. His frighteningly beautiful face hovered inches from hers.
Few men intrigued her like he did. He held a certain gift Deirdre had never placed. He could hypnotize and terrify those around him with a single look. Well, everyone but her.
Deirdre would never trust him, but he seemed to trust her enough. She tolerated his missions because, soon, he would give her everything she needed.
“What are you up to, isen?” he asked.
She didn’t answer. He simply didn’t need to know.
After a few seconds of silence, he ran his fingers along her shoulders. She tensed. Her fist tightened, but she resisted the impulse to punch him in the gut. She still needed his help.
His hands wove in and out of her hair as if they owned everything they touched. She closed her eyes, pretending the hands belonged to Michael. It worked. Her skin warmed. She faded back into a memory of an orchard filled with peach trees. Michael reached for one and said she could have it if she kissed him.
But Carden’s voice in her ear ruined it.
“You betray your fellow isen, and I want to know why.”
She stiffened, the unwanted memory of Michael’s corpse lifting the careful folds of her mind. She stifled the thought and glared at Carden instead. He didn’t move, but it was a look that would have sent lesser men running.
“They disgust me,” she finally said.
She pushed hard against his chest, sending him backward several steps. He laughed at her strength, but she sneered.
“Good night, Carden.”
“Good night,” he said, offering an exaggerated bow.
Deirdre pushed past him and threw open the study door. Once through, she slammed it behind her. She was nearly done with Carden—the thought rushed through her with a pang of joy. He would serve his purpose soon, as had Aislynn.
Deirdre grinned. Niccoli would find the dead queen, half-rotten, in the weeds of their meeting spot tonight. If he truly loved her as much as he claimed, the agony of seeing her decomposing body would destroy him. He would see the scars. He would see the burns. In a few days, he would hear the fabricated rumors of how Garrett had come for revenge for what the queen did to Adele.
Niccoli’s grief would be but a taste of what Deirdre had endured. He did not yet know true pain. Deirdre would show him. And she was so very close.
A Note to Readers
I hope you enjoyed Treason. If you have a moment, please leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, or any combination thereof. If not, that’s cool. You’re still amazing.
We writers love hearing back from you. If you want to reach out and say hi, feel free to tweet me (thesmboyce) or send me an email by heading over to my contact page (smboyce.com/contact-boyce).
If you want more, take a look at The Grimoire Online (TheGrimoireBooks.com). It’s your lichgate into Ourea and has a host of bonus material—including free chapters and free access to an online encyclopedia of the world.
True Grimoire geeks can also check out my store (store.smboyce.com), which has tons of fun extras that bring the magic of the Grimoire Trilogy to life. You can even find real-life Grimoire pendants and blank journals that let you write a Grimoire of your own.
Thanks again, and stay awesome.
—S. M. Boyce
About the Author
S.M. Boyce is a fantasy and paranormal fiction novelist who also dabbles in contemporary fiction and comedy. Boyce updates her blog a few times each week so you have something to wake you up in the morning. Oh—and her B.A. in Creative Writing qualifies her to serve you french fries. To learn more about Boyce, visit her website and her blog.
smboyce.com | blog.smboyce.com
Copyrighted Material
Copyright © 2011 by Sarah Montee
Cover and art copyright © 2011 by Robert Meridy
Book design and layout copyright © 2011 by Sarah Montee
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, dead, or otherwise is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from Sarah Montee.
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