Kingdom of Ash

Real. That had been real.
The male before her, a trained warrior in
everything but honor and spirit, surveyed her
body. “How shall we play tonight, Aelin?”
She hated the sound of her name on his
tongue.
Her lip curled back from her teeth.
Fast as an asp, Cairn gripped her throat
hard enough to bruise. “Such rage, even now.”
She would never let go of it—the rage.
Even when she sank into that burning sea
within her, even when she sang to the
darkness and flame, the rage guided her.
Cairn’s fingers dug into her throat, and she
couldn’t stop the choking noise that gasped
from her. “This can all be over with a few
little words, Princess,” he purred, dropping
low enough that his breath brushed her mouth.
“A few little words, and you and I will part
ways forever.”