Page 168 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

Her family name.

Lessia threw a glance behind her before tilting the book and reading the first paragraph as quickly as she could.

The Rantzier rule will end, its people disband, by the hands of the reluctant ally—the ally that should have stood by their side, that should have fought with them, that should have protected them. It’s the one loved by Fae and human, the one you may not slay for the war that fragile death would bring, who will finally bring the Rantziers to their knees.

It was the curse her father had already told them of, back on Raine’s island.

But unlike her father’s words, the prophecy didn’t end there… and tears burned behind Lessia’s eyes as she continued reading.

Surrendering it all, they will choose to perish with them.

For only in their ultimate sacrifice can a new world be born—the world they have dreamed of, battled for, and wept over.

Lessia read the last two lines over and over until the words blurred so much she couldn’t make them out anymore.

Numbness spread within her as she let the book fall to the ground.

The ultimate sacrifice.

That must mean…

As she swallowed hard, Lessia swatted at the book with her foot until it slid under the shelf it had been standing on.

She laughed hollowly.

The fucking gods.

They must have seen the one day she’d been happy despite everything they’d thrown at her.

The one fucking day.

Merrick’s smiling face, his bare chest, his heated eyes as his hands gripped her hips, danced before her own.

She felt like screaming.

Screaming so loud it might reach those damned gods wherever they resided.

Everything in her wanted to follow that book.

Hide somewhere no one could find her.

Fall into a heap of hopelessness.

Break apart, and let someone else take charge.

Let someone else try to take on Rioner.

Or perhaps just let him win…

Merrick would do it.

She knew she only had to ask, and he’d take her as far away from this realm as possible.

But when he walked into the room, his narrowed eyes trailing over her, she found that last bit of strength—the one that had helped her survive that day she thought she’d killed Frelina, the one that had kept her from giving up in Rioner’s cellars, the one that had forced her to continue moving after Loche banished her—and whirling so fast she knocked the glass out of his hand, she jumped up on him, slamming her lips against his with such a frantic hunger that he didn’t question her.

Instead, Merrick held on to her as he swept the paper from the desk behind them and laid her down on it.

Her fingers locked in his hair when he tried to pull back, and even though he could have easily untangled her hands—could easily overpower her—he didn’t.

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