THE BOUND
Ascension Book 2
By: K.A Linde
Cyrene Strohm is a Queen’s Affiliate, a
high-ranking official of the court of Byern, with power and privilege to spare.
But she’s also a keeper of dangerous secrets: like the fact that she holds the
heart of the King, and that she possesses magic in a world where magic no
longer exists.
Determined to discover what this means and
how to use her newfound abilities, Cyrene sets off for the distant land of
Eleysia. An island nation where Affiliates are strictly forbidden from
entering.
But the journey is perilous, and the
destination may mean utter ruin, as Cyrene comes to learn that everything she’s
been told her whole life – about her court, her homeland, and even herself—are
bound in a beautiful lie.
EXCERPT
Staggering down the hallway, she didn’t
even look up when she heard her name.
“Hmm?” she asked.
“Cyrene, there you are!”
Someone grabbed her shoulders, and she
tipped her head to look up into the most beautiful face. She smiled and felt a
renewed burst of energy flow through her.
“Hey,” she whispered.
“Hey,” he said, threading his fingers
through hers. A shiver ran up her back. He glanced around the empty hallway and
then tugged her away from the main corridors. She turned a corner, and he
pressed her back into a darkened alcove. His mouth was only inches from hers.
Her exhaustion was wearing off from the
excitement of being with him.
“I was really worried about you,” he
breathed.
“You don’t have to worry about me,” she
said, trapped in his gaze. She teetered on her tiptoes and nearly brushed their
lips together. Her heart was racing ahead of her. This felt almost better than
reaching for her magic. Definitely better than moving one drop of water at a
time all day.
“You’re wrong.” Then, he softly dropped his
mouth down on hers. His lips were tender and slow as they caressed hers. “I
will always worry for your safety.”
Cyrene’s cheeks heated, and she sighed,
leaning back against the hard stone of the alcove. “I didn’t mean to worry
you.”
His hands pushed up through her hair and
tilted her head back up to look at him. She closed her eyes and sighed. She was
so tired, and just the feel of his fingers was lulling her to sleep.
“That feels good.”
His mouth found hers, and despite her
exhaustion, she pushed back against his lips with more force. She refused to
let the fact that she was tired get in the way of her time with him.
“Whoa,” he said, pulling back from her. He
rested his forehead against hers, and she could tell he was breathing heavily.
“As much as I want this, and I do, I want to make sure you’re okay. This didn’t
scare you away?”
She shook her head. “This, most certainly,
does not scare me.” Then, she kissed him again for good measure.
He laughed. “Good. Because I’ve been
wanting to kiss you since I first met you.”
“You have not!” she insisted.
“Are you kidding? A gorgeous, feisty woman
who wasn’t afraid to put me in my place the first time she met me? I mostly
certainly have.”
Books in the Series
The Affiliate
Book 1
"With rich romance and twisty political intrigue, THE AFFILIATE
is a breakneck fantasy ride that's perfect for fans of THE SELECTION or THRONE
OF GLASS." --Susan Dennard, NYT bestselling author of TRUTHWITCH
On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court,
seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm's lifelong plans come to fruition when she's
chosen for one of the most prestigious positions in her homeland--an Affiliate
to the Queen.
Or so she thinks.
When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she
finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political
intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene's position only grows more treacherous when
she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have...
King Edric himself.
Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find
out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde's new
Ascension series. Great for fans of Game
of Thrones, Tudors, and Sarah J. Maas's Throne
of Glass series.
About the Author
K.A. Linde is the USA Today bestselling author of the Avoiding series and the All That Glitters series as well as seven additional novels. She get up as a military brat traveling the United States and even landing for a brief stint in Australia. She has a Masters degree in political science from the University of Georgia and is the current head coach of the Duke University dance team.
An avid traveler, reader, and bargain hunter, K.A. Linde currently lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband and two super adorable puppies.
No comments:
Post a Comment