Feathers So Vicious

As a child at the coastal fortress of Tidestone, Galantia learned that love required payment—and her currency was blood.

As a child at the coastal fortress of Tidestone, Galantia learned that love required payment—and her currency was blood. The day her mother gave birth to a son, the woman sang lullabies to the infant without once glancing at her daughter. When a Raven boy escaped the dungeons, Galantia tipped a basket of apples in his path. He tripped, struck his head on a fieldstone, and bled into the crushed shells. Her father, Lord Brisden, arrived to learn his newborn son was already dead—but his daughter had killed a Raven. He patted her head. Just once. Then he commanded the bells to ring for three days, not for the dead baby boy, but for the girl who had never warranted a single chime.

Ravens attack Galantia's carriage, and Lorn puts a blade in Risa's neck

Years later, Galantia rides toward Ammarett to wed Prince Domren, escorted by her cold mother and beloved nursemaid Risa—the only soul who ever held her close. When their carriage stops at a village, Ravens descend. Sebian, a green-eyed pathfinder, captures Galantia on orders from Captain Asker, a Raven seer who glimpsed her in a prophetic vision. A Raven deathweaver named Lorn seizes Risa by the throat, demanding Galantia's identity. Galantia confesses she is Lord Brisden's daughter, bargaining for Risa's life. Lorn winks, drives a black knife into Risa's neck, and skips over the twitching body like a child hopping stones. Galantia collapses beside the woman who raised her, stroking her distorted face. She wants to scream, to wail. No tears come. She breathes instead—in, out—the way Risa once taught her.

Five ravens merge into the prince who nearly chokes her to death

Sebian delivers Galantia to a forest camp, where five ravens descend and merge into one figure—Malyr, the last prince of House Khysal, known as the Lord of Shadows. His empty, passionless stare paralyzes her. He tilts his head like a bird examining prey, cups her chin, turns her face side to side. When Sebian reluctantly reveals her surname, Malyr's apathy detonates. His hand closes around her throat, and ice-cold tendrils of shadow pour into her mouth, her lungs, suffocating her from the inside. Sebian commands the shadows to calm—a rare ability only his closeness with Malyr permits—and pulls her free. Galantia collapses, barely alive. The Ravens plan to exchange her for Marla, Captain Asker's bonded mate held captive in Tidestone's dungeons.

Malyr carves his house sigil between Galantia's breasts with a knife Galantia wakes at Deepmarsh Castle, surrounded by marshland she cannot cross on foot. Malyr appears through a flight hole in her wall,…