Tears blur my vision. Mystery Girl. Scion. Cariad. King. All that I am, all that I was… I wish Erebus, the Shadow King, was lying. But I don’t think that he is.

We are all marking the days until we become your villain.

“Make haste,” Erebus insists, ear tilted toward the Keep. “Nicholas has noticed he is gone.”

“Heartache.” Sel’s eyes drink me in, his attention a low simmer. “And so, so much guilt….”

I risk a step closer. “Sel, you’ve saved me over and over again. Now let me try to help you.”

His head tilts, and I hope he’s listening, but his expression turns rageful. “What have you done?” he snarls.

Erebus’s hands wrap around his shoulders.

And then they are both gone.

The wait is longer this time. I keep Excalibur in my left hand, blade-down at my hip while I pace.

Then, Erebus appears, alone, brushing his hands down his suit. “It is done.”

“She can help him?”

He lifts a brow. “His mother made no such promise.”

I knew she wouldn’t.

“Bree!” Nick’s voice at the bottom of the hill. William beside him. They see Erebus behind me and start running. Nick speeds through the grass, armor snapping into place as he shouts. He calls for me and it takes everything I have left not to respond, not to reach for him too. He’s halfway up the hill, a few steps away.

I extend my right hand before I change my mind, and Erebus snatches it.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Nick. “Please know that I—”

The last thing I see before I disappear with Erebus is Nick’s hand, reaching out—and closing around smoke and empty air.

RANK	BLOODLINE	SIGIL	COLOR	INHERITANCE	WEAPON(S)
1	King Arthur Pendragon	Dragon rampant	Gold	The King’s Wisdom and Strength	Longsword
2	Sir Lancelot	Stag at gaze	Storm Cloud Blue	Speed and Enhanced Vision	Dual Longsword
3	Sir Tristan	Three arrows sinister	Azure Blue	Marksmanship and Speed	Bow and Arrow
4	Sir Lamorak	Griffon courant	Carmine Red	Preternatural strength (enduring)	Axe
5	Sir Kay
6	Sir Bedivere	One-winged falcon expanded	Amethyst Purple
7	Sir Owain	Lion couchant	Tawny Yellow	Aether lion familiar	Quarterstaff
8	Sir Erec
9	Sir Caradoc
10	Sir Mordred
11	Sir Bors	Three-banded circle	Burnt Orange	Agility and Dexterity	Longsword
12	Sir Gawain	Two-headed eagle	Emerald Green	Enhanced healer abilities; preternatural strength at midday and midnight	Dual Daggers
13	Sir Geraint	Wolf courant	Stone Gray

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Just as Bloodmarked is a sequel to its predecessor, this author’s note is a sequel to the one at the end of Legendborn. I encourage you to read that note if you have not already, then continue here.

GRIEF AND TRAUMA