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Chapters (64)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  6. Pronunciation Guide
  7. Prologue
  8. Part One
  9. One
  10. Two
  11. Three
  12. Four
  13. Five
  14. Six
  15. Seven
  16. Eight
  17. Nine
  18. Ten
  19. Eleven
  20. Twelve
  21. Thirteen
  22. Part Two
  23. Fourteen
  24. Fifteen
  25. Sixteen
  26. Seventeen
  27. Eighteen
  28. Nineteen
  29. Twenty
  30. Twenty-One
  31. Twenty-Two
  32. Twenty-Three
  33. Part Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Part Four
  47. Thirty-Six
  48. Thirty-Seven
  49. Thirty-Eight
  50. Thirty-Nine
  51. Forty
  52. Forty-One
  53. Forty-Two
  54. Forty-Three
  55. Forty-Four
  56. Forty-Five
  57. Forty-Six
  58. Forty-Seven
  59. Epilogue
  60. Excerpt from The Sun and Its Shade
  61. The Night and Its Moon Playlist
  62. Acknowledgments
  63. About the Author
  64. Back Cover

Millicent began to slowly tug at the sleeve of her left glove as she answered her question with an air of resolution. “Love,” she said, “is the most dangerous power we know. Men will lay down their lives for the love of their country. Mothers will throw themselves into the teeth of wolves to save their babes. Kings will ride into battle to fight for love. It’s why I knew the Selkie would be such a success. No little girl dreams of owning a pleasure house for its own account, you see, but to sell synthetic love? To market an opportunity to taste love, even in its most bastardized form, if just for a minute? Well, it has made this the most established line of business in all the lands since the beginning of history. You, my dear, are a proud member of the oldest profession in the world for a reason.”

Emily’s jaw fell open in astonished revulsion as Millicent removed the glove.

She struggled to comprehend what she was seeing at first as the fabric was tugged from the elbow to the wrist, exposing the Madame’s hand entirely. She was left staring at the gray, amphibious hand that slithered down Millicent’s arm, ending in blackened, razor-sharp talons.

“Unrequited love will keep Nox collecting the men I need in her desperation to ride north for the object of her affection, and love will drive those very men to her doorstep—my doorstep—in droves. But do you know the one thing I will not allow love to do?”

Emily was instantly petrified. Her eyes peeled in shock as she gaped, speechless. She shrank like a mouse attempting to disappear into the corner of her chair.

Millicent placed the reptilian claw on Emily’s bare throat.

Within an instant, Emily fell sick. The limp muscles of a terrible fever, the shakes of illness, the weakness of death consumed her. Her mouth opened, desiring to scream, but only dust escaped her lips. She tried to writhe, to fight. She had no energy, no power.

“I own love. I trade and barter and profit in love. Love works for me. Love will not defy me. It will not aid in my most prized tool’s disobedience and escape from Priory when I need her here. It will not offer her comfort or confidence or strength when I need her angry. I need her to be hungry. I need Nox, and Emily—you stupid, foolish cow—you and your love will not stand between me and my victory.”

Emily felt the withering void as it sucked her dry. She looked at her hands as she tried to get them to rise, to beat against the Madame, but what she saw was alien. Her hands were dehydrated, paper-thin features belonging to an elderly grandmother. She lifted them to fight, but she no longer possessed the strength to move.