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Silver
A strong arm tugged Silver closer, and she opened her eyes and smiled. With a yawn, she rolled to face Keelen and brushed the lock of hair behind his ear that always fell into his face. She then ran her hand down his cheek.
He cracked an eye open. “Morning already?”
“No, we still have a while. Midnight requires your attention though.” She wanted to mount him, but in her condition, she hadn’t been able to do her nightly rides.
Keelen sighed. “That horse...”
“Midnight likes you.”
He arched a brow.
Silver chuckled, her shoulders vibrating. A kick came at her swollen belly, and her hands pressed to her stomach. Any day now, she would give birth to their child. She didn’t know if the babe would be able to draw energy, but she had a feeling her daughter would by the way more magic seemed to float around in her.
After a year, the castle still felt empty at times without her sister, without Javan, and even without Ragan. But it would soon be filled with a child, her cries, her laughter.
Something tapped on the window, and they both jerked forward. With practiced movements, Keelen threw on his pants and grabbed his sword in one swift motion. The tapping came again just as Silver collected her nightgown from a pile of dresses on the floor.
She furrowed her brow, extended her claws, and met Keelen at the window. Nothing was there.
Pushing up the glass, she poked her head outside. The stars shone brightly in the night sky, and the silvery light from the moon highlighted the meadow, where the edelweiss was in full bloom. In the distance, she could see the silhouettes of Midnight and Ivory trotting across the field.
Just as she was about to pull back and close the window, a deep caw ripped through the night, and two black birds flew down from above.
Ravens.
One graceful bird inched closer to her and she held out her hand. The raven descended and landed on her index finger, lightly wrapping its claws around it.
With wide eyes, Silver turned to Keelen whose throat bobbed as the other raven sailed down to his hand.
Black eyes with white pupils peered up at them from both birds.
Silver froze, then took a hard swallow. “Afton?” she asked, wishing with all her heart that it was truly her.
“I thought it was time I came to visit you, sister. Even if it’s only for brief moments,” Afton said, her words spilling out from the dark beak.
Silver gasped and hot tears filled her eyes. She remembered the part about the stars, that when a loved one was meant to return with unfinished business after leaving this world, they would bring them back in raven form.
The stars weren’t truly merciless after all—they were merciful.
Did you enjoy Merciless Stars?
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Authors always appreciate reviews, whether long or short.
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Want another standalone romantic fantasy in the Marked by Magic duology? Then check out The Bone Valley!
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He’s a lover. She’s a thief. A magic like no other will bind them together.
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After the death of his parents, Anton Bereza works hard to provide for his younger siblings. Love has never been in the cards for him, especially after desperation forces Anton to sell himself for coin. And he has no idea that, beneath the city of Kedaf, lies a place called the Bone Valley.
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When Anton’s jealous client plots against him, he is cursed to spend eternity in a world where all that remains are broken bones. There, Anton meets Nahli Yan—a spirited woman who once tried to steal from him—and his cards begin to change. But as the spark between them ignites, so does their desire to escape. All that stands in their way is the deceitful Queen of the Dead, who is determined to wield her vicious magic to break Anton and Nahli apart. Forever.
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Join Candace’s Facebook Group: Candace’s Pretty Monsters
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Check out Candace’s other books!
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Wicked Souls Duology
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Cruel Curses Trilogy
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Faeries of Oz Series
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Cursed Hearts Duology
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Letters Duology
Dearest Clementine: Dark and Romantic Monstrous Tales
Dearest Dorin: A Romantic Ghostly Tale
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Campfire Fantasy Tales Series
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Merciless Stars
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Vampires in Wonderland Series
Chess
Knave
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Demons of Frosteria Series
Frost Claim
Acknowledgments
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I’ve written a lot of things and the acknowledgments are always the hardest part for me because I never know what to put here. But what I can say is that I love these characters so incredibly much. This story is probably my favorite which is a hard thing to decide on since I love all my stories, but this one was just so special.
I would like to write an entire page to each of these lovely people for helping me with this story but I obviously can’t. Amber H., Elle, Jerica, Hayley, Brandy, Amber D., Tiss, Didi, Ann, and SiriGuruDev, you guy seriously were my lifesavers on this project!
To my family who I love with every beat of my heart and to the hopes that one day we will all gain raven wings to fly, courtesy of our merciful stars.
About the Author
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Candace Robinson spends her days consumed by words and hoping to one day find her own DeLorean time machine. Her life consists of avoiding migraines, admiring Bonsai trees, watching classic movies, and living with her husband and daughter in Texas—where it can be forty degrees one day and eighty the next.
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Connect with Candace:
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