Royal House of Shadows: Part 11 of 12

By Nalini Singh

Originally published as Lord of the Abyss.

Part 11 of 12 in the Royal House of Shadows serialization. All 12 parts were previously published as full books:• Lord of the Vampires by Gena Showalter (Parts 1—3 of Royal House of Shadows)
• Lord of Rage by Jill Monroe (Parts 4—6 of Royal House of Shadows)
• Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Andersen (Parts 7—9 of Royal House of Shadows)
• Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh (Parts 10—12 of Royal House of Shadows)

She will brave the dark for him

Twice Micah has saved Liliana. But there is somuch more that these two must overcome. The prince turns into a ravening beast thateveryone fears—everyone except Liliana. She knows who the Guardian of the Abyss truly is.She will help him become the man he has to be to save the land he's sworn to protect, andto reclaim the kingdom her father took from his family.

This installment is approximately 20K words

The story continues in Royal House of Shadows: Part 12 of 12

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
• Release date: Oct 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781488025099

Nalini Singh

Die internationale Bestsellerautorin verbrachte ihre Kindheit in Neuseeland. Drei Jahre lebte und arbeitete sie unter anderem in Japan und bereiste in dieser Zeit wiederholt den Fernen Osten. Bislang hat sie als Anwältin, Bibliothekarin, in einer Süßwarenfabrik und in einer Bank gearbeitet -- eine Quelle von Erfahrungen, aus der Nalini Singh reichlich schöpft.

Book preview

Liliana has traveled to Black Castle, where the entrance to the Abyss is found. Her mission is to help the Guardian of the Abyss realize that he’s really Micah, the youngest son of the royal family of Elden. Liliana’s father, the Blood Sorcerer, killed Micah’s parents and claimed their throne and lands. It was foretold that all four royal siblings must return to Elden Castle on the twentieth anniversary, and together they can kill the Blood Sorcerer. No one knew where Micah was sent, but Liliana has found him. If her father discovers what she’s up to... It’s too horrible to think about how he’ll punish her. Still, it’s worth the risk. Just as Liliana is getting Micah to open up, regain some memories and stop tossing her into the dungeon every time she disagrees with him, a terrible wave of dark sorcery fills the air. Liliana knows a blood sacrifice is about to be performed. The question is, who is performing it?

Chapter 10

Liliana felt an ugly chill along her spine. The kind of chill that augured the proximity of dark blood sorcery. Stomach curdling with horror and rage, she pushed out of the kitchen and ran to the massive doorway of the Black Castle.

Bard appeared out of nowhere to stand in her way. You stay.

No! You don’t understand! This kind of blood sorcery— tainted, putrid —means someone is being sacrificed! Liliana bit down on her tongue. Hard enough to spill blood. And then she whispered an incantation that had the giant slumping to the floor in a heap. I’m sorry, she said as she bent to take a wicked curved knife from his belt. You’ll be awake again in no time. Pulling open one heavy door, she raced out into the black-as-black embrace of the night. Her feet, clad in thin embroidered slippers that had appeared in the kitchen a few hours ago, slammed down on sharp edges, rocks and branches as she ran through the agitated rustling of the Whispering Forest, almost slipped on the moss that covered the bridge that spanned the restless river, but she kept running, holding her skirt high above her ankles.

The lights of the village came into view. Twinkling and warm but for the haze of sulfurous magic. Fighting the urge to throw up, she ran pell-mell toward it, taking only enough care to ensure she didn’t break her neck. For if she did, an innocent would die. Always, her father and his apprentices used innocents. Their blood was more vital they said. Richer. Purer. But not tonight, she vowed, not tonight!

Stumbling into the periphery of the village, she had to halt so she could pinpoint the location of the evil. Slicing a small line on her palm, but not allowing the blood to touch the earth lest it give her away, she whispered for the magic to rise, to seek out its dark kin. Her power hesitated in distaste. Innocents, she urged, innocent blood. Seek innocent blood.

No hesitation now. Her power winding through the village in a crackle of deepest red, with her running in its wake. Around houses shuttered up for the night and courtyards abandoned, through the deserted main street and onto the clear surrounds of the village green.

Her power hissed at the filth it saw, went to wrap itself around the man’s neck in a choking hold, but Liliana drew it back. Wait. Wait. We’ll have only once chance. Dark blood sorcerers, distended with power stolen from those who couldn’t defend themselves, were stronger than those like Liliana, who used only their personal reserves.

This one was a thin, handsome man, his face likely the reason he’d been able to persuade the young village maid at his feet to meet him in the thick black of night. She lay unconscious on the grass now, the sorcerer chanting incantations above her, a serrated blade in hand. That blade, Liliana knew, would go into the girl’s abdomen. A slow, torturous death, her blood seeping out drop by drop while her murderer kept her silent even in her agony and grew drunk on the force of her life, her death.

Power blazed in the air as the sorcerer made a sigil above the girl and Liliana realized he was one of the old ones for all that his face appeared young. Old and powerful. It was foolish, part of her said, to give up her life for this one girl when she had come to save a kingdom. If Liliana died, the Lord of the Black Castle would not remember, would not return.

And Elden would fall into her father’s clutches forever.

No, she whispered, fighting that voice, that part of her the Blood Sorcerer had attempted to turn rancid with his own evil.

One life was worth everything. For how could Liliana hope to save a kingdom if she was willing to bow down to evil when it stood in front of her?

Stepping out of the shadows, she stalked toward the sorcerer on silent feet. But he sensed her, turned. Liliana! Shock. Your father seeks you. Avarice glittered in his eyes. Now I will be the one to take you home.

What reward has he offered?

Lands, riches, power. He shuddered, in an ugly parody of pleasure. The understanding with Ives is ended, he said, referring to the man her father had intended Liliana marry—with or without her consent. The one who finds you takes you to wife and to his bed. Distaste he made no attempt to hide. You are his daughter.

That link to power, she thought, would make it worth his while to wed such a hideous creature. Bard’s knife hidden in the folds of her apron, she stepped closer. Is that why you’re here, in this village?

The others, they scattered to the edges of the kingdoms, but I knew you would do the unexpected. I’ve been keeping an eye on you—you’re smarter than everyone believes.

It made her skin creep to think he’d been watching her. You know what they say happens to those like you who trespass in the Abyss. Even her father feared it, wouldn’t dare step foot in this realm.

A skittering behind his eyes. We’ll leave this place as soon as I replenish my power.

Yes. With that, she struck out, going for his neck.

She failed.

The tip of her knife skated off his cheekbone as she was thrown backward with brutal force. Retaliating with her