Genre: Romantasy Heat Level: 2 Word Count: 84, 000 ISBN: 978-0-3695-1457-8 Editor: Kristen Zink Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

Ember's Phoenix by Eloise Ruffell

Heat Level 2
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The Canticum Duology, 1

Two Songs. One forbidden love. And a prophecy that could wake the SongSlayer.

Ember and Phoenix can hear the LandSong—the magical music that binds and protects the land. But when their base is attacked by the Rotian, followers of the imprisoned SongSlayer, they’re forced to flee with the powerful SongStone before it falls into enemy hands.

What begins as a desperate mission turns into an unexpected bond. Ember and Phoenix go from uneasy allies to friends… and then to something far more dangerous. Songs are forbidden to love, forbidden to Join. If they give in, they could lose the LandSong—and the powers that make them who they are.

But the Rotian are closing in. Phoenix’s ruthless family wants him back. And both Ember and Phoenix are hiding secrets that could destroy the fragile trust growing between them.

To save the SongStone, they must outrun enemies, resist temptation, and survive the prophecy pulling them toward disaster.

Because if love awakens what should stay buried… the SongSlayer may rise again.

Excerpt:

I sat resting against the cave wall, blankets covering my lower half, as one by one the others got under their blankets and went to sleep. For some reason, tonight I didn’t feel particularly tired. My mind went over my conversation with Ember by the water … more than once. The cool of the cave wall helped to calm my mind and the sensations raging in my body as I glanced at where she was sleeping. I regretted not kissing her properly. Not kissing those gorgeous lips. I should’ve done it. I was so close to it, and I wanted to so much, but in the end, I didn’t dare. I’d lost my nerve at the last second and kissed her forehead instead.

What if she didn’t feel the same? I thought she did. The look in her eyes said she did, and the way she happily held my hand said she did. She said she liked me, cared about me. But would she go as far as to act on it properly? Or would fear of losing the LandSong, going against the SongRules, or possibly risking madness, stop her? Would she be willing to risk absolutely everything for me? Give up the LandSong, for me? I knew now I’d do it for her. I’d do anything for her. But did her feelings run as deep as mine?

A warm glow spread through me as I remembered how she’d tried to comfort me as I told her my story. No one had ever done that for me before. Ever. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought about it. She did care about me. She had to, or she wouldn’t have reacted like that, would she?

It wasn’t until that moment, talking to Ember, baring my soul, that I’d finally crumbled, finally given in. I would Join. One day I would. I’d always sworn that I wouldn’t. But now, Ember had changed all that. I was in love, deeply. If Ember loved me, wanted me, as much I did her, and she was prepared to risk exile from Canticum, risk her sanity, risk everything—as I was—I’d Join. With her. And her alone. I couldn’t see that I’d ever feel like this about anyone else.

I bent my knees as I sat against the wall, pulling my blankets further up over me as blood surged around my body. I didn’t want anyone noticing what was happening to me, catching sight of my now rather obvious need. The tingling that had spread through my body at the touch of her cool hands on my shoulder and neck still lingered. Her fingers on my skin… I swallowed.

I hadn’t intended to remove my shirt too, it had just come off with my tunic, and, in truth, I was glad it had. Not only had she touched my bare skin, but it had given me something extra with which to cover myself—my length had started to harden the moment she’d touched me. I’d never felt sensations like them. It had pretty much taken all I had to not pull her to me, claim her mouth and kiss her thoroughly then and there. I so wanted to kiss her. I so wanted to…

For a few minutes a silly grin covered my face as I relished the sensations pouring through me, and my imagination ran wild; the love, the desire I had for the young woman sleeping not far from me was almost overwhelming. It was all new, and so unimaginably wonderful, but futile at the same time. I needed to stop this. I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm my mind and my body, and gradually I succeeded.

I glanced over toward Ember, her peaceful, sleeping face illuminated by the flickering firelight. She lay covered by her blankets, and my mind started to wander again regardless of what I’d intended. I started to imagine what lay under the blankets, and beneath her clothes. Her lips were pink, and I couldn’t look at them without this intense yearning to kiss her growing inside me. I wanted to love her, kiss her, explore her gorgeous curves, caress her soft skin. I was desperate to bury myself in her time and time again, giving her as much pleasure as I could. I needed to pull her to me and hold her in my arms forever. I began to harden again, a dull, wonderful ache taking me in its grasp once more.

I swallowed, I really couldn’t do this. I had to stop thinking about her in that way. Every time I did my heart slammed into my ribcage and my blood surged. I took another deep breath and glanced out of the cave. On the opposite shore of the river the flames of distant torches were pinpricks in the fabric of the velvet night. I scrambled up, took a couple of handfuls of sand, and smothered the fire.

“What is it?” Ember asked, sitting up and looking out of the cave. Had she been awake the whole time I was looking at her? Did she have any idea what I’d been thinking? What my body had been doing?

“Torches,” I said gruffly, glad she couldn’t see my red face, or body, in the darkness.

Series:
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