Touch of Death

Touch of Death Tempting the Fates Book Two Alice Wilde E-book Edition | Touch of Death by Alice Wilde ©2023 Alice Wilde All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means–electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission from the publisher, except in case of including brief passages for use in a review. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. For permissions contact: [email protected] Ebook ASIN: B0BW1KMZ4Y Contents Content Warning 1. Death 2. Hazel 3. Hazel 4. Death 5. Hazel 6. Hazel 7. Death 8. Hazel 9. Hades 10. Hazel 11. Hazel 12. Death 13. Hazel 14. Eros 15. Hazel 16. Death 17. Hazel 18. Hazel 19. Hades 20. Eros 21. Death 22. Hazel 23. Death 24. Hazel 25. Hazel 26. Hazel 27. Eros 28. Hazel 29. Hazel 30. Hazel 31. Death 32. Hazel 33. Hazel 34. Eros 35. Hazel 36. Death Thank You Also by Alice Wilde About the Author To the lies we tell in love. Content Warning Dear Reader, Thank you for picking up Touch of Death book two in Tempting the Fates. Please be aware that this is a dark, plot-heavy fantasy romance with multiple love interests. Each book will end on a cliffhanger until the series is complete. Please be aware that this series may not be suitable for all audiences, and it is certainly not for all ages. If you choose to continue, please be prepared to encounter some language, mental/physical abuse, murder, kidnapping, violent behaviors, the mention of non-con and attempted non-con (not by the love interests), death, violence, choking, voyeurism, mutilation, monsters, gods, revenge, redemption, heartbreak, and descriptions that may otherwise trigger you. However, you will also find a great deal of wonderful and strange characters as well as angst, slow burn romance and eventual spice (this is not a fade to black series), and a cast of characters that is met and built slowly over the course of the story. This series is also multiple POV, so please be aware that some chapters may overlap slightly. All this being said, there may be other triggers within the series that I have not listed. The journey will not be an easy one for our characters, but it’ll be worth it in the end. Or so one can hope. Now, are you ready to continue … Tempting the Fates? Alice 1 Death I quickly move through the dark halls of my palace, the heavy heels of my boots thundering in my ears as they echo against the obsidian floor. My home is nothing but an empty abyss, broken beyond repair without her presence here to warm it. I have to force myself not to pause as I pass each of the paintings she hung throughout the halls. There is no time to waste if I am to find Hazel’s soul before it fully crosses over and is lost to me forever. Still, returning to my bedchamber, I cannot help but hesitate as I clench my jaw at the sight of Hazel’s body lying lifeless on my bed. Even in death, she is the most beautiful creature I have ever known. “I will not forsake you, little one,” I murmur, leaning down to tenderly brush a stray hair from her face. Though the color has drained from her lips and cheeks, heat still lingers on her skin. It makes my heart ache and my skin burn, only further serving to remind me of the life that I have stolen from her … that I am the one who brought this upon her. Straightening, I swallow back the rising hatred I feel toward myself and force myself to look away. To focus. I have sworn to save her soul and that is exactly what I intend to do. Throwing open my wardrobe, I run my eyes over the garments within. This quest will require more than most, and I must be prepared for whatever and whoever may rise up to meet me. I do not presume to think the Underworld will simply surrender Hazel to me. In fact, I expect nothing less than to sacrifice a great deal for her return. I would be foolish to think otherwise. However, that also means I must make sure I carry more to bargain with. Walking to the back of my wardrobe, I kneel to unlock a gold-trimmed chest. Inside are some of my most valuable possessions, including a full set of shadowsilk and a bag of gold obols. Removing the inky garments, I rise and undress to change into them. Only, as I do, Hazel’s small book, wrapped in wax paper and tied off with a red ribbon, falls from my pocket, hitting the floor with a soft thud. I flinch, staring down at it as I am reminded of my failure to return it to her. This realization only serves to harden my resolve. I will not fail her again. Picking up the book, I set it aside with the bag of coins before changing into the shadowsilk. I savor the chill of the silken fabric against my skin, thankful that they should help stave off some of the Underworld’s heat. Turning away from the chest, I select several sturdier items from where they hang, slipping them on over my inner layers. My base complete, I pull on a pair of leather bracers, boots, a chest piece, and gloves. I finish off my outfit by adding a heavy set of black chains draped over my shoulders and chest, as well as a thick, hooded cloak. Satisfied with my choices, I grab the pouch of obols as well as the small book and tuck them both into my pockets. As I bend to close