Shadowfall

SHADOWFALL IMMORTALS DESCENDING BOOK TWO IRIS FOXGLOVE Copyright © 2023 by Iris Foxglove All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Editor: Alicia Z. Ramos Cover Art: Black Jazz Designs Poem Shadowfall: Freydis Moon (used with permission) Art by @natendo_art on Twitter, used with permission Created with Vellum For all the garbage cats out there, may you find your forever home. We’d like to thank our editor, Alicia Z. Ramos, our cover designer, Garrett Leigh at Black Jazz Designs, our PA Kim Licki, and Freydis Moon for the poem that accompanies this novel. Thank you also to our first readers; Justy, Melissa Bowman, and Rinnie Lazarowski. We appreciate you! Thank you also to our patrons for your generous support! A NOTE TO READERS Please be advised that the biological kink imperative/natural power exchange dynamic in this title is not intended to be a factual representation of BDSM as practiced by consenting adults in real life, nor should it be considered a guide to any activity contained herein. The biokink dynamics depicted in this story are fictional, and are not meant to be realistic outside of the fantasy setting in which they appear. Content Warnings for this title include: suicide, mild violence, unwanted corporeal punishment, explicit sexual scenes, death of a companion animal, warfare, imperialism, implied (non-graphic) filicide, references to abuse and sexual assault (mentioned, not shown, and not on the part of main characters.) Please contact the authors if you have any concerns , would like further clarification, or additional warnings you feel may be appropriate. This title is intended for adults. Thank you for reading! SHADOWFALL do you remember daybreak across impatient seas your knife to my throat; my teeth to your pulse heartbeat skipping wind across the deck tell me: do you remember? ocean song—lullaby—tangled with your voice closer, closer eyes flashing swords striking waves crashing bone-crown fashioned from the oath we stole and broke —I remember nightfall like a promise dawn like a farewell you; an anchor you; a constant you tell me, princeling do you remember us freydís ☽ CONTENTS Part I Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Part II Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Part III Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Epilogue Also by Iris Foxglove About the Author PART I The Devil PROLOGUE Declan and Arwyn made their way to the Well on a quiet morning in early autumn, as a cool wind blew over the southern seas of Iperios. Everyone knew about the Well. Most sailors in the Royal Navy went there eventually, looking to toss a coin into the water for a chance at riches or power, love or good luck. It was a pool of clear water just off a coral reef, surrounded by a ring of sandbars and so deep that the water was a dark, midnight blue. By all accounts, it shouldn’t have existed—it looked like someone had bored a hole in the reef, impossibly deep and perfect, a well in the ocean that didn’t belong. No one stopped them. Prince Oisin, who was Arwyn’s older brother but had practically raised him and Declan, laughed when they told him and waved them off. “Don’t forget that you have training tonight,” he said. “Night flying, this time.” Declan caught Arwyn shuddering out of the corner of his eye and stepped between them to wave a hand back at Prince Oisin. “Sure thing, Your Highness. Can’t wait.” “I’ll be sick,” Arwyn muttered, “on account of being allergic to falling to my death.” Declan clapped Arwyn on the shoulder as they strode across the deck of the Candle-Bearer. The Candle was an older ship, the fifteenth in His Majesty’s navy, which was a massive floating nation stretched out over the water. Each ship in the extensive fleet was commanded by a prince or princess of the royal family, while the children of the king who didn’t have their own ship, like Arwyn, were paired up with retainers like Declan. They all had to serve the king somehow, and Arwyn and Declan had been chosen last year to be wyvern riders, the deadliest of the king’s sailors. They were given their own wyvern a few months before. Stella was a lovely creature though still half-wild, with beautiful blue and silver scales and horns that branched off like deer antlers. Prince Oisin said there might be some water dragon in her, which made her more rambunctious than most wyverns. Declan had fallen in love with her the moment he met her, but Arwyn kept his distance as they made their way to the canoes strapped to the side of the ship. “You never know,” Declan said, climbing in first so he could help Arwyn. Arwyn was a slight fellow for a boy of fourteen, with a thin frame and messy blond hair. Declan, who was a year younger, was already a few inches taller. Arwyn staggered as Declan started hauling the small boat toward the water. “Maybe you’ll love night flying the best.” “I hate it,” Arwyn said. “I don’t know how you can stand it. At least I’m just controlling the thing—you have to stand up in the saddle and shoot people.” “That’s right, so why are you complaining?” “I’m still technically a prince, you know,” Arwyn said, jumping as the canoe sloshed into the water. “You could practice being polite, at least.” “You’d hate that more than flying,” Declan said, and Arwyn shrugged one shoulder as Declan took out the oars. They passed out of the Candle’s shadow, and Declan tipped his face up to the sun. “What are you going to wish for when we get there?” Arwyn’s voice was soft. “I don’t know.” Declan genuinely