To Bind A Dark Heart

To Bind a Dark Heart A Spicy Fantasy Romance Atley Wykes Alder Circle Press Copyright Copyright © 2023 Atley Wykes All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. To request permissions, contact the publisher at [email protected]. Ebook ASIN: B0BTXQ5XJ7 First paperback edition March 2023 Cover art by Atley Wykes Layout by Atley Wykes Printed by Amazon Printing Services in the USA. Alder Circle Press P.O. Box 115 Somers, WI 53171 atleywykes.com Contents Dedication Maps of Maeoris 1. Chapter 1 2. Chapter 2 3. Chapter 3 4. Chapter 4 5. Chapter 5 6. Chapter 6 7. Chapter 7 8. Chapter 8 9. Chapter 9 10. Chapter 10 11. Chapter 11 12. Chapter 12 13. Chapter 13 14. Chapter 14 15. Chapter 15 16. Chapter 16 17. Chapter 17 18. Chapter 18 19. Chapter 19 20. Chapter 20 21. Chapter 21 22. Chapter 22 23. Chapter 23 24. Chapter 24 25. Chapter 25 26. Chapter 26 27. Chapter 27 28. Chapter 28 29. Chapter 29 30. Chapter 30 31. Chapter 31 32. Chapter 32 33. Chapter 33 Acknowledgments About the Author Blurb for To Etch a Promise in Bone Dedication This book is dedicated to Henry Zebrowski. The only person I know of that loves DUNE and fucking as much as I do. Maps of Maeoris For more maps of Maeoris and Adraedor, visit atleywykes.com Chapter 1 Kael I needed to stop glaring at the Elves inspecting me and the line of other slaves, their mouths pursed as they tutted about our appearances, or I was going to get caught. Sharp-eared assholes. Taking a slow breath, I imagined stabbing my bone sword deep into the heart of the Elven female eyeing me with distaste. Her blood would match the crimson dress she held next to my face and everyone would scream as she collapsed, scattering as I pulled my blade free and advanced on them… It was a pleasant thought and gave me enough wherewithal to plaster on a vacant smile as they inspected the woman beside me. Not that I had my beloved sword or even clothes. I was alone in enemy territory. Defenseless. And it was my fault. My adopted brother, Gavril, had begged me not to take the mission, to let someone else go instead. All of them had. They thought I’d blow it within an hour if I saw the Marshal… But I’d insisted, and when that didn’t work, I’d slipped out of the hideout without permission, only leaving a note explaining where I’d gone. Now here I was, standing naked in front of a group of Elvish cunts as they decided which slaves to pick as prizes for the winners of the gladiator games, attempting to prove all of them wrong. But it would all be worth it if I could complete the mission. “They’re all so dirty,” a female Inferi Remnant complained. “How’re we supposed to tell what they look like under this muck?” She wore golden silks, her horns polished to a shine. A royal concubine, for sure. “The same way I did with you, Zija.” The lead Elven woman replied in a tiresome tone as she stopped at the slave next to me, lifting one of her breasts with a single finger and frowning. “A few piercings can cover a lot of issues, can they not?” The courtesan started to lift a hand to the hoop in her nose before she caught herself and narrowed her eyes. “These slaves are an embarrassment, Carita. We need the best for today. Rhazien wants everything to be perfect.” My ears pricked at the name of the governor of the desert city, though he was better known as the ‘Beast’ to me and my cohort. “Mind your tongue.” Carita snapped. “I don’t care who you’re fucking, you’re not in charge here. I am. Understand?” I held in a laugh at the Inferi Remnant’s expression. Did she really think that an elf would treat her as an equal just because she was in the Governor’s harem? The arrogant bastards thought they were better than anyone else and had fought a war with the gods to prove it. “Then it’ll be on your head,” Zija responded with a sneer as she swept out of the room, a few other similarly dressed Remnants falling in behind her. Carita laughed under her breath, waving away her assistant’s questioning look as she continued down the line. “Name and age?” The assistant asked, not even looking up at me from the ledger she carried. “Kael. Twenty-four,” I answered, my tone just a touch too hostile, and she glanced up at me sharply. I gave her a bland smile, hoping I’d covered my mistake. Before Orya died, I’d been able to fake it. To keep my head down and survive. But that part of me had died with her and now all I wanted to do was fight, regardless of the consequences. “This one is interesting,” Carita said, stopping in front of me. I studied her as she inspected me; her hair was dark and straight, flowing down to her waist, her dress black and red with golden touches. A member of the royal household, then. She was tall and beautiful, as all the Elves were. Perfect in her immortality. Something they’d stolen from all the Remnants. She stepped closer, scrutinizing my features. Her metallic eyes seemed to take in every detail of my body, absorbing it all as she categorized each flaw. She ran her fingers through my long silvery hair, causing a gentle shiver to run down my spine. “This one has a unique look,” Carita said finally. “What are you, a Wraith Remnant? Or maybe a Sirin?” “I don’t know,” I answered truthfully. My father had been human and my mother had died when I was a toddler. The rest was a mystery. “No