Page 108 of Dark Island: Rescue

"That's honest." Areana turned to face her. "But here's what else is true: you will survive this. You'll build a life for your child. You'll find moments of joy. You'll become someone who understands the cost of survival and chooses to live anyway."

Tula wanted to believe her. Wanted to imagine a future where she wasn't drowning in guilt every moment of every day. But right now, sitting on this cliff three days away from abandoning everyone she loved, that future felt impossible to grasp.

"I don't know if I'm strong enough for this," Tula said.

"You are." Areana's certainty was unshakeable. "You're stronger than you realize."

"I don't feel strong. I feel like I'm falling apart."

"Then fall apart now, here, with me." Areana pulled her close. "Fall apart completely, feel everything you need to feel. Then put yourself back together before we return to the harem. Because for the next three days, you need to be perfect. No cracks, no hints, no mistakes."

So, Tula fell apart.

She cried for Tony, who would blame himself for not saving her. For Tamira and the other ladies who deserved freedom as much as she did. For Elias, whom she hadn't known for long but who had become part of their mismatched family. She cried for Areana, who would lose her confidant and her best friend.

She cried until her throat was raw and her eyes burned, and there were no tears left.

Areana held her through it all, steady and solid, a goddess who understood the cost of impossible choices because she'd made so many herself.

COMING UP NEXT

The Children of the Gods Book 102

Dark Island: Revolt

Sometimes, when the best-laid plans shatter like glass on rocks, the Fates reveal their true design.

Sometimes, when prisoner becomes protector and saved becomes savior, love blooms even in darkness.

And sometimes, the most dangerous enemy is the one that speaks with eight voices but shares a single, terriblemind.

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BONDS OF WINGS AND FURY

The Two-Faced God

Read three more chapters in the enclosed EXCERPT:

Chapter 1 was included in Dark Shaman: The Lost Treasure.

Chapters 2 & 3 were included in Dark Shaman: Love Found

Chapters 4 - 6 were included in Dark Shaman: EternalHope

In a world where dragons dominate the skies and colossal worms tunnel through mountains, three nations teeter on the brink of war.

Like every Elucian, Kailin must brave the perilous pilgrimage to Mount Hope's summit, where an ancient shaman will decide her fate. A select few are destined to bond with dragons, and for most, it’s the ultimate prize. Not so for Kailin, who is hiding a paralyzing fear of heights and would rather sketch the magnificent beasts than ride them.

Alar appears to be a privileged Elurian seeking the glory and immortality of dragon riders. Yet beneath his aristocratic facade lies a secret agenda that could disrupt the delicate alliance between the reclusive Elucia and the cosmopolitan Elurian Federation.

When Kailin and Alar cross paths, sparks fly, and as they ascend the perilous mountain, hunted by shadowy assassins and tested by ancient rites, their unlikely bond deepens.

Defying a thousand years of tradition, an impossible selection puts the star-crossed lovers at the center of an ancient prophecy. But in a world where dragons have their own agendas and even the gods aren't what they seem, the greatest threat may yet come from within.