And I did the only thing I could.

Wrapping both arms around her, I protected her one last time.

A wet tearing along my back.

Black blood gushed from my mouth.

The smoky wings tore like burning parchment.

We landed like a blazing comet.

I curled around Rook, wrapping my arms and legs around her as we bounced off rocks and smashed into trees. We were that asteroid she’d accused me of being, ploughing from the heavens, coming to a stop by the river.

The very same river where all of this started.

The river that almost stole her from me only to give me my soulmate.

Rolling onto my back, my fissured arms slid off her as she lay on my chest. Her icy breath hit my burning throat, and my heart gave one last brutal squeeze.

I wanted to make this right.

I clung to life so she wouldn’t have to die.

I wanted to tell her I loved her again.

I wanted to beg her to keep living.

But the words never reached her.

My heart beat its last and the spirit-bridge between us crumbled.

Our bond shattered as every bone in my body broke in a blaze of agony—

The fire snuffed out...

And took me with it.

Chapter Seventy

MY HEART STOPPED WITH HIS.

The bond went horribly silent.

The bridge tumbled into ruin.

Dead.

He’s...dead.

For a moment, I lay frozen in shock.

I couldn’t cry

or scream

or grieve.

But then icy power opened its eyes inside me.

The cold kept rising, rising.

It raged.

It roared.

And winter swallowed the world...

* * * * *

To be concluded in FORSAKEN FATE...coming soon!

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xx

Glossary

Xiao –

Pinyin: Xiǎo

Chinese: 小

Literal Meaning: Small / little / young

Usage: Used as a prefix to indicate affection, youth, or familiarity. Often placed before a name (e.g., Xiao Li = Little Li).

Lao -

Pinyin: Lǎo

Chinese: 老

Literal Meaning: Old

Usage: A respectful or familiar prefix before a surname (e.g., Lao Li). Can imply age, seniority, or affectionate familiarity.

Luxin -

“Furnace Heart”

Pinyin: Lú Xīn

Chinese: 炉心

Literal Meaning: Furnace Heart / Hearth Core

YunHui -

“Ashfall”

Pinyin: Yǔn Huī

Chinese: 陨灰

Literal Meaning: Fallen Ash / Ash of a Fallen Star

Zhongyuan Jie -

Pinyin: Zhōngyuán Jié

Chinese:中元节

Description: When the gates of the underworld open and spirits walk among the living. Traditionally a time of offerings and appeasement, it marks a thinning between realms.

Gaoligong Mountains -

Pinyin: Gāolígòng Shān

Chinese: 高黎贡山

Literal Meaning: Proper noun (Mountain range in Yunnan)

Pei, Pei, Pei -

Pinyin: Pei, pei, pei

Chinese: 呸呸呸

Literal Meaning: A superstitious gesture used to spit out or negate bad luck, curses, or unlucky words. Similar to the Western phrase ‘knock on wood’.

Ran Feng Dong -

Pinyin: Rán Fèng Dòng

Chinese: 燃凤洞

Literal Meaning: 燃 (rán) – to burn; to ignite, 凤 (fèng) – phoenix (often referring to the mythic Chinese fenghuang), 洞 (dòng) – cave; cavern

Translation: Burning Phoenix Caves

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) -

Chinese: 中医 (Zhōng Yī)

Pinyin: zhōng yī

Literal Meaning: “Chinese medicine”

Definition: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a holistic medical system developed over thousands of years in China. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, it seeks to restore balance within the body’s energy systems.

Auntie / Uncle (Honorific Usage) -

Pinyin: ā yí / shū shu

Chinese: 阿姨 (Ā Yí) / 叔叔 (Shū Shu)

Literal Meaning: In Chinese culture, “Auntie” and “Uncle” are commonly used as respectful forms of address for older adults, even when there is no blood relation.

Kowtow -

Pinyin: kòu tóu

Chinese: 叩头

Literal Meaning: 叩 (kòu) – to knock; to tap, 头 (tóu) – head

Definition: Kowtow refers to the traditional Chinese act of kneeling and touching one’s forehead to the ground as a gesture of deep respect, submission, apology, or reverence.

Acknowledgements

I’m ever so grateful to those who helped me edit, cover, and publish this book!

Thank you to my beta readers: Laura, Linda, Charli, Annica, Danielle, Selena, Rochelle, Rowan, and Melissa.

Thank you so much to Kiki for being a godsend and running my life and the Next Step PR for all their help.

Thank you to the artist, Rachel from Christley Creatives who just NAILED them.

Thank you to Christina for your final proofreading eagle-eyes.

Thank you to Danielle my amazing friend and helper.

Thank you to Alexa and Noah for bringing Rook and Lucien to life in audio.

Thank you to everyone who read an ARC and shared this release.

I couldn’t do this without you.

Nor could I do this without you, dear reader.

THANK YOU

xxx

Other Work by Pepper Winters

Pepper currently has over forty books released in nine languages. She’s hit best-seller lists (USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal) almost forty times. She dabbles in multiple genres, ranging from Dark Romance, Coming of Age, Fantasy, and Romantic Suspense.

https://pepperwinters.com

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STEAMY STANDALONES

Texting Dr Stalker

(Green-flag Stalker Romance)

One Dirty Night

(Erotic Romance)

Destroyed

(Grey Romance)

Can’t Touch This

(Romantic Comedy)

Unseen Messages

(Survival Romance)

DARK ROMANCE

The Jewelry Box Series

Ruby Tears, Emerald Bruises, Sapphire Scars, Diamond Kisses

Monsters in the Dark Trilogy

Tears of Tess, Quintessentially Q, Twisted Together, Je Suis a Toi

Goddess Isles Series

Once a Myth, Twice a Wish, Third a Kiss, Fourth a Lie, Fifth a Fury, Jinx’s Fantasy, Sully’s Fantasy

Indebted Series

Debt Inheritance, First Debt, Second Debt, Third Debt, Fourth Debt, Final Debt, Indebted Epilogue

Dollar Series

Pennies, Dollars, Hundreds, Thousands, Millions

Fable of Happiness Trilogy

Fable of Happiness Book One, Book Two, Book Three

FORBIDDEN, EROTIC, COMING OF AGE ROMANCE

The Luna Duet

Lunamare and Cor Amare

The Ribbon Duet

The Boy & His Ribbon, The Girl & Her Ren

Spinoff Standalone to The Ribbon Duet

The Son & His Hope

Truth & Lies Duet

Crown of Lies, Throne of Truth

Master of Trickery Duet

The Body Painter, The Living Canvas

Pure Corruption Duet

Ruin & Rule, Sin & Suffer

INSPIRIATIONAL / CHILDREN