He finally lands on my swollen lips, spending longer than a peck there as his teeth graze my bottom lip, set every inch of me on fire. “I should have trusted you before, but I will never make that mistake again. I trust you completely. Wholly. With every part of my being.”
Keeping our hands on each other, brushing skin against skin, we manage to keep the cold away as he fills me with his warmth. A flower on fire. I have conquered the Garden, evaded the emperor, watched an empire fall, and walked through sands that have killed most men who dare to enter them. My biggest fear, that my secret would leak, has been laid bare for the entirety of Delmar to see, and I have survived it.
Forged in the rebellion’s fire, shaped by the sands of my homelands, and molded into perfection by the patient hands of the man I love, I have become more than I ever thought possible: Flower, warrior, negotiator, performer, friend, lover.
But now, I am finally ready for the last title I must wear. The one that has always felt too heavy upon my head.
Queen of Sand and Fire, Defender of the Wilted. I’m not confident I can wield the weight of it on my own, but as Rayce’s lips meet mine, his reminder blazes clear in my heart.
I am strong enough, but I don’t have to be.
With the entirety of Delmar and its technically un-anointed new emperor by my side, I don’t have to ever be alone again. We will bear this burden together, and when I place my father’s crown on my head, I will be the woman he hoped I would be. I will be worthy.
I already am.
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Acknowledgments
A lot of people, myself included, say that writing is a solitary process. Writers live in our own heads for days on end, typing away on a computer screen or dreaming of that next scene while we’re supposed to be paying attention during a conversation, but the reality is that without so many supportive people in our lives, the stories in our heads would never truly find a voice. There are so many people I would like to thank for helping my cultivate my own.
First, I would like to thank my agent Nikki Terpilowski for continuing to be in my corner every step of my publication journey. From answering all of my questions to advocating on my behalf to squeeing over Scotland and Outlander, I know that I wouldn’t see my name on a book cover without her. I cannot express my unending gratitude for all of her hard work and patience.
There is no one that has had more of an impact in shaping this book than my editor, Lydia Sharp. I’m still amazed at how every single one of their suggestions captures the spirit of what I was going for, but manages to ramp up every scene, turning the prose into something special. Rose and Rayce’s journey wouldn’t be anywhere near as impactful and beautiful without their advice and dedication. Plus, they know when to keep phrasing in romance novels, and when it’s better to change “jerk” to “jump”.
Everyone at the Entangled team has been so wonderful. It takes so many hands to make a book come to life and I couldn’t have done it without any of you. Your hard work and dedication is so incredible. Special thank yous to Crystal Havens, Debbie Suzuki and Katie Clapsadl.
To my friends, who listen to me whine about publication deadlines and put up with me completely ghosting sometimes to get things done. Becca and Zach, thank you both for your endless support and for truly always being there when I need you. Jose, thank you for being willing to share my bestie when I have a crazy idea that I just need to tell Ashley on the way home from work. Jackie, thank you for always making time to be there even though we live far from each other. Eli, my evil twin, I can’t express how much your support and excitement for my publication journey has been or how grateful I am that it finally brought us together. Sam, thank you for the long quiet days as we both sit in the same living room, pursuing our creative outlets and don’t talk for hours because we are both so focused. Also, thank you for telling Brian and me to “shut up, just shut up” while we were trying to plot out this novel. It’s still one of my favorite stories.
A special thank you to Ashley. You have been my best friend since the moment I was born and truly taught me what having someone who always has your back feels like. I couldn’t confidently write Marin and Rose’s friendship without having you in my life. Thank you for celebrating every victory with me and being there to support me through every failure. I know that I wouldn’t possess my love of storytelling if we hadn’t fostered it in each other.
Dad and Alex, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your continued support and excitement during this whole endeavor. Though I didn’t end up going with many of your suggestions for the book, Dad, I do hope you enjoy what I did do. Yes, I killed a character, yes, the Gardener got away with it, but what’s the fun in tying everything up in nice, neat bows? I love you both.
Mom, though you have never been much of a reader, thank you for putting the practical part of your brain aside long enough to encourage me to follow my dreams and instill in me that hard work will pay off in the end. I know how difficult it must have been for you when I told you my dream was to become a writer because it is a path filled with disappointments and dark moments. But through your love and support, I was able to persevere enough to journey on and it’s so worth it.
Brian, my sweet, supportive husband. I know without a doubt that I wouldn’t have had the courage to try reaching for what I truly wanted without you. Even when we were teenagers, you always encouraged me to continue my passion, whether it be through talking for hours about how to make an interesting war strategy, the science behind poisons, choreographing a fight scene in our kitchen or leaving me to my writing even when we’re busy with other things to do. Your love and unending support, all the nights you’ve spent assuring me that I can do the things I thought impossible and the evenings we spent celebrating every victory have been instrumental in achieving this dream. I wouldn’t have any idea how to give Rayce the right words if you didn’t speak them first.
And finally, to the readers and bloggers who have stuck with me and decided to continue this journey with Rayce and Rose. I treasure all of your kind words and congratulations when my first book was released and your continued support means the world to me. Read on and find new worlds to get lost in. All of you are incredible!
About the Author
Amber Mitchell was born and raised in a small town in Florida. After briefly escaping small town life by attending the University of South Florida where she earned her degree in Creative Writing, she decided to ditch traffic jams and move back to her hometown. There she writes Young Adult novels, usually with a bit of magic in them, rolls D20s with her friends on Thursday nights, and enjoys hanging out with her husband and four cats. Her other job involves crafting cardstock in to 3D art and has allowed her to travel all over the US vending at comic conventions which has only increased her love for fantasy and fandoms. She is represented by Nikki Terpilowski of Holloway Literature
Also by Amber Mitchell
Garden of Thorns
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War of the Wilted Page 32
