Home > Author > Astrid Jane Ray
1 " Isydoris stared at him, her mind still clouded with doubts. “So, if you do not associate yourself with slaves, servants, or even former princesses, what kind of women do meet your high royal standards?” The reigh smirked and caressed her face. “The kind who know their worth and stay true to their principles. Indeed, I admire women who radiate beauty and innocence…with just the right amount of wit and feistiness. But I must admit they are very difficult to find. As a matter of fact, so far, I have encountered only one such. "
― Astrid Jane Ray , The Queen of Aessarion
2 " What would you know about desire, my little innocent? You must be shocked by your own reactions. That boy you weep for has never truly managed to stir up your curiosity about certain things, has he?" She swallowed and looked away from him in inexplicable embarrassment. "If you must know, Hedon always treated me with respect, and he never tried to cross my boundaries." "All the better for him," the reigh murmured. "I do appreciate the fact he kept his hands to himself. If he had touched you in the same way I have, my sweet, I assure you his death would have been a lot more painful and uglier than what you have witnessed. "
3 " Isydoris shot Azhrael an incredulous glare and whispered in dismay, “You are going to have a man gutted alive for spreading gossip?!” “No, of course not. Gutting him alive is not enough. I have also ordered them to cut out his tongue,” he joked in a calm tone, then turned deadly serious. “Nobody speaks ill of my woman.” Isydoris shook her head in numb disbelief. “But what would be the point of such barbaric punishment? This man will die, and people will continue to talk. Even you cannot silence every malicious tongue in the empire.” “Watch me,” he proclaimed with firm determination. “My sweet, it remains to be seen what I cannot accomplish by the sheer force of my will. I do not care how much blood needs to be spilled, but the commoners will learn to utter your name with caution and respect. I shall settle for nothing less. "
4 " Little one, dignity is an overrated thing to keep between the sheets. I, for one, am not afraid to part with it in your company. "
5 " A ghost of a tender smile tugged at his lips. “Then let me set your mind at ease. You were never a conquest, Isydoris. I have always appreciated the fact you were not a possession, but a person with thoughts and feelings.” He cupped her face and brushed his lips against hers. “When you fear, I try to ease your mind. When you cry, I offer you comfort. When you speak, I listen to your opinion. Are those not signs of genuine affection? "
6 " You asked me about love…” His gaze softened to the point where it was painful to look into his eyes. “Little one…” “It was not until you returned into my life that I grasped the true meaning of the word,” she confided, unable to ignore the deep yearning for his closeness and affection any longer. “Love is not a choice and definitely not something one can control. My love for you is like an unstoppable, wild storm. It might end up destroying me from within, but it will not change the fact you have always been my destiny. "
7 " This time, their love was for eternity. "
8 " Why would Maurel humble himself in front of Ismene to such an extent?” she heard herself ask in bafflement.The priest approached her, the sounds of his footsteps echoing around the hollow space as he offered a clarification. “Because she was his most valuable possession, and that made her even more powerful than him. "
9 " Slowly, she spun around and gazed into those recognizable black eyes and their blazing golden circles. A thousand memories invaded her mind in the span of seconds, and she drew in a long, sizzling breath. It was as though she inhaled the very essence of life, as though her body got reunited with her missing soul, and she was finally whole. "
10 " Little one, though I do not think you are making a prudent decision, I will respect your wishes,” he relented in a quiet voice. “But know this. If a single hair goes missing from your head in my absence, I am going to start a war of epic proportions and punish everyone involved in causing you pain. "
11 " Your Highness, I told you many times...one cannot be protected from their fate,” Pathil observed in a calm tone. “She would not remember, if she did not belong with him. "
12 " Fear is my due from my subjects and slaves, but not from you, my little reighess. I have not waged a war across the seven kingdoms to make your life by my side miserable. "
13 " A long, black cloak with embroidered golden edges fell from his broad shoulders, and she could see the large, firm muscles rippling under the thick layer of dark damask fabric. The glistening strands of his sleek ebony hair fell across his forehead in flawless disarray, accentuating the amazing bone structure of his harmoniously proportional face. The copper-colored rings around his charcoal irises shone brighter than ever. His gaze was positively hypnotic. Everything about him radiated ethereal sophistication and supernatural dominance. Just as the rumors had said, this man was no human emperor. He was an omnipotent, divine creature that breathed complete perfection. "
14 " Please, have a little faith and I’ll give you a hundred smiles for every tear I made you cry.”But there were so many tears. Too many. I looked at him, offering a small, sad smile. “If you did that, I’d never stop smiling.”He brought his lips an inch from my forehead and whispered to me before kissing it with the lightness of a summer breeze. “That’s the point, angel. "
― Astrid Jane Ray , Virtue & Vanity
15 " Are you afraid?” he asked me in a steely voice.As I nodded, my body started shivering in response to his threatening presence. Awaiting his reply in genuine fear, I controlled the urge to cry. I didn’t want him to see me broken. I didn’t want him to have that kind of power over me again.“Good. You should fear me,” he answered calmly, still glaring at me. "
16 " He saw her. Not just her mesmerizing eyes, her smooth skin and curly, brown hair. He saw beyond that. Way beyond, inside her soul. Inside where he could reach and touch the pieces of the heart he had broken. Some of the pieces were so badly damaged that they could never be fixed again, but he didn’t care about that because they were his broken pieces—his to cherish, his to love, his to bring back to life. "
17 " i was so wrapped up in reading books...that i'd sort of become oblivious to the world around me. But that was alright, because the reality that surrounded me wasn't even a bit alluring, so it felt good to escape into the exciting world i'd created in my imagination "
18 " They say there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but I felt like he was the dark at the end of my light. "
19 " So tell me, my sweet," the reigh demanded softly. "What did you think of the council?" "It is a brutal affair, my lord," she replied with honesty. "I would lie if I said I did not find it disturbing." His expression turned mysterious, almost...amused. "Indeed, I can imagine not everyone has the stomach to endure the sight of cut-off limbs, but give yourself time. Practice makes perfect. In a few weeks, you will not stir when a guilty man is being punished. "
20 " So, it seems I am forced to acknowledge your fears and doubts are not unwarranted after all, my sweet. I can hardly deny I conducted myself in less than a gracious manner on that occasion, but you are wrong to assume your pain and distress hold so little significance they could bring me any pleasure.” He released a heavy breath, his gaze glistening with murky shadows. “Even a king can sometimes fall victim to his own pride and vanity. I hit you out of selfish necessity to save face in front of my men, only to regret it the moment it happened. The sight of your bruised face has haunted me for longer than I care to admit, Isydoris. I already said it then, but I shall say it again. Khai nhei. I am sorry I hurt you. It is my shame to carry, and I should have handled it differently. "
