The perfect continuation!
We pick up very quickly after leaving with the devastation of Creatures of Chaos. The end of the Chaos competition, Becks missing, and Locklyn wanting to go find him.
Given everything that Locklyn finds out during this story, she handles everything quite gracefully. She is so determined, not waiting for the adults to solve all the problems. She gathers together Ensley and Titus and go off to find Talon to save Becks in the human realm. And Imogen! Talon's cousin brings a firecracker of activity with her! Her attitude was the perfect addition to this rag tag group.
And all that building TENSION between Locklyn and Talon! I did feel bad when they do finally find Becks, and Locklyn is a bit awkward with him, and he knows something has changed, even when he's trying to get back to what they had before the final Chaos trial. I was so excited when they (meaning Locklyn and Talon) finally followed their feelings!
The final battle with Kerrim was definitely stressful, with Locklyn being caught in an illusion and her friends being unaware that she needed help. But then her and Talon pushing themselves to their breaking points, so much more stress! I was devastated with the solution to keep Talon alive, instant tears, when they had finally gotten together. But the ending was absolutely perfect! And then of course we have something that might bring them back to the Creature world after all...
Some favorite quotes:
It's the only way I can function--by pushing it all down. Falling apart isn't an option.
"She has to be almost ten years older than him." "Guy's got game."
He makes me angry. He makes me ache. He makes me remember everything I'm trying so hard to bury.
Way to go, bestie.
"You knew I was listening." "From the moment you peeked your pretty brown eyes around the corner to spy on us." "I wasn't spying. I was eavesdropping. There's a difference."
Right. So we're just going to ignore the fact that I spent hours passed out on top of him while he may or may not have been petting me like some kind of housecat.
"That kind of hope... it matters."
...if he could take away my sorrow, he would move heaven and hell to do so.
Every time he approaches, even the most docile animals scatter. I can't help but wonder if they sense the predator in him. I think it's probably just my imagination, until I watch a turtle bolt with surprising speed after Talon shoots it a side-eye.
It. Is. So. Cute.... I fall in love instantly. I want to name it, take it home, make it my pet. (Honestly, this whole bunny monster scene is so funny!)
I'll just distract the "monster" with belly rubs and baby talk. "I'm going to call you Fluffy," I say, taking another step forward, fully intending to ask if it wants to be my pet-slash-best friend.
And honestly, with everything he's been through, losing Shadow Striker, his family, and now his powers, it's no wonder he feels unmoored.
"With you, anything is possible."
When he lowers his head, a rush of emotion, sharp and consuming, stirs in me. It's not the same as what I feel for Becks, but it's just as powerful. In some ways, it's more intense. More immediate. More dangerous. More--
"Oh, Freckles," he whispers, and a delicious shiver runs down my spine. I hate it when he uses that nickname... but I also love it.
"Oh, Freckles. Haven't you realized by now I'd never let anything happen to you?"
"You absolutely did. You're a violent little thing. I didn't want you setting me on fire this morning, so I put the pillows up to protect your virtue."
It's been Becks for me from the beginning. He's my best friend. We've already been through so much. There's no way I'm giving up on us. Especially not for what I'm sure is just a harmless flirtation and maybe a little trauma bonding.
"You were always a force to be reckoned with, but now you're going to be unstoppable."
... his comment feels like a blow because it reveals his true thoughts about humans. About me. That they're weak. That I'm weak.
It's not like the other kisses we've shared. This one doesn't ignite a spark of passion, it wraps around me like a blanket, warm and steady. Comfort. Safety. The two things Becks has always been to me, and probably always will be.
"Freckles, I suggest you stop looking at me like that. ... Unless, you're finally ready to do something about it."
"That Becks was your first love, but not your forever love."
"I'm not going to stand by and watch him stifle your potential or diminish your strength in the name of protecting you."
"That's not what you need in a partner. You don't need to be coddled, set on a shelf or a pedestal to be looked at or fawned over. You need to be challenged and treated as an equal, not just a pretty object to be protected. You want someone who understands your strength and stands with you, not someone who's too afraid you'll break to let you learn how to fly."
I don't need someone to shield me. I need someone who sees me.
"I see someone who's stronger than she knows. Who fights even when she's breaking. I see fire. I see loyalty. I see someone who terrifies me in the best way, because she never backs down. But I also see the cracks you try to hide. The fear you don't speak out loud. And I still see you as the bravest should I know."
"I see someone who deserves to be chosen. I'd choose you, every time. Every version of you--strong, stubborn, scared--I see it all. I. See. You."
"Becks was your first, but I'm your forever."
"Just to be clear, I don't plan on dying tomorrow." "Just so we're clear, I don't plan on letting you."
It reminds me that Talon has been there from the very start, even back in the first Chaos trial, when he saved me after Jules left me for dead in that underground cavern. Since that day, we've been saving each other.
"They may be your world... but you're mine. And because they matter to you, I'll do everything I can to protect them. Even if it means risking my own life. But I can't, and won't, promise to put their lives above yours."
It's one of the things I appreciate most about him. His quiet, unwavering faith in me.
But even as much as he's been my safe harbor, I'm starting to wonder if we were meant to stay tethered forever. No matter how perfect he is... maybe we're just not perfect for each other.
"You deserve someone who chooses you without hesitation. Who doesn't make you wait or wonder or hurt."
I don't want Becks, not like I used to. I want him.
Even though Becks was my first love, Talon was supposed to be my forever love.
Even a world away, she fills it completely, consuming every part of me.
It's filled with laughter, shared secrets, and a love that neither of us ever saw coming.
If you love a fantasy story with forced proximity, slow burn, love triangle (best friend vs former rival), one bed, touch her and die, secretive MMC, shared magic, accidental bonding, the bad boy with a heart of gold, found family, supernaturals hiding in plain sight, secret magical societies, and end of the world stakes, make sure to check out Kingdom of Chaos!
I received an advanced review copy from the author. This review contains my honest opinion and is being left voluntarily.