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Steel & Stone #3.5

Feed the Flames

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In this short story addition to the Steel & Stone series, discover the fate of Seiya and Lyre following the conclusion of Yield the Night (Steel & Stone #3).

Seiya wants nothing more than to disappear with her brother, safe from all the enemies that would tear them apart. But now she, along with Lyre, has been taken prisoner. Separated from Ash, his fate unknown, and tormented by memories of her imprisonment in Asphodel, she must put her faith in Lyre and his carefully guarded secrets. To have any chance of escape, they’ll have to work together to find a way out before they learn what fate their captors are planning for them.

--
Steel & Stone Universe Books:

STEEL & STONE
Chase the Dark (#1)
Bind the Soul (#2)
Yield the Night (#3)
Feed the Flames (#3.5)
Reap the Shadows (#4)
Unleash the Storm (#5)
Steel & Stone (#6)

SPELL WEAVER
The Night Realm (#1)
The Shadow Weave (#2)
The Blood Curse (#3)

45 pages, ebook

First published July 22, 2015

325 people are currently reading
1677 people want to read

About the author

Annette Marie

50 books7,191 followers
Annette Marie is the best-selling author of over thirty books, including the expansive urban fantasy series The Guild Codex, epic urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, and romantic fantasy trilogy Red Winter.

A 2015 Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist in Fantasy and an Amazon Charts Bestseller, Annette has sold over 2 million books. Her books have been translated into French, German, Polish, Ukrainian, and Russian, with readers coming back again and again for her addictive blend of fast-paced adventure, tantalizing forbidden romance, and unforgettable characters.

Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad) with her husband and their furry minions of darkness. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in her garden or an art project while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities.

To find out more about Annette and her books, visit www.annettemarie.ca

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5 stars
1,369 (44%)
4 stars
1,093 (35%)
3 stars
562 (18%)
2 stars
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1 star
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
Profile Image for Vanessa Gayle ⚔️ Fangirl Faction.
1,129 reviews854 followers
August 31, 2020
08/28/2020: Reread! (Read to my son, Maddox.)
08/23/2020: Reread!
07/24/2020: Reread!
10/22/2019: Reread!
05/15/2019: Reread!
03/03/2019: Reread!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really love this novella. I really loved getting a deeper glimpse into both Lyre and Seiya. By the end of the novella, you can see something change inside Seiya. I think that the experience changed her deeply. It made her look at things differently from before. You also really get to see the kind of person Lyre really is. He makes a sacrifice for Seiya and it shows how compassionate he is. It was really touching. I had so many feels for Lyre in this one. He is such a curious individual. There is so much more underneath the surface.

Would I Recommend It
Yes. If you are a fan of the series then you MUST read this!! It not only adds to the story, but adds to the character development. It's awesome. I would love to read more novellas like this one about some of the other characters.
Profile Image for Talía.
244 reviews134 followers
October 12, 2017
4 Lyre STARS

I loved this so much!!! I wasn´t sure if I wanted to read it, but it`s so short and I saw there was great deepth in Lyre`s character (which is already my fave) so I couldn`t say no.

Even when this is told in Freiya`s POV, we get to see her and Lyre in a different more clearer light while they`re dealing with the aftermath of the last book. I liked the fact we´re given some special hints about their pasts that add mystery but also a background to get to know who they are better.
In Freiya`s case, we´re shown more of her past to help us see what she`s been through and get why she acts the way she does towards Piper and Ash, even though I don`t like how she has acted, i enjoyed getting to know more about her.

Now, Lyre stole the show like always. I mega love the secretive, calculative, smart, funny heroes; so getting a closer look about Lyre`s past was a gift. He has been hiding, or better said, deflecting who he is and his potential through his charms, but we get to learn some interesting stuff such as his family and hidden talents, even when he doesn´t want to give anything away. I really love his character, he is a pretty down-to-earth guy so he knows how to react in different situations and he is smart af, I really enjoy the fact that his charms and humor make those treats blurr in a way no one can see at first sight how much more he really is.

Now, I just gotta say, THAT ENDING THO!!! I`m deff jumping now to the next book bc I need to know what happens. If you`re a fan of this saga or Lyre, you won`t regret reading this one.
Profile Image for Marianne.
1,315 reviews152 followers
July 25, 2015
We know from book 3 that Seiya and Lyre were captured by the Ra demons and in this novella we learn of their predicament.

Seiya, I'm sorry to say, is still an unsympathetic little whiner. But Lyre; he made this story worthwhile. We get a tantalizing glimpse into his family background and his past, prior to meeting up with Ash. Who knew his family would think of him the way they do... Personally, when Ash's and Piper's story has come to a conclusion, I would very much like a Lyre spin-off. Just saying...
Profile Image for Lonna | FLYLēF.
185 reviews181 followers
December 15, 2015
FLYLēF Book Reviews

Original Post: Feed the Flames (Steel and Stone 3.5) at FLYLēF (www.flylef.com)

FEED THE FLAMES, by Annette Marie, is an itty bitty novella that explains the fate of Seiya and Lyre following the conclusion of Yield the Night (Steel and Stone 3). For a short story, I was pleasantly surprised that it was still emotionally dense and highly entertaining.

This novella has completely changed my impression of Lyre and improved my perception of Seiya. I've always enjoyed Lyre, but I never saw him as anything more than Ash's dear friend and hopeless flirt. As for Seiya, I've always just tolerated her impetuous character. I have misunderstood these characters.

Lyre is an incubus—a very sexy incubus. But, hidden behind a “constant stream of jokes and inappropriate humor that [keeps] anyone from looking at him too closely” is a man with carefully guarded secrets. His past is shrouded in mystery and he carries with him a story laden with untold pain and scars that are highly intriguing. If you happen to read this Ms. Annette, I’m officially petitioning a new series with Lyre as the starring role. Please, and thank you.

I’ve always found Seiya to be a little immature and hotheaded. She lacks depth and blames all of her and Ash’s troubles on poor Piper. So, I shelved her away as the temperamental, yet protective younger sister. Feed the Flames shows a different side of Seiya. I really enjoyed the dialogues between Seiya and Lyre while they were imprisoned by their captors. Through the tête-à-tête, it gave me a glimpse of her internal struggles. It was nice to see that underneath the angry exterior, there is a compassionate and fierce woman waiting to emerge.

The story ends with a thrilling, heart-pounding escape attempt that left me wanting more. I do like this novella. Though, it's really too short for me to develop a deep fondness for it. I do appreciate the supporting characters much more. I look forward to seeing them in Reap the Shadows (Steel and Stone 4) and Unleash the Storm (Steel and Stone 5).
Profile Image for nuin giliath.
256 reviews59 followers
December 26, 2019
This provided an interesting glimpse into the mind and memories of Seiya. Considering she's mostly been portrayed as someone who is fiercely opposed to Piper and her relationship with Ash, it felt appropriate to have some clearer understanding of her perspective on events leading up to and during the past few books.
I liked that Lyre, who hasn't been as featured much lately, finally confronted Seiya about her behavior toward Piper/Ash and explained why her attitude was more harmful than protective. It was also neat to see Lyre display some of his more impressive talents during their escape attempts. I can already tell that his spell weaving abilities along with the teasing snippets regarding his family will play a more significant role in future stories.
Profile Image for mith.
931 reviews306 followers
September 15, 2015
Because Lyre.

I never really liked Seiya, despite seeing where she came from when she went at it with Piper. This novella didn't really help me see her point of view more, because I'd already understood it in Yield the Night, but it did give more of an insight on Lyre.
He is a gem, let me tell you that. Beneath his easy going, flirtatious attitude, we have a cunning and powerful incubus with a lot to hide. Beneath his jokes and witty comments, I suspect a very capable warrior.
Lyre also proves to be a very loyal friend here. In Chase the Dark, he'd defended Ash even after what he'd done. I've come to see Lyre as a very open minded person, managing the other person to see their problem in another point of view. It definitely was helpful in Seiya's case, where she kept hating on Piper. I love Lyre for that.
I am more curious about Lyre now than I was ever before.
Profile Image for Pearl.
30 reviews2 followers
August 12, 2017
Great Short Story

I really like this book. I like the plot and how the storyline was easy to follow. I like how the author included this book and let us into the past of Seyia and Lyre. The last chapter was sweet. It was nice to see Seyia and Lyre in a different way. I would recommended this book to others.
Profile Image for Mikky.
977 reviews276 followers
April 5, 2016
Originally posted at:


* May contain spoilers from previous books in this series. Read at your own peril.

I still hate Seiya, but I'm finding myself liking Lyre even more now. I went into this book imagining the worst of the worst because nothing is more terrible than reading a book in the head of a character you despise.

Lyre proved to be a real friend and has helped Piper in any way he could for the past 3 books. Unfortunately, he's trapped with Seiya in some confusing revenge-but-not-revenge plot Miysis is planning. Lyre also proved to have a sketchy past that I'm just dying to find out about in more detail.

Seiya seems to have learned something about friendship and helping/caring for other people and not just her brother. She's now hell bent on helping Lyre. Yet, I still can't say anything good about her. She's almost a petulant child where Piper is concerned.

Though this did leave off at a cliffhanger, I can't help but praise the story. It was very short, but to the point. These are characters the reader already knows so the author spends no time recollecting everything (which was a blessing). I'm still deciding if I'll be waiting for the audio book for the next two books in this series to release or if I should just power through reading them and missing Lyre and Ash's sinful voices.

My Favorite Quotes:

"[...] No one was invincible. Death was one mistake away for them all [...]."

"There were other things worth fighting for - worth dying for."

"Piper is something he needs. And yeah, it's gonna hurt him, and sometimes it's the hardest damn thing, but love is like that."
Profile Image for Karissa.
4,308 reviews215 followers
August 24, 2015
I absolutely adore the Steel and Sword series by Annette Marie and was excited to see that this short story was released to tide us readers over until Reap the Shadows releases in October of 2015. This was a very well done short story and I enjoyed it a lot.

This book picks up right after the battle in book 3. Seiya and Lyre were taken prisoner by the Maiysis and are both wearing magic suppressing collars. They must work together to survive and escape imprisonment before Seiya is sold back into captivity in Asphodel and Lyre is sold to his family.

This story felt a bit rushed and was too short, but it was still well written and very engaging.

We learn a lot of about Seiya and her time imprisoned in Asphodel. We also learn a bit more about why she hates Piper so much and her history with Ash. I still don’t like Seiya and I still think she’s an ungrateful whiner, but it was nice to learn some of her background.

The most interesting part of the story was learning some of Lyre’s background. He works some seriously wicked magic in this book and it was interesting to see him as a powerful and dangerous character rather than the light-hearted flirt we usually see.

Additionally Maiysis is in the story a bit and his actions remain unpredictable and mysterious.

The story ends on a cliffhanger and was fairly unsatisfying. I can only assume the unresolved issues will be addressed in Reap the Shadows.

Overall this was a quick and entertaining read. I really enjoyed learning more background on both Seiya and Lyre. I would definitely recommend picking this up if you are a fan of this series. I really love this series and recommend the series as a whole if you are a fan of urban fantasy. I am super excited to read Reap the Shadows when it release in October.
Profile Image for Jen.
1,434 reviews138 followers
April 11, 2021
I really just love this series!

This book was read on April 9, 2021. It was fantastic to see inside Seiya's head! She was trapped with Lyre in the Ra Embassy, and Lyre

But she's determined to save him! So it's onto book four I go!
Profile Image for Danielle (Danniegurl).
1,960 reviews110 followers
June 5, 2017
Well it's in Seiya's POV in case you're wondering. Was hoping for Ash's but nope. Lyre and Seiya were captured and this details what happens a bit and how she manages to escape. This also tells us a bit about Lyre and I'm dying to know more about him. But I don't want Seiya with Lyre....ever.
Profile Image for Heather.
2,770 reviews19 followers
December 9, 2019
Seiya wants nothing more than to disappear with her brother, safe from all the enemies that would tear them apart. But now she, along with Lyre, has been taken prisoner. Separated from Ash, his fate unknown, and tormented by memories of her imprisonment in Asphodel, she must put her faith in Lyre and his carefully guarded secrets. To have any chance of escape, they’ll have to work together to find a way out before they learn what fate their captors are planning for them.

Heather's Notes
I read this series a while ago and finally got to read this. It is a nice short story, but doesn't really add anything to the series. Still it is nice to finally finish the series completely. I cannot wait for the new series to come out.
Profile Image for Cali Teer.
145 reviews41 followers
January 7, 2018
I'm so happy this little novella was included in book 3 cause it answered questions I had from the 3rd book but I am NOT happy with how it ended.. we learned more about Lyre which I loved- you learn there is much more to our playful incubus than he lets on and he is a total BAMF! I hate Seiya, she can go back to Asphodel any time and get tortured.. in fact, I really hope that comes in book 4. This was a good wrap up of book 3.
Profile Image for The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo.
2,943 reviews393 followers
July 21, 2019
A short story about the events occurring when Seiya and Lyre were kidnapped by the Ras upon returning to Earth from the Overworld. Although a bit was revealed about Lyre (what I was really hoping to get out of this), it wasn't nearly enough. Not necessary to the rest of the series and totally skippable.
Profile Image for J.
676 reviews66 followers
May 6, 2020
3.75 stars

This short story made me love Lyre even more! Knowing more about his backstory made him more relatable for me. Don't you readers love that feeling? Loving a character is one thing. Understanding their struggles strengthens the bond between readers and characters. Obviously I'm now reaaalllyyy curious about Lyre's family!

Anyway, Seiya still had bratty moments here, but there's definitely hope that I would grow to love her!
Profile Image for Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog).
3,106 reviews91 followers
March 22, 2024
Feed the Flames

A great in-between novel that gives us Seiya’s perspective and reveals more of Lyre and his past!
I loved to see both of them and being able to uncover more about who they are was icing on the cake. The only problem is… well, it left off in a cliff-hanger making me that much more desperate to pick up the next book!!
Profile Image for Carolyn .
929 reviews
September 15, 2017
First thoughts: I love Lyre!

Review: A nice little addition to the Steel & Stone world. It was nice to see things from Seiya and Lyre's perspective after the events of the last book. We also get to see, in dream form, what happened to Seiya and Ash when they were trying to escape Samael the last time.

We also get to know more about Lyre. He plays the shameless flirt role perfectly, but there is so much more to him. I love him!

Great solid entry into this wonderful world.
Profile Image for Kira.
53 reviews
September 26, 2025
Good to finally get some background on the ‘side’ characters, but nothing filling for the book series
Profile Image for Nazbit91.
231 reviews2 followers
July 13, 2022
Seiya annoys me. But loved hearing more about Lyre
Profile Image for Shera (Book Whispers).
618 reviews302 followers
April 19, 2016
“You're right, because if not for her, Ash would be dead and you'd still be in Asphodel, pregnant with the next generation of Samael's slaves.”
That's right Seiya! Ugh! You tell her Lyre.

Honestly I did not want to read from Seiya's point of view. By the end of Yield the Night all I wanted was to strangle her and weigh her body down somewhere so she wouldn't sully any more page time. Sleep with the fishes you annoying SOB. It also ticked me off to see the whole hate was part jealousy despite what Lyre told Piper. Lyre new it too, and I enjoyed that he confronted Seiya about it.

It was really cool seeing what happened to Lyre and Seiya after they returned through the portal. I think there's some discord in the Raas' clan. I think this will signal the turning point for Seiya's characters, and I actually would suggest reading it for the series. Especially since despite this being told from Seiya's POV it is very much a Lyre book. As he finally divulges some information about himself. OMG!!!

Sexual Content: Actually, I don't think Lyre worked any of his flitateous magics. (Much to Seiya's annoyance.) A mild dark theme is referenced (see quote above), but honestly this book is clean.

4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.

Originally posted at Book Whispers.
Profile Image for Kit (Metaphors and Moonlight).
973 reviews162 followers
February 7, 2017
3 Stars

As soon as this was released, I immediately bought it without hesitation. I don't have to stop to consider when it comes to this series.

All the same, I don't really consider this part of the series, if that makes any sense. To me it's just a little, extra side piece that I don't factor in when I think about my love for the series because it wasn't told from Piper's POV. And it was about what I expected, considering that.

The thing is, I don't like Seiya. I did understand her character a little more after reading this, but I don't think she'll ever be someone I love. That's ok though. Especially when...

I love Lyre so much! I love him in this I-really-want-to-be-best-friends-with-him kinda way. I've never felt that way about a character before. He's so fun and playful and loyal and kind. But it's becoming more and more clear that he's also intelligent and driven with a rich backstory of his own. This was definitely a different side of him, just one of his many sides.

Was this short story worth it? Absolutely! Anything and everything Steel & Stone is worth it to me, and the look into Lyre's hidden depth was interesting. But it still wasn't exceptional the way the other books are.

Original Review on Blog
868 reviews14 followers
January 3, 2017
Yet another stunning work from the this new Indie author. This is a novella and fills in a gap of what characters Lyre and Seiya get up to when they are separated from the others. It is a fascinating insight into their characters and just goes to show that all of Annette Marie's characters are completely worthy of being in the spot light. Lyre is of course wonderful and he is now even more fascinating than he was with some information on his background and powers. Seiya has gone from someone I didn't like at all to a person I could understand and I can see she has a personal journey ahead of her, one that I am now eager to see.

A wonderful novella from a fabulous author and one I am happy to read anything she writes.
Profile Image for Sarah.
2,133 reviews30 followers
February 15, 2016
This quick leads directly from last with Lyre and Seiya go through the void but as they make it back to earth there captured by Ras family and held prisoner.
I have to say I don't like Seiya and especially now with her leaving Lyre. Let's see if she can redeem herself but for me it'll take a lot.
Profile Image for Beth.
844 reviews75 followers
September 16, 2019
No idea when I bought this. Fairly rough attempt -- some of it was interesting but inconsistent with an unlikable lead.

*** Joined Kindle Unlimited ****
So I skimmed through the first 3 books & upgraded this short story to 3 stars. Not great as a stand-alone but in context … not bad.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews

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