Novels by Gaia Rose

The stone railing feels warm under my hands as I lean over the edge, squinting at the bright morning sun. It is a rare break from the thick gray mist that usually hangs over Eclipse Alpha Academy, and I am determined to soak up every single drop of sun before the weather remembers we are on a frozen mountain. Ivy is missing from our usual morning hangout, having been dragged off by Ravenna to count silver-tipped training spears, which leaves me alone with Lucian.“You look like a cat that found a sunny patch of rug,” Lucian says, his hazel eyes crinkling as he leans against the railing next to me.“Don’t ruin the moment,” I reply, closing my eyes and tilting my face toward the sky. “If I look hard enough, I can almost pretend I’m back in a place where the trees don’t try to kill me during cardio drills.”He lets out a low chuckle, crossing his arms. “Alright, let’s hear the weekly report card then. How are the introductory channeling classes going? Have you managed to make Instructor

In that very moment, I realize that I do trust him. In such a short time I’ve grown to trust this man who’s had absolutely no reason to protect me, but has done it anyway, every step of the way.I nod my head.As his finger begins to trace the complex lines of the sigil against my bare skin, a strange, prickling warmth ignites beneath my surface, a localized pulse of energy that responds directly to his power. It doesn’t hurt; it feels like a line of liquid fire drawing a map across my shoulder, leaving me completely breathless and trembling against his leather jacket.“There,” Damon says, his mouth sliding down to press a soft, lingering kiss against the exact spot where his finger just finished the work. “Now the performance is complete.”He hooks his fingers into mine, leading me away from the crowded dance floor and toward a private, raised VIP section situated behind the main bar. The area is guarded by two massive, iron-clad guards who drop their heads instantly as Damon approac

A cool draft brushes across my face, breaking through the heavy, medicated sleep that has kept me pinned to Damon’s mattress for hours.The deep ache in my shoulder has faded to a dull, manageable throb, but before I can fully appreciate the miracle of northern wolf medicine, I feel a soft, rhythmic pressure along my cheek bone. Bare fingers are tracing the line of my jaw lightly. Still half-submerged in a dream about warm valleys and chocolate pancakes, my brain completely misfires, and I instinctively tilt my chin upward, snuggling my face directly into the warm palm of the hand.“Well, aren’t you a remarkably affectionate patient when you aren’t trying to insult my footwear,” a familiar, raspy voice murmurs right above my ear.My eyes snap open.The stone walls of Damon’s private quarters are illuminated only by the dying embers of the hearth, and leaning directly over my face is the exiled prince himself.“What the hell!” I shriek, the breath rushing back into my lungs as my survi

I try to draw a breath but the hostile magic enters my throat instead, burning its way down to my lungs until my vision starts to fragment into scattered spots of gray. Ravenna’s shadow dome isn’t just blocking the light; it feels like it is actively trying to erase my existence from the stone floor.Before my scrambled brain can even locate my limbs, a boot lands directly into my left shoulder.A sickening pop echoes through the corridor, followed instantly by a white-hot wave of agony that makes my entire body spasm against the flagstones.I try to scream, but the sound is instantly choked out as Ravenna’s hand locks around my throat, pinning my head back against the base of the pillar. The pressure is immense, crushing my windpipe until I can only make a pathetic, wet clicking sound in the back of my mouth.“Look at you,” Ravenna sneers, her face hovering just inches above mine through the shifting black mist. . “You’re nothing but a broken, powerless little stray who couldn’t even

Beneath the drooping branches of the ancient willow tree at the edge of the western lawn, Ivy and I have managed to carve out a temporary sanctuary. A thick, knitted blanket protects our legs from the damp grass, and resting between us is a plastic container stacked high with fluffy pancakes, generously smeared with thick, melting Nutella.After a week of enduring the whispered commentary that follows my every move in the grand dining hall, eating in the company of aggressive squirrels feels like a massive upgrade.“If anyone stares at me while I have chocolate on my chin today, I might actually use my fork as a projectile,” I say, shifting slightly on the blanket and immediately regretting the movement.A throbbing ache blooms across my lower back, radiating down my thighs with agonizing intensity.My entire body feels like it has been repeatedly dropped from a three-story building, courtesy of the grueling routine my self-appointed demonic personal trainer has instituted over the la

The dust in the clearing takes a long time to settle. I am still sitting on my heels with my hands out in front of me, staring at the empty space where the pitch-black dome used to be.A few feet away, Damon is flat on his back.His dark hair is a total mess, flecked with bits of frozen moss and dirt, and his boots are currently occupying a patch of thorny brush. For a terrifying three seconds, I think I might have actually killed the prince of the northern territories on my second day of orientation.“If you’re dead, I’m taking your leather jackets,” I say, hoping against hope that he replies.Then, he lets out a low, gravelly groan and rolls over smoothly, pushing himself up onto his hands and knees.“What the hell was that?” he asks, his voice dropping into a rough whisper as he stands up and brushes the dirt from his jeans.“I believe it was a major structural failure of your training method,” I reply, pushing myself up to my feet.Damon doesn’t answer right away. He walks toward