Forged in Flames Read online

  Copyright © 2019 by Quinn Arthurs and Harper Wylde.

  All rights reserved.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

  The author acknowledges the trademark owners of various products, brands, and/or stores references in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Forged in Flames

  Phoenix Rising Book Four

  Quinn Arthurs

  Harper Wylde

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Warning

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Author’s Note

  The Phoenix Rising Series

  Shadow Touched

  Order Shadow Touched

  Also By Harper Wylde

  About Harper Wylde

  Reign of Nightmares

  Reign of Nightmares Cover

  Also by Quinn Arthurs

  About Quinn Arthurs

  Acknowledgments

  We have to start by saying a huge, gigantic thank you to all our incredible readers for all the love, support, encouragement, and enthusiasm you’ve shown us over this past year and a half since Nix, Theo, Damien, Ryder, Hiro, and Killian made their debut. We are so blessed that you love these characters as much as we do and we hope you enjoy this next part of their journey! Thank you for reading and being a part of our book world family.

  To our editing team, we’re sending all the best tackle hugs your way! Thank you for the extra eyes on our manuscript, the long hours, the fast turn around times, and the wonderful edits! You helped make Forged in Flames the book it is today and we are beyond grateful!

  Quinn’s Dedication

  This book is for Harper. Without your encouragement and advice, becoming a published author may never have started and my stories would just be taking up space on my computer. Without you there to bolster me and help me face my fears, Born of Embers never would have been published and this amazing journey with Nix wouldn't have begun. So Harper, thanks for being an amazing co-author and a friend. I hope there are many more books in our future.

  Harper’s Dedication

  This book is for the readers, for your patience, support, enthusiasm, and love over this past year and a half since Nix’s journey began. Thanks for reading!

  This book is for Quinn. Thank you for your friendship, for boosting my confidence, for being a sounding board, and challenging me in the best ways—even unknowingly—to be the best writer I can be. Without you, this crazy, blessed journey of being a published author wouldn’t be the same.

  This book is for my family. I love you so much. Thank you for understanding the long hours, late nights, and piles of dishes. And to my little sidekick who was growing inside of me during the writing of this book, I can’t wait to meet you soon!

  Warning

  *** This book contains scenes and references of abuse that some readers may find triggering. This book also contains some m/m themes within the harem. ***

  Forged in Flames is a reverse harem novel which means our heroine doesn’t have to choose between her love interests. Really, though, that’s just more fun for everyone!

  One

  Nix

  I never intended to start a war. I never intended to get myself dragged into one either, and yet I had somehow managed to do both. I laid my forehead against the window, letting the icy glass cool my heated skin. It had been three days since the gala and the levels of frustration, anticipation, excitement, horror, and fury in this house were building to unbearable levels. Ciarán had been his usual insane self, and after a quick warning about ‘being in touch when it was safe,’ he disappeared off of Theo’s back as quickly and silently as he had originally arrived. I had thought Killian was going to fall off of Theo in his fury, and I had learned several interesting curses as he hurled them one by one at his brother.

  The last few days had been tense while we waited, as we each processed everything that had happened in our own way. When Ciarán reached out to us this morning, encouraging us to meet him this afternoon at, of all places, a coffee shop in downtown Anchorage, we had all started counting down the minutes. I had thought Killian would go through the roof at Ciarán’s cryptic message, not that I could blame him. After the bombshell Ciarán had dropped, for him to disappear and then to send a note full of hearts and smiley faces with our meeting location, I would probably have lost it as well had he been my sibling. But he had merely clenched his fists and stalked off to cool his temper. I had been proud of him for keeping such a tight grip on it when I knew it was a struggle for him.

  Snow was falling in fat, thick flakes, a stark against the thick trees behind the house. I snagged the warm purple, wool hat and gloves from my desk before heading for the door. I wasn’t surprised to see all of my men gathered in the living room, each dealing with the stress in their own way. Theo was active on his phone, and I had no doubt he was busy searching for any information he could possibly get his hands on, while Killian paced with red tingeing his face, and his mouth moving silently as though he was rehearsing what he was going to say, or repeating a mantra to keep himself calm. Hiro and Ryder sat next to each other, speaking quietly, their voices pitched low so they didn’t disturb the others. Damien stood guard by the doorway, with his eyes on all of the others like he was ensuring they were protected.

  It was Damien who caught my descent down the stairs and he sent me a warm smile. “Purple looks good on you.” He gave me a wink and I felt heat rising in my cheeks, though he managed to charm a smile out of me despite the stress.

  “Thanks.” I wrung my hands together, attempting to hide my nerves. “You guys ready?”

  “I’ll drive,” Killian offered.

  “Is that really the best idea?” Theo asked dryly. “You’re not exactly calm and we have enough to handle without a speeding ticket.” He hadn’t even bothered to look up from his phone to catch Killian’s glare.

  “We can all fit in the Hummer, it’ll be fine,” Damien soothed. “I’d prefer if we didn’t separate from each other anyhow.” I preferred that as well, so I was definitely not about to object. We slipped into our winter gear and headed out to a pre-warmed car. I briefly wondered which one of them had taken the time to warm and clear the car, but I appreciated the effort the moment I climbed inside.

  It was a little awkward to pile all of us into the Hummer, especially with only a single seat in the third row, but we all managed to fit as we traveled to Anchorage. It was a rare trip for us, especially as a group. The tension was high on the ride, and I looped an arm behind the seat, stretching to run my fingers through Damien
’s hair, while my other hand landed reassuringly on Ryder’s leg—absentmindedly running my fingertips an inch up and then back down his thigh. My mind wandered as we drove, entering a city white with snow. The contrast between Orlando and Anchorage hit me once again. It was still strange sometime to remember how far I’d come—not just in distance, but also in the relationships I now had in my life. I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like without these five men and my best friend Rini, and I honestly didn’t want to. Leaving my shitty life behind to move for school had been the best decision I’d ever made, even with all the current complications we now faced.

  At this point, I was surprised I hadn’t been expelled from my classes due to my spotty attendance record, though I assumed that was just a difference between college and high school. We’d all done the best we could to keep up appearances and maintain a normal life, but it was getting increasingly hard to manage regular life while facing everything with the Council, the kidnapping, and then the gala.

  The buildings were pretty, especially with the snow, and a few of the homes and businesses had already begun decorating for Christmas, despite it only being the beginning of November. Even in the daylight the decor was pretty, and a part of me hoped it would be dark on our trip back to give me the chance to see them lit up.

  The Hummer had no problems with the snowy roads, though I caught myself occasionally holding my breath. I wanted to learn to drive, but I really didn’t want to do it in the snow. It just seemed so unnatural to drive in such a thick, slippery substance, let alone the ice it could cause. Killian drove with precision, unbothered by the impaired vision and slick streets. He appeared indifferent to the decorations that were up and the beauty of the snow—but to be fair, all of them seemed oblivious to the beautiful surroundings.

  I wondered if I would end up growing just as used to the scenery if I continued to live in Alaska, but a part of me didn’t think I’d ever take the beauty for granted. The white capped mountains in the distance just added to my wonder. I smiled as I remembered my first reaction to snow. The guys had looked on in pure amusement when I had raced out the back door, not even bothering to bring my coat, and twirled like a child under the falling flakes. After spending all my formative years in Florida, I couldn’t help my enthusiasm. While the cold still took some adjusting to, I was in love with snow. Damien had simply grabbed my jacket and stepped outside to wrap me up, playfully scolding me about getting sick, not that I minded. It was those small, daily gestures that I loved the most. The only way they could get me back inside was to remind me that we’d be getting plenty more snow in the future. Although I was looking forward to all of it, I was most excited about having my first white Christmas—my first real Christmas.

  The coffee shop was on a busy street, full of pedestrian traffic from the college, and I was brought back to the moment as the car slowed. Bundled in scarves, hats, and thick boots, it was hard to tell who the person was inside of all of the necessary winter gear. “You sure he said to meet here?” I asked hesitantly, as we parked. The coffee shop was running a steady business, the door swinging merrily under the red clapboard sign as people left with their steaming cups. If we were going to talk about a war, let alone a shifter war, I couldn’t imagine why we would be doing so in the middle of a packed coffee shop. I wouldn’t put it past Ciarán to be abducting us to another location, or to simply be playing some kind of convoluted joke on us. He’d already shown that he could appear and disappear at will, and for all I knew he was sitting in this truck with us. The thought had goosebumps creeping up my arms.

  “This is it.” Killian’s words were an irritated grumble. “He’s crazy.”

  “Well, if he’s not here, we can all at least get a cup of coffee.” Leave it to Ryder to look on the bright side. “Besides, we can almost consider it a date. We rarely get out of the house as a group like this for something that’s solely for fun. Why don’t we just make the most of it and treat our girl to a coffee and something sweet? As if she’s not sweet enough.” Ryder’s flirting had a relieved smile curving my lips. These past few days he’d been quieter than normal, more pensive. I knew he was stressed about the island, the kids, and the song. We all were, but it was more personal for him. I just wished he’d let me in and talk about what he was going through. Instead, he’d pulled into himself while we waited for this meeting. He sent me a wink, and while it didn’t have that same spark behind it, I appreciated the attempt to break the building tension.

  “It’s a good idea,” Hiro commented, from his perch in the backseat. Of course, he had been the one sweet enough to take the lone seat in the back. We filed from the car, with Theo acting the gentleman and grasping my elbow to prevent me from slipping as I exited and walked toward the busy building. It was warm inside with strong scents of coffee and sugar in the air. I perused the menu and pulled off my gloves and hat, stuffing them into the pockets of my new purple coat. In his stressed out state, Killian had disappeared one afternoon and come home with a new coat for me to replace the one that was ruined back when I’d been shot. The color and fit were perfect, and I’d loved it instantly, but I’d loved the sweet, protective nature of my grumpy Puca even more.

  “What can I get for you?” The pretty girl behind the counter fluttered her lashes at Killian, and though he appeared not to notice her, I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes at the barista.

  “Coffee,” he grumbled, running a hand through his red hair, causing it to stand up in little spikes.

  The girl chuckled, though I could see the corners of her mouth tighten as she waved a hand at the menu hanging behind her. “We’ve got several options. I can recommend my favorites to you if you’d like?”

  “How about I handle the coffee orders?” Hiro interjected, shoving Killian lightly away from the counter. “I know everyone’s favorites. Besides, you may want to save us extra seats.” He waved a hand toward the back of the coffee shop, drawing all of our attention. I would have sworn the back corner had been empty when we came in, yet there Ciarán sat, happily sipping on a coffee topped with mounds of whipped cream.

  Killian growled as he stalked toward his brother, but Theo’s hand shot out fast as a whip, his grip tight on Killian’s elbow. I was close enough to hear Theo’s quiet words as he warned, “We are in public, Kill. Watch your words, your actions, and your temper. Do not let your Puca get the upper hand. We do not need the Elders to find out and get involved.” His blue eyes were cold as they shot to me, then back to Killian, the warning clear. Kill nodded slowly, though he tightened his hands into fists as his steps shortened.

  “I’ll help Hiro with the coffees,” Ryder volunteered, pushing my back gently so I’d follow Killian and Theo. The guys knew that Kill responded better to me than anyone else when he was in a mood, and I stepped to his side and wound my arm through his, hooking us together. Damien hovered at my other side, his gaze darting as he assessed the area for threats.

  “Brother dearest!” Ciarán crowed as we drew near, throwing out his arm in a grand gesture, and nearly spilling his coffee all over himself in the process. “And you’ve brought the fluffle. Lovely.” He waggled his fingers at me in a cheeky wave. “Where’s the sweatshirt I got you, little sister? You look so adorable in it. Though you look lovely out of it as well.”

  Damien’s growl under his breath surprised me enough that I cast a glance his way. He wasn’t the one I’d expected to react to Ciarán’s taunts. I wondered if Ciar was playing another annoying song in his head and getting under Damien’s skin again. “Enough games. You told us to be here. We’re here.”

  “I hope you like the coffee,” Ciarán continued conversationally. “We’ll be meeting here regularly.”

  “Cut the crap.” Killian pulled a chair out for me, making sure I was settled, before he flopped into his own chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at his brother. “Why are we meeting here? We can’t even talk. Is this just another little game for you? Because it’s not a game for us.”


  “We can talk freely here, unless you’re afraid you can’t keep your Puca under control.” Ciarán’s voice was surprisingly loud and I winced, glancing around to see if any of the humans who filled the coffee shop had noticed. My men were doing the same, a range of growls and hisses accompanying their glares.

  “Fool,” Damien snapped. “Do you want the Elders to come down on our heads?”

  “Don’t believe me?” Ciarán’s smile was crooked, and my stomach tightened. It was difficult to follow his vacillating moods, and that grin was far more wicked than I was used to seeing on his cheerful face. “Hey, Ryder!” he called out, loud enough to have me rearing back. “Get your unicorn butt over here, or do you plan on licking the sexy Kitsune right there?”

  I whirled, expecting Ryder to come charging at Ciarán, with his temper frayed by the blatant announcement of his attraction for Hiro, as well as the misrepresentation of his species. Instead, Ryder was laughing with Hiro, having dabbed a bit of the whipped cream onto his nose as they waited for the remainder of the drinks.