The Brightest Embers

You can run from your destiny, but you can’t hide...

Ivy thought that she and Adrian had conquered their fates. Yet with thousands of innocents still trapped in the demon realms, she’s determined to locate the final hallowed weapon and harness its unparalleled power to free them. But the last relic nearly put Ivy in the grave—there’s probably no coming back from this one.

Adrian’s dark lineage has made him the most powerful of his kind, yet even his incredible abilities might not be enough now. Instead, the treacherous fate he has fought so hard to escape might be the only way he can save Ivy. Their undeniable bond has been tested before, but never with so much on the line. Now fate will come head-to-head against true love, and nothing they’ve endured can prepare Ivy and Adrian for the unthinkable choices they’ll face...

Don’t miss the earth-shattering conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost’s Broken Destiny series!

Praise for New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost

“Jeaniene Frost is blessed with a creative soul.”

—Sherrilyn Kenyon, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Jeaniene Frost brings her signature wit, sizzle and extraordinary imagination to this epic new series. I was addicted from page one.”

—Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on The Beautiful Ashes

“[A] pure stunner... Frost skillfully balances passion and peril in an attention-grabbing story that’s exciting from the first page.”

—Publishers Weekly on The Beautiful Ashes (starred review)

“Books don’t get much more fun or action-packed than this.”

—RT Book Reviews on The Beautiful Ashes

“If you prefer nail-biting, otherworldly suspense, and adventure with your love story, this one’s for you.”

—BookPage on The Beautiful Ashes

“I always open a Frost book with happy anticipation, and I’ve never been disappointed.”

—Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Captivating romance and adventure all wrapped into one thrilling ride that will bind you until it drops you at the very last page.”

—The Book Whisperer on The Beautiful Ashes

The Brightest Embers

Jeaniene Frost

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To everyone who has faced long odds,

and kept fighting anyway.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Praise

Title Page

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

CHAPTER FORTY

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

I WALKED INTO the museum with a half demon holding my hand and a gargoyle waiting for me back at our car. As a history major, I’d often dreamed about going museum hopping throughout Europe, but not once had I pictured doing it like this.

“We’re here for the four p.m. tour,” Adrian, my new husband and the aforementioned half demon, told the museum attendant.

“The four p.m. tour group is over there,” she said, pointing toward a small cluster of people about a dozen feet away.

As we walked off, Adrian traced the braided rope tattoo on my right hand. My sleeve hid the rest of it, just like my high-necked blouse and long pants hid the remains of the other hallowed weapon that had supernaturally merged with my flesh. If the hallowed weapon we were looking for was here, I’d no doubt end up with a third supernatural tattoo.

Of course, that tattoo might one day end up decorating my cold dead corpse.

“Feel anything, Ivy?” Adrian asked in a low voice.

I directed my senses outward and felt the distinct vibes that meant this was hallowed ground, as well as extra brushes of power from the various religious relics in this museum. But I didn’t feel anything potent enough to punch a hole through every demon realm in existence, and that was the specific ancient relic we were after.

“No,” I said, frustration coloring my tone.

I hadn’t felt the power we were seeking when we were at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome last week, or the Hofburg Palace in Vienna earlier this week. Now we were at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin complex in Vagharshapat, Armenia. This was the third place in the world claiming possession of the spearhead of Longinus, aka the Holy Lance, aka the final hallowed weapon that I was supposedly fated to wield. The third time was, unfortunately, not the charm according to my lineage-derived radar. I could sense hallowed objects, and the famed spearhead wasn’t here, unless wards were messing with my ability to feel it.