What Hunts Inside the Shadows （Of Flesh & Bone, #2）
Harper L. Woods, Adelaide Forrest
For the ones who need the journey…
ABOUT WHAT HUNTS INSIDE THE SHADOWS
Once, I fell in love with a man who deceived me.
For weeks, he stood by my side, twisting his words into pretty half-truths. He enraptured me with his smooth temptation, leaving no corner of my being untouched. He consumed my mind and my body, then finally claimed my heart for himself. But Caelum’s true identity is terrifying enough to bring me to my knees.
Then, I discovered the truth of who he is.
Caldris is whispered in the Nothrek wind. The legend we only speak of with hushed words, in shuttered rooms, for fear of drawing his wrath once again. His intentions are a mystery, his desires impure, and he seeks to shackle me to his side for all eternity. With the Wild Hunt as our guard, he points us back to where it all began: the village of Mistfell and the boundary where the Veil once shimmered in the wind.
Now, another secret crouches, poised to change everything.
The Mist Guard have been sworn to keep us from crossing into Alfheimr, and from treading Faerie soil, even if innocents must pay with their lives. They have orders to resurrect Mistfell’s shimmering barrier, but, once again, there’s a greater cost than what has been revealed. Once, the people of Northrek blamed me when the Veil fell.
Soon, they’ll want me to pay the price the magic requires.
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Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book two in a series and ends in a cliffhanger.
TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNINGS
The Of Flesh & Bone series is set in a medieval style world where human women are subservient to their male counterparts. The world is a dark, dangerous place for women, particularly those who do not conform to societal standards and the purity culture that determines how they live. As such, some elements may be triggering to certain readers.
- Religious purity culture - Verbal and physical abuse （NOT the male lead） - References to grooming behavior & assault of a minor by an authority figure （NOT the male lead） - Ritualistic Sacrifice - Suicidal thoughts & ideation - Graphic violence
- Graphic sexual content
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Alfheimr: The Fae realm.
Calfalls: The Ruined City that was once a tribute to the God of the Dead before he destroyed it in the war between the Fae and humans.
High Priest/Priestess: The top Priest and Priestess who profess to commune with The Father and The Mother and pass along their messages.
Ineburn City: The capitol of the human realm, a gleaming city of gold.
Mistfell: The village at the edge of the Veil, where it is closest to Alfheimr. Serves as the access point between realms when the Veil does not block passage.
Mist Guard: A separate army with the sole purpose of protecting the Veil from harm and fighting the Fae should it ever fall.
New Gods: The Father and The Mother. Worshiped by humans after they discovered the truth that the Old Gods were truly Fae. The Father and The Mother make the choice of whether a soul goes to Valhalla, Folkvangr, or Helheim after the true death at the end of the thirteen-life cycle.
Nothrek: The human realm.
Old Gods: The Old Gods are the most powerful of the Fae race known as the Sidhe. Most commonly, these are the offspring of the Primordials.
Priest/Priestess: The men and women who lead the Temple in service of the New Gods and their wishes （The Father and The Mother）。
Primordials: The first beings in all of creation. They do not have a human form by nature, though they can choose to take one for various reasons） and are simply the personification of what they represent.
Resistance, The: A secret society living in the tunnels of the Hollow Mountains （as well as elsewhere in Nothrek） that resist the rules of the Kingdom and live their lives as they please. They also resist the Fae and offer protection to the Fae Marked and other refugees from fleeing the Royal or Mist Guard.
Royal Guard: The army that works on behalf of the King of Nothrek, ensuring that the Kingdom remains peaceful and compliant with his wishes.
Sidhe: The human-like Fae who are not of the first generations and are less powerful than the Old Gods. Their magic exists, but is far more limited than their older counterparts.
Veil: The magical boundary that separates the human realm of Nothrek from the Fae realm of Alfheimr.
Viniculum: The physical symbol of the Fae Marked. Swirling ink in the color of the Fae’s home court extending from the hand to the shoulder/chest.
Wild Hunt: The group of ghost-like Fae from the Shadow Court that are tasked with tracking down the Fae Marked to return them to their mates in Alfheimr, as well as hunting any who may be deemed enemies to the Fae.
Witches: Immortal beings with powers relating to the elements and celestial bodies; i.e. the Shadow Witches, Lunar Witches, Natural Witches, Water Witches, etc.
HIERARCHY OF THE GODS & FAE
PRIMORDIALS
Khaos: The Primordial of the Void that existed before all creation.
Ilta: The Primordial of the Night
Edrus: The Primordial of Darkness
Zain: Primordial of the Sky
Diell: Primordial of the Day
Ubel: Primordial responsible for the prison of Tartarus Bryn: Primordial of Nature
Oshun: Primordial of the Sea
Gerwyn: Primordial of Love
Aerwyna: Primordial of the Sea Creatures Tempest: Primordial of Storms
Peri: Primordial of the Mountains
Sauda: Primordial of Poisons
Anke: Primordial of Compulsion
Marat: Primordial of Light
Eylam: Primordial of Time
The Fates: Primordial of Destiny
Ahimoth: Primordial of Impending Doom
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Old Gods of Note: Aderyn: Goddess of the Harvest & Queen of the Autumn Court.
Alastor: King of the Winter Court and husband to Twyla before his death.
Caldris: God of the Dead.
Jonab: God of Changing Seasons. Killed during the First Fae War.
Kahlo: God of Beasts & King of the Autumn Court.
Mab: Queen of the Shadow Court. Known mainly as the Queen of Air & Darkness. Sister to Rheaghan （King of the Summer Court）。
Rheaghan: God of the Sun & King of the Summer Court. Rightful King of the Seelie.
Sephtis: God of the Underworld & King of the Shadow Court.
Shena: Goddess of Plant Life & Queen of the Spring Court.
Tiam: God of Youth & King of the Spring Court.
Twyla: Goddess of the Moon & Queen of the Winter Court. Rightful Queen of the Unseelie.
* * *
The Wild Hunt
* * *
Sidhe
CONTENTS
Prologue
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
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Also by Adelaide Forrest