Disillusioned (A Lay of Ruinous Reign: Book Two) by Brianna Sugalski
Chapter 5 Excerpt
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the fireplace in the far corner. In front of it, upon a patchwork rug, was a large tan armchair that looked like it had seen better years. Or centuries. Garin sat in it, the trimmed back of his head looking very astute, and she wondered distantly if his cropped, blue-black waves ever grew.
There was a neatly made bed across the fire, lush cream undersheets beneath what appeared to be a black duvet, and next to it, a short shelf containing books and several manually bound stacks of parchment. His prized longsword from Sinclair was perched on a wall rack before her, and to the left of that, a long mounted shelf hanging with thick twine that nestled into the corner. This was lined in strange potted plants—ones she’d never seen before. She couldn’t tell if they were foreign as in from a different continent, or Low Forest foreign. None of them glowed, but it was hard to tell in the light. Some of them had mouths, or at least, leaves that looked like mouths. She could’ve sworn one of them yawned.
Stepping further into the room and promptly away from the row of plants, Lilac cleared her throat. “Nice of you to share your space with Lorietta.”
Garin looked up from the worn sheepskin book in his palm, turned so she could see his sharp profile against the hearth before him, and said, sounding alarmed, “What makes you think she shares my room?”
“That’s not what I was implying,” she said, motioning to the strange array of flora, unsure if he saw the motion. “Her plants make for some intriguing decor, that’s all.”
He turned back to the fire and the room was silent for a beat more. She waited while he finished his page, marked it with the red lace protruding from the top of the book, and slid it into his pant pocket.
“Are you still angry with me?” There was genuine curiosity in his words.
“No.”
Standing and rounding the chair, he sauntered toward her. The way the firelight struck the man’s features made her breath catch. He was beautiful, as he’d always been. But it was strange bearing witness to this beauty here, in his home—not his parents’ home, or the Sanguine Mine, but in the place Garin Trevelyan took true solace. True pride. Taken aback, it took a moment for her to meet his gaze, and by the time she did, he showed no intention of stopping.
Lilac played along, retreating and taunting him, lips slightly parted, her eyes wide and stormy, taking him in. Yes, she was still angry. Furious. She was also hungry. There were many ways to punish men, but applying this to Garin might also punish her, in ways she might not entirely mind.
He rocked with a bounce in each step, slowly dancing them both, untouching, to the wall of plants.
Hands behind her, both to feel for the stone and to keep herself from raking her nails into him, she came to rest against the wall. She was nearly panting by the time he leaned down so that their mouths were almost touching.
“If I can tell you’ve made yourself come tonight, do you think I wouldn’t be able to tell you’re lying to me?”
She’d been grinning hungrily up at him; now, the smile fell abruptly. Fire coursed through her veins. “I was—How did you know?”
He placed a hand against the wall and two fingers of the other under her chin, teasing against the pout of her bottom lip. “How’s staying away going for you, Eleanor?”
She had never intended to stay away. She was selfish, she’d been called that before and tonight she didn’t fight it. The intensity in his slate eyes was overwhelming, burning and heavy, this time planting her in her body instead of coaxing her out to sea. “You’re the one backing me into a corner.”
“And you’re the one who walked into my room unannounced.” His teeth were elongated; although this no longer invoked the same initial fear she once felt, they still sent a visceral reaction through her. He reveled in it, grinning with satisfaction. “That’s twice, now. If only the former king knew. If only, Armand knew.”
Lilac jerked her chin from him, but he gripped her jaw in a gentle, iron vice.
“Is that what this is?” She lifted her hand to his and coaxed the finger at the corner of her mouth onto her tongue, unflinching as she wrapped her lips around it.
Garin froze, his breath hitched and throat bobbing. She would play his game, and play it better. A low groan erupted from his throat as he released her.
“Is this your revenge?”
When he answered, his voice cracked. “If this is revenge, Your Majesty, let it be the sweetest I’ll ever taste.”
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the fireplace in the far corner. In front of it, upon a patchwork rug, was a large tan armchair that looked like it had seen better years. Or centuries. Garin sat in it, the trimmed back of his head looking very astute, and she wondered distantly if his cropped, blue-black waves ever grew.
There was a neatly made bed across the fire, lush cream undersheets beneath what appeared to be a black duvet, and next to it, a short shelf containing books and several manually bound stacks of parchment. His prized longsword from Sinclair was perched on a wall rack before her, and to the left of that, a long mounted shelf hanging with thick twine that nestled into the corner. This was lined in strange potted plants—ones she’d never seen before. She couldn’t tell if they were foreign as in from a different continent, or Low Forest foreign. None of them glowed, but it was hard to tell in the light. Some of them had mouths, or at least, leaves that looked like mouths. She could’ve sworn one of them yawned.
Stepping further into the room and promptly away from the row of plants, Lilac cleared her throat. “Nice of you to share your space with Lorietta.”
Garin looked up from the worn sheepskin book in his palm, turned so she could see his sharp profile against the hearth before him, and said, sounding alarmed, “What makes you think she shares my room?”
“That’s not what I was implying,” she said, motioning to the strange array of flora, unsure if he saw the motion. “Her plants make for some intriguing decor, that’s all.”
He turned back to the fire and the room was silent for a beat more. She waited while he finished his page, marked it with the red lace protruding from the top of the book, and slid it into his pant pocket.
“Are you still angry with me?” There was genuine curiosity in his words.
“No.”
Standing and rounding the chair, he sauntered toward her. The way the firelight struck the man’s features made her breath catch. He was beautiful, as he’d always been. But it was strange bearing witness to this beauty here, in his home—not his parents’ home, or the Sanguine Mine, but in the place Garin Trevelyan took true solace. True pride. Taken aback, it took a moment for her to meet his gaze, and by the time she did, he showed no intention of stopping.
Lilac played along, retreating and taunting him, lips slightly parted, her eyes wide and stormy, taking him in. Yes, she was still angry. Furious. She was also hungry. There were many ways to punish men, but applying this to Garin might also punish her, in ways she might not entirely mind.
He rocked with a bounce in each step, slowly dancing them both, untouching, to the wall of plants.
Hands behind her, both to feel for the stone and to keep herself from raking her nails into him, she came to rest against the wall. She was nearly panting by the time he leaned down so that their mouths were almost touching.
“If I can tell you’ve made yourself come tonight, do you think I wouldn’t be able to tell you’re lying to me?”
She’d been grinning hungrily up at him; now, the smile fell abruptly. Fire coursed through her veins. “I was—How did you know?”
He placed a hand against the wall and two fingers of the other under her chin, teasing against the pout of her bottom lip. “How’s staying away going for you, Eleanor?”
She had never intended to stay away. She was selfish, she’d been called that before and tonight she didn’t fight it. The intensity in his slate eyes was overwhelming, burning and heavy, this time planting her in her body instead of coaxing her out to sea. “You’re the one backing me into a corner.”
“And you’re the one who walked into my room unannounced.” His teeth were elongated; although this no longer invoked the same initial fear she once felt, they still sent a visceral reaction through her. He reveled in it, grinning with satisfaction. “That’s twice, now. If only the former king knew. If only, Armand knew.”
Lilac jerked her chin from him, but he gripped her jaw in a gentle, iron vice.
“Is that what this is?” She lifted her hand to his and coaxed the finger at the corner of her mouth onto her tongue, unflinching as she wrapped her lips around it.
Garin froze, his breath hitched and throat bobbing. She would play his game, and play it better. A low groan erupted from his throat as he released her.
“Is this your revenge?”
When he answered, his voice cracked. “If this is revenge, Your Majesty, let it be the sweetest I’ll ever taste.”
by Brianna Sugalski
December 27th 2022
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Tangled meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this Breton folklore-inspired fantasy debut brimming with wry humor, epic adventure, and an irresistible romance.
At the peak of the Breton Renaissance, Lilac Trécesson is held prisoner in her own castle after a most wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Years later, her Accession looms upon her father’s decision to abdicate, and between town riots and the noble family bent on snatching her throne, she prepares for the worst…
Until a letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to banish her curse forever.
Her heirloom dagger at the ready, Lilac embarks into Brocéliande and finds herself in the grasp of a bloodthirsty barkeep who demands her help in exchange for protection against the even deadlier forces of the woods.
She is thrust on a quest to uphold her family’s legacy—and her sovereign right to destroy it and start anew—by any means necessary. Pity the fool to underestimate the girl with subpar blade skills but the pure spite to make up for it.
This is the tale of a cursed princess,
A crestfallen killer,
The town that wants them to burn,
And the witch who can save them both.
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Tangled meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this Breton folklore-inspired fantasy debut brimming with wry humor, epic adventure, and an irresistible romance.
At the peak of the Breton Renaissance, Lilac Trécesson is held prisoner in her own castle after a most wicked secret is revealed on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Years later, her Accession looms upon her father’s decision to abdicate, and between town riots and the noble family bent on snatching her throne, she prepares for the worst…
Until a letter arrives from The Witch of Lupine Grotto, detailing a curious offer to banish her curse forever.
Her heirloom dagger at the ready, Lilac embarks into Brocéliande and finds herself in the grasp of a bloodthirsty barkeep who demands her help in exchange for protection against the even deadlier forces of the woods.
She is thrust on a quest to uphold her family’s legacy—and her sovereign right to destroy it and start anew—by any means necessary. Pity the fool to underestimate the girl with subpar blade skills but the pure spite to make up for it.
This is the tale of a cursed princess,
A crestfallen killer,
The town that wants them to burn,
And the witch who can save them both.
Website-FB-InstagramSoutheast Asian fantasy author with a soup addiction. Diverse medievalist and developmental editor who lives in oversized sweaters, and prefers to explore the more ominous—disenchanting, if you will—undertones of history, romance, and the arcane.
My debut, Breton Arthuriana-inspired YA Dark Fantasy DISENCHANTED, released with the Parliament Press in March 2020, and is being re-released and rebranded for the New Adult/ Adult indie market in December 2022. The rest of the trilogy will follow this updated genre rating.
My debut, Breton Arthuriana-inspired YA Dark Fantasy DISENCHANTED, released with the Parliament Press in March 2020, and is being re-released and rebranded for the New Adult/ Adult indie market in December 2022. The rest of the trilogy will follow this updated genre rating.
Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INT)
Signed copy of Disenchanted
Tour-wide giveaway (INT)
Signed copy of Disenchanted
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