This Wicked Fate

Book 2: This Poison Heart

by Kalynn Bayron

Genres: YA Contemporary; Horror; African American

Synopsis

Would you tempt even the most dangerous fate to save the ones you love?

Briseis has one chance to save her mother, but she'll need to do the impossible: find the last fragment of the deadly Absyrtus Heart. To locate the missing piece, she must turn to the blood relatives she's never known, learn about their secret powers, and take her place in their ancient lineage.
But Briseis is not the only one who wants the Heart, and her enemies will stop at nothing to fulfill their own ruthless plans. The fates tell of a truly dangerous journey, one that could end in more heartache, more death. Strengthened by the sisterhood of ancient magic, can Briseis harness her power to save the people she loves most?
Bestselling author Kalynn Bayron continues the story of Briseis and her family's unique magic in the sequel to This Poison Heart.

 

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Release date: June 21, 2022

Publisher: Bloomsbury YA

Print pages: 313

Sample

CHAPTER 1 
Chrysanthemum sinense. Common name, mum.

White mums symbolized grief, death, bottomless unending sorrow. The house at 307 Old Post Road was festooned with them. They twisted themselves around the exterior like a cocoon. Tendrils of mulberry purple bougainvillea writhed like snakes, intertwining with am. of Devil's Pet, crin.on Mons bared like teeth, leaves so deep purple as to be black. Inside, rumbling groans from the wooden frame protesting the worried embrace of the foliage echoed through the darkened halls. The plants had come to shelter me from the agony of grief. But that was like holding back the fide—pointless and, ultimately, impossible.

Mom was dead and the goddess Hecate herself was holding her somewhere in the underworld for one full cycle of the moon. I could get her back but only if I could do the thing that had never been done—bring the six pieces of the Absyrtus Heart back together. It was an impossible task. At least it had felt impossible until I walked in on the scene unfolding in the front room.

Circe, my birth mother's sister, a relative I'd thought to be dead until that very moment, stood in front of me like a ghost. But she wasn't spectral, she was living, breathing, and full of confusion if the pained expression on her face was any indication of what she was feeling inside. Tears clouded illy vision and made a hazy outline of her frame.

I couldn't make sense of her. She looked like me—same deep brown skin, dark brown eyes; she even wore a pair of oversized glasses like me. I hadn't been in the presence of someone I was related to by blood Once I was a toddler, and I had no clear memory of that time anyway. Circe's gaze swept over me and her lips parted then closed again, LIe she was struggllog to find the right words. "You're not supposed to be here," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "How—why-1 don't understand. What is going on here?"

Dr. Grant, the head of Rhinebeck's Public Safety department, stepped forward and straightened out her blazer. She spoke gently to Circo as if she was worried about how she'd react.

"We knew something wasn't right but we didn't lmow exactly what. Ore been here trying to piece it all together."

Circe bristled, hire Dr. Grant's voice irritated every fiber of her being. She didn't.. to face her but instead kept her eyes locked on me. Mo put her arm firmly aromel my shoulder.

"I think we need some introductions." Circe glanced at Mo and her expression softened immediately. Of course. I'm sorry—I—I'm Circe Colthis. That's Persephone Colchis."

She gestured to the tall woman with the braids next to Marie, and her—well I still wasn't sure what Nyx's title might be, but "bodyguard" seemed like the right thing.