From the New York Times bestselling author of Sword of the Seven Sins comes a novella about the power of forbidden love and the price of justice. Experience the dramatic opening scene of Sword of the Seven Sins from Ari's point of view. When Ari Westergaard first sees Eva Marteinn, she's forced to sentence a man to death. As the blood pools at her feet, he can sense she is the bravest person he has ever seen. Although he is drawn to her, he must keep his feelings a secret, for in the Commonwealth, any kind of love, even friendship, is a killing offense. Meanwhile, Ari's childhood friend Gentian can't help protecting the weak and feeding the hungry, even when doing so violates the laws of the Commonwealth. When Ari takes the fall for one of Gentian's crimes, he commits a double offense—lying, but also friendship itself. Ari learns fast that growing up in the Commonwealth requires...

Eva Marteinn never wanted to be a killer. Raised in the Commonwealth, where citizens live and die by the code of the Seven Sins, Eva is sickened by the barbaric punishments the High Priests inflict. She sees the Bellators of Light, the Commonwealth's executioners, as no more than conscienceless killers. When she's Chosen as the first female bellator—and can't refuse, on threat of exile or disgrace—Eva is devastated. But she turns out to be inordinately gifted at the very role she abhors...no thanks to her mentor, Ari Westergaard, who alternates between ignoring her and challenging her to impossible tests. Ari's indifference conceals a dangerous secret: He's loved Eva since they were children. When Eva falls for Ari too, she knows they should do anything to avoid each other. Love is forbidden. Lust is a death sentence. But as mentor and apprentice, they're bound by the blood oath they swore the day of Eva's...

What if the victory you've been fighting for is doomed to break your heart? Rogue bellators Eva Marteinn and Ari Westergaard have escaped the restrictive world of the Commonwealth, and would like nothing more than to leave it behind forever. But for Eva in particular, it's not that simple. She is the weapon the Commonwealth wants—and they'll stop at nothing to get her back.For years, Ari has seen Eva as his temptation and his secret, his virtue and his sin. Now that they're finally free, he wants what he's been craving—to start a new life with her...together. But Eva is keeping a devastating secret of her own: the very victory the two of them have been fighting for is doomed to break both their hearts. Now she faces an impossible decision—be the face of the revolution she's dedicated her life to fueling, and abandon the boy she loves...or sacrifice everything she's fought for to stand by his side.

Cordelia Navarro was born to blood and sacrifice. She was also born to love cherry puff pastries, especially the ones from Dev Adelman's family's bakery on the City Road... So begins the spellbinding short story collection set in the world of the award-winning Seven Sins series, from the New York Times bestselling author of Sword of the Seven Sins. In the oppressive Commonwealth, where defying the High Priests and the vicious Bellatorum warriors means execution or exile, people live and die by the Seven Deadly Sins. In the world beyond the Commonwealth's borders, an ancient species fights for the right to survive. In one society, love is punishable by death. In the other, royal blood dictates marriage. In both, no laws can govern the heart. Enter the thrilling world of the Seven Sins in these interconnected short stories. Two childhood friends, one...

In a world poisoned by revenge, love is their only salvation. Now bonded as skúma and familiar, Eva and Ari can read each other's minds—and hearts. They're an unbeatable warrior pair, and now that they've confessed their love for each other, their path forward should be clear...together. But the Executor's disappearance has driven a wedge between them. Eva's more determined than ever to march against the Commonwealths and put an end to the man she despises. And much as he would like to see the Executor dead, uniting the Houses comes at a price that Ari's not willing to pay. When a strike against the Brotherhood stronghold sends the resistance into chaos, Ari and Eva find themselves on opposite sides of a deadly conflict. As Eva's newfound powers spiral out of control, and Ari faces unexpected revelations, the rift between them widens. In a world beset by shifting loyalties and awakening magic, the two must...