⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars. 

Ghost and Aury were so precious. They were just two soft boys who were lovers not fighters. It was genuinely love at first sight or love at first sound from Aury’s POV, but they had to get through Aury’s PTSD and trauma and Ghost’s injuries before they could explore things together. I wish we had more development between the two like for me it felt like a jump from them healing together to being together already. But either way, I loved them together. I loved how Aury was one of the few people who stood up for Ghost and helped Ghost tell everyone on how dangerous his missions were and how much he dreaded them. I loved how they were each other's safe space who just wanted to read together, take care of the hens together, and just survive together. 

I really appreciated that we got to see how a raider went through life in wastes and taking a break from the military men, even though I love our two military men, three including Charlie. Ghost, a raider who lives in the Nebraska camp, the same camp that Cat, the man who was Charlie’s roommate in the human-monster fighting ring, mentioned in book two. And Aury is monster 001 who we saw in Danny and Wyn’s book when the military base was still intact. I also loved meeting the people in Aury’s camp like Lilac, Anchor (poor girl is so overwhelmed without her best friend and former co-leader, Cat), Bo, Daisy, and Rig. I’m really interested in Rig and Lilac’s book. I cannot wait to continue this series especially with Wyn’s novella next 👏👏. 

 

 

“You shouldn’t go out there, Ghost.” 

“It’s fine. Someone has to.” 

“Why does it always have to be you?” 🥹 

 

“But I still don’t… Why were you ashamed for me to see you, but not Rig? I don’t understand.” 

“I don’t know. I heard your voice and it… cut through everything else—through all the noise in my head. It sounded… important.” 

 

“I wanted to give him so much that he was drunk on it. I wanted to replace every bad memory he had of humans with good ones. With memories of me.” 

 

“You’re wonderful.” 

“I’m really not. 

“You are. You are. You’re kind, and you’re beautiful.” 

 

“Aury was the opposite of chaos. He was like a… a calm, steady island in the middle of a tumultuous sea. He was soft and soothing. A balm.” 

 

“I felt like I’d woken up after a long sleep. Like I had something driving me each day, rather than going through the motions. He made mundane things feel new and joyful again, like reading or gardening or tending to the hens.” 

 

“I love you, Gage. I will be forever grateful that you found me that day. I owe you so much.” 

 

“I’ve left something for you on the nightstand, but it’s not a big deal and when I come back, I don’t want you to mention it.” 

“What—” But he had already slipped out of the room. I looked over at the nightstand and froze when I saw the little wooden figurine on it. With big wings. One damaged. (Oh lilac 😭😭) 

 

“I knew he wouldn’t have gone far, because he would want to watch over you. So I just walked around until I got the sudden urge to flee in terror, which meant he was nearby.” 😭🤣 

 

“I’m so glad you came back. Can’t believe I’m going to owe Moth for the rest of my life.” 

“He told me how sad you were. I hated the thought of it. But… I came back mainly for the girls.” 

 

“It feels different here. Safer. Like I…” 

“Like you belong. Because you do.” He belonged with me. 

 

“The life seed didn’t die. When we were done with living, we simply allowed the earth to take us back, to use our body for new life. When Gage’s human life came to an end, I would follow him. I knew it deep in the core of me already—there was no question. He was my mate.” 

 

“I liked the thought of giving my life, my memories, to the next rycke, because Gage would live on in them forever. He would be a balm, a reprieve from all the darkness. A sweet, delicate bloom that stayed rooted deep in the earth in the eye of a swirling storm of death and rage. I would make sure of it—I would make sure that my memories of him were never lost. I would make them the brightest spot in my mind.”