#holland x kell

[antaripirate]

rhy: brother, let’s hit the town!

kell:

this is so fucking dumb but i wanted a break from my lab report xoxo

[itsnotmika]

everyday i wake up without new kell maresh content this is starting to feel personal

[purplebass]

This might be unpopular but I do hope that Holland is actually Holland, like idk I feel like if it turns out to be just some other evil thing impersonating Holland that it would be such a cop out but also such an obvious thing. And I found myself liking the messed up dynamic between Kosika and Holland. There is something really fascinating in it where if this is Holland like what are his thoughts about Kosika. And Kosika seeking out Holland is also interesting + her feelings towards her two friends. I don’t remember if it was Rhy or Kell but I had a feeling it was Rhy who had the passage about asking what happens in death… which might end up coming back to explain Holland.

Okay but the baby thing really got my attention because idk if Schwab thought it was something we really wanted to know or if it is something that will play a part later because it doesn’t feel like her style to make Lila change her mind but also everything Lila has said previously also has been pushed so idk… and that fact that we get a scene where she watched Kell interact with his niece and getting told what kind of father Kell would be. Like she says she doesn’t but I felt like other paragraphs kind of let it linger…

And all of this is part of book 1 so there could be little teases of what’s to come. Like all this is to get people set up for the future books. Idk I’m just thinking…

I don't think it's unpopular to want it to be the real Holland :) I am a fan of the "dead character isn't truly dead" trope and after all, we still don't know what happens when an Antari dies or is dying. Kosika saw Holland die, but perhaps death for antari is just passing somewhere else but still existing as lingering magic ✨ 🤔 or Holland is indeed a special case Holland might've been human when he died, but there may still be remnants of magic in him and those may have made it possible for his spirit to survive.

I also like their dynamic, because even if Kosika has Nasi and Lark, Holland is like a mentor older brother and he is the only one who knows how to use her magic. The triangle with Lark and Nasi is interesting because I think it also reflects the situation in Red London with Alucard/Rhy/Nadiya, but in this case it is almost clear that Kosika likes them both so it might turn out into a proper poly relationship 👀 but I think if it does, it may happen later.

As for the baby thing, years ago I joked about Kellila babies lmao because I wasn't sure we would get Threads and because I like to imagine as a shipper. Then Threads gave us this mention, and I don't think it was put there just because. Well aside from pushing Lila to donate her blood to Nadiya and for Nadiya to push her Antari baby agenda, I do think it's a topic that Lila thought about. Her answer seemed final and like you said, if V says that the character thinks she hates this, she doesn't change her mind. However... In Threads we see how much Lila keeps a lot of things to herself and lies by omission. She lied about throwing away the ring, she didn't tell Kell about Kosika, nor her investigation about the Hand, nor how it hurt her to see him like this. She never openly told him her feelings to his face... When Kell and Alucard go to save Lila, Kell is surprised that she had the ring and Alucard tells him: "good thing she lies, then!" So my point is: telling Nadiya that she doesn't like children might be an outright lie she told because one of the things Lila hates is when others try to pry into her life when she isn't willing to share.it might still be the truth, of course. She may also be lying to herself in her pov, because we see how Lila's pov is cryptic. There is a lot of unsaid. That's why I find Lila interesting. 🤔 Also, V throwing married couples around Kellila and doing the ring thing? We have Rhylucard but also the Vasry/Raya on the ship.

Sorry I get carried away as usual 😂

I can't wait to see how everything evolves in the future! And I hope we'll know when Threads #2 will be supposedly released 👀

[badassbutterfly1987]

Summary: On his 18th birthday, Kell confesses his feelings to Holland. It doesn't go as he hoped.

[gefionne]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Shades of Magic - V. E. Schwab Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Delilah "Lila" Bard/Kell Maresh/Holland Vosijk Characters: Holland Vosijk, Kell Maresh, Delilah "Lila" Bard Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Holland Lives, Suicidal Thoughts, Touch-Starved Holland, Past Holland/Talya, Past Holland/Vortalis, Threesome - F/M/M, OT3, Polyamory, Porn with Feelings Summary:

Returned by Kell's hand and blood to White London, Holland intends to die. But when his heart beats stubbornly on, he must carve out a shade of a life for himself in the Silver Wood. He believes all his tethers to the other worlds cut, but Kell and Lila will ensure that their connection to him, forged by the binding rings, endures.

-----

Tis I, Gef, purveyor of porn with feelings. For who needs to be gently and passionately tag-teamed by his fellow Antari than Holland Vosijk?

(This thing consumed me for, like, a week--in the best way.)

[separatist-apologist]

Have you read any books you would recommend recently? Also I was curious some of your favorite book couples (outside of acotar)

I think the only two series I've read lately that I deeply resonated with that had shipping potential were The Ballad Of Never After (it's Evajacks brainrot hours in my head 24/7) and Legendborn (I'm not gonna apologize for not wanting the throuple (you know who you are), I am Bree x Selwyn until I DIE).

I am always on the look out for more romantasy- most of it is just bad. And before someone comes in to talk to me about Fourth Wing, its on my agenda, okay? I am going to get to it- I am reading a monster romance + Nettle & Bone right now.

And them I'm going to read A Gathering Of Shadows, which is the sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic. I don't really ship anyone in that series but I do have so many feelings about Kell and Holland.

[twisted-tales-told]

Shelf three of the bookshelf tours <3

Welcome to: pirates and science fiction (with a bit of magic thrown in there for good measure)

I have 4 books on pirates! Raiders & Rebels, a general history of the pyrates, the republic of the pirates and the 4th u can’t see cuz it’s lying down in an annoying way: pirates of the 7 seas. My favourite is the republic of the pirates but the most informational is a general history of the pyrates. I really want more books on Indonesian pirates, china’s history of pirates (specifically Zheng Yi Sao) as well books about female pirates. If anyone has any recommendations I will take them!!!

I also have my complete work of Kafka there because I think it fits in well with the pirate books.

Moving on we have V.E. Schwab land. I love the way they write characters so much, and it transitions beautifully from pirates to magic. And. I finished the third book of the shades of magic series last night. I am book grieving right now. The ending. Holland. Kell. Rhys my baby. I feel so much right now.

Then I have my copy of the night circus, which if you’re a visual reader is definitely your cup of tea. I really enjoyed it! It blurs more into poetry than prose but that exactly what I wanted out of it so I was happy.

Then we enter Science Fiction land starting with the Area X series<3. I love Annihilation. I loved the movie and I love the book even more. It’s everything I wanted it to be and more. Beautiful, beautiful writing.

Then we have Dune and look away I haven’t read it ok?? I have it I’ve made it 100 pages in and put it down because I was getting restless. Not bored, restless. It’s a different feeling.

Then my maze runner books because I will always have such a fond place in my heart for that series. Newt was the first fictional character I got attached to & was a huge part of my identity back when I was a lil guy reading these.

Also honorary moment for the pulp science fiction books I keep behind the books on this shelf because I am also yet to read them.

[lilaabard]

V.E. Schwab's The Fragile Threads of Power, cover reveal (x)

Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory—Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London. But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years — and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own — but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead. And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely. Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds. Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together — or unravel it all.

[apci-blog]

Nulla x nulla = Júdás

Nagyot ment a felcsúti harci mén Brüsszelben, három nap elteltével is nehéz betelni vele. Ja, nem. Ezzel szemben az igazság az, hogy Júdás, a nagy honvédő úgy eltévedt a csatamezőn, hogy hirtelen nem tudta, merre van az előre. Azt hitte, ő a sherwoodi erdő kapitánya, aki kedvére fosztogathatja a hazája és az Európai Unió kincstárát, és ehhez még majd szövetségeseket is talál. Hát nem, őt úgy hívják, hogy Robin Hood, és azt lehet tudni róla, hogy amit elvett azoktól, akik a népen élősködtek, azt szétosztotta a szegények között. Legalábbis a legenda szerint. Ezzel szemben Orbán maximum a Nottingham hercege címre pályázhatna, bár az legalább nemesi vérből származott, nem úgy mint ez a morális senki. Aki úgy adta elő magát a nagyérdeműnek a választások előtt, hogy ő egy harci pitbull terrier, aki ha felhatalmazást kap, akkor elfoglalja a bűnös belga fővárost, és véget majd a háborúsdinak. Átveszi az irányítást és majd megugatja a Holdat is, ha kell. Mert ha nem ő győz, akkor lehet betonbunkereket építeni, mert jön a harmadik világháborúba oltott atomháború.

Nagy szerencsénk van, mert győzött, így elmaradt az apokalipszis és világégés, ehelyett csak ő és a 11 főből álló csapata égette magát szénné Európa előtt. Vártam nagyon a focis hasonlatot, hogy a kezdő tizenegy vagy az Aranycsapat legyőzte a brüsszeli válogatottat, de ez érdeklődés hiányában elmaradt. Viszont cserébe úgy hírlik, hogy a reménybeli szélsőjobbos szövetségese, Giorgia Meloni beintett neki, úgyhogy a kezdő tizenegy kénytelen lesz leülni a kispadra. Jelentőségük konkrétan nulla, befolyásuk nulla, tekintélyük semmi.

Mindeközben Júdás akkora nagy stratéga más frontokon is, hogy hirtelen támogatásba kezdett, és most kész támogatni a libernyák Mark Rutte jelölését a NATO-főtitkári posztra, miután a távozó holland miniszterelnök megerősítette, hogy kinevezése esetén támogatni fogja Magyarország kimaradását a NATO ukrajnai műveleteiből. Nem mintha eddig ez kötelező érvényű lett volna, vagy hogy ebben bármi rendkívüli lenne, maximum a híveknek, akiknek fogalmuk nincs a NATO alapszabályairól és működési elveiről. A külügyminiszteri székben ülő teremfutballista még márciusban imígyen kommentálta a jelölésről szóló híreket:

„Egyet tudok mondani önnek. Mi egészen biztosan nem tudjuk támogatni egy olyan ember megválasztását a NATO-főtitkári pozícióra, aki korábban térdre akarta volna kényszeríteni Magyarországot. Nagyon fura lenne, ha egy ilyen ember jelöltségét a magyar kormány támogatná”.

De van ennél keményebb is. Két nappal a választás előtt a Mandinernek adott exkluzív kampányinterjúban szó szerint ezt mondta az ember, aki még soha nem hazudott:

„(…) Rutte úrnál rosszabb hírű ember a nyugati politikusok közül nincs Magyarországon. Volt két olyan mondata, amit a magyarok nem bocsátanak meg neki. Először azt mondta, hogy a magyarokat ki kell zárni az Európai Unióból, aztán pedig azt, hogy Magyarországot le kell térdeltetni. Olyat, hogy mindegy, mit akarnak a magyarok, le kell nyomni valamilyen döntést a torkukon, ha kell, erővel, utoljára a német megszállók és Sztálinék mondtak. Ezzel a mondattal nehéz bekerülni a Magyarország által támogatott jelöltek közé. Ezzel a helyzettel neki kell kezdenie valamit, ő kéri Magyarország bizalmát egy ilyen pozícióhoz, ezért elvárható, hogy álljon elő, és mondjon valamit erről. Magyarország egyenrangú ország, mi ezt elvárjuk tőle. Ahogy a svédek NATO-csatlakozásakor is világossá tettük, több tiszteletet kell adni Magyarországnak”.

Aztán mi történt alig egy hét múlva? Azt történt, ami történni szokott. Mintha mi sem történt volna, mintha soha ehhez hasonló se hangzott volna el, homlokegyenest mást csinálna, mint amit nagy arccal előadnak a híveiknek. Már megint átverték őket. A szabad szemmel is láthatóan becsicskult békeharcostól egyébként megkérdezték, hogy bocsánatot kért tőle Rutte, mire zsebre baszott kézzel azt válaszolta:

„Miért? Hogy megszületett? Senkitől nincs szükségem bocsánatkérésre, nem ilyen csávó vagyok”.

Az biztos, bazdmg. Te egy igazi suttyó tajparaszt vagy, aki a Playstationon is disznóvágósat játszik, és a VW Transporteredben kolbászos illatosító lóg a visszapillantó tükörről. Aki milliárdokból beszaratta a híveit, előadta az egyedüli megmentőt, majd miután kiderült számára, hogy Meloni is elhajtotta, mint a darazsat, hisztibe verte magát a Facebook-oldalán. Hogy Brüsszelben semmibe veszi az európai választás eredményét, az európai emberek akaratát, csak azért, hogy tovább támogassák a migrációt, hogy még több pénzt és fegyvert küldjenek az orosz-ukrán háborúba, de ő ebbe nem nyugszik bele és egyesíteni fogja az európai jobboldal erőit, küzdeni fog a migráció- és háborúpárti bürokratákkal. Hát hajrá, hajrá! Ne nyugodj bele, ezt teszed 14 éve. De sikerült? Milyen szar lehetett, hogy miután Magyart tárt karokkal várta a Néppárt, ezeknek az egy szem KDNP-s Beriját is ki kellett léptetni a francba.

Hát ja. Ez már az, amikor tényleg senki nem akar vele még mutatkozni sem, amikor annyira vállalhatatlanná válik valaki, hogy a puszta jelenlététől is szemmel láthatóan irtóznak a jelenlévők. Ezt mi sem bizonyította jobban, mint amikor Ursula von der Leyen szívélyesen fogadta az állam- és kormányfőket, a legtöbbjükkel puszival köszöntötték egymást, addig Orbán láttán majdnem elhányta magát a kamerák előtt. Mondhatnám, hogy ez mennyire vicces, de sajnos nem az. Szégyenletes és szánalmas, főleg azok után, amiket itthon összehord évek óta a saját befolyását és megkerülhetetlenségét illetően. Mondjuk lassan átugrani könnyebb, mint megkerülni, de akkor is.

Szóval már megint lelepleződött a nagyon kisember és vele együtt az egész hazugságra és félelemkeltésre épülő feketekampánya is. Sőt, minden más is. Nemcsak az, amit az elmúlt négy hónapban adott elő, hanem minden, amit azóta ad elő, hogy az orosz haverja megtámadta Ukrajnát. Ráadásul ez az Eb sem úgy alakul eddig, hogy azzal el tudja terelni a figyelmet az életveszélyes politikai manővereiről, az Aranycsapat 2.0 már a svájciak elleni első meccsen zakózott. Mert a győzelmi kényszerét ráerőszakolta a focira is, de ahogy nézem, a mi kutyánk kölykei (akik már nem a horvátok, hanem a szerbek) is kikaptak, és hát a régi kutyánk régi kölykei, a horvátok se igazán villognak. De gondolom, hogy az ukrán vereségnek együtt örült Putlerrel, bár talán kissé beárnyékolta a felhőtlen örömöt, hogy a büdöslábú románok győzték le őket, akiket a magyar ultrák, Szijjártó és Kubatov kedvencei hangosan és érthetően románcigányoztak, ameddig el nem jutottak a stadionig. Ahol hármat kaptunk az első fordulóban, tegnap meg még kettőt a németektől. Zengjen a Ria-ria, Hungária, mert ettől van merevedése ennek a despotának. Bár ahogy a NER-lelátós fotókat néztem…

Ceterum censeo: az orbáni rendszer bukni fog!

Vogronics András

[alnitakorion]

I need someone to translate my fanfic holland x kell into English

[antaripirate]

spent a lot of time climbing paleo-glaciers today but i also made this :)

[voidcat]

– Acina in the Silver Wood

Characters: Holland Vosijk, Kell Maresh ; mentioned: Talya, Ros Voltaris, Athos and Astrid Dane

Genre & Word Count: angst, kind of a happy ending (for the world)  major spoilers if you’re still reading the book series  & 1.8k

The Silver Wood," he said. "Some say it was the place where magic died." After a moment he added, "Others think it's nothing, has never been anything but an old grove of trees."

Despite his words, Holland knew deep down, that the Silver Wood was more than what they say. He knew it would be the place where magic will come alive once again.

ao3 - song rec: All Delighted People by Sufjan Stevens

The Someday King.

That was the name of the stories and the myths.

The same ones Holland grew up with. The stories he would seek out whenever his city experienced yet another death of an innocent one, another fresh blood, another king, another life.

It was the story of better days to come, power to be restored, a name of hope and light. It was everything the White London needed, but only limited to words and a title.

Life in White London was not easy. This was the first thing you’d learn. The struggles would start during your birth and only increase in time. Each day a new challenge, a new page of survival, another “Will it happen today?” asked. Happiness was as rare as stable magic in White London. A fact everyone learnt to live with. What else could’ve been done when even the simplest acts of magic was a vile chore? And so Holland learnt at an age too early, that life could exist without the good in it.

Maybe it’s for the better. It’s familiar, in a sense. There are no surprises. Nothing to throw you off, catch you off guard. The Grimm and the dread feels numb after a while. Holland learns to grow used to it too.

The first betrayal comes with Alox. In a city filled with people hungry for magic, even a drop of it, it is expected. It is one of the rare times he is caught off guard, but when he looks back on the memory, he ascribes it to his young age.

Then comes Talya. And with her comes a little change. Such things as comfort and safety make themselves known in Holland’s life. Followed by happiness, Holland tastes something he never thought was possible in the icy cold of White London. As his definition of life and regular change, so does his familiarity with everything around him.

A brand new page, a different kind of hope.

These make the inevitable end all the more painful. But the pain brings a comfort of its own. Of being known.

—

Change, has always been an everlasting part of the White London. The changing of the power, the reigns, the shift in dynamics and relationships. The only thing that never changes is the dull color of the world and the sky, the piercing cold and the hanging despair in the air. It feels so long ago that life used to be different. Beaming with magic and power. It feels unreal, just like the tales of the Someday King. After her, things go back to how they once were. Her death doesn’t awaken any change in White London that day but it pokes at something inside Holland. He withdraws more after that day.

As he returns to the routine of the same blinding days in White London, he realizes he has missed this a little. Having to let go off the only thing in his life that resembled happiness feels heavy on his shoulders, but not on his soul. The happiness of it drove him to worry for more, and made him drop his guard too. A mistake he promises never to repeat again.

And so he returns to the typical life of White London, where everyone suffers equally and constantly; where pain becomes the norm here, having to rely on primal instincts and doing your hardest to beat everyone at everything, anything. With the touch of care and light gone, gone with her, Holland goes back to suffering like everyone else.

The rest of White London would beg to differ, say he is not one of them and never will be. Cast out from early ages of his life, marked with the inking black of his eye, the mark of Antari, Holland is always in a separate cell. In a way the people of White London are right; Holland is not like them, never will be again. He will never taste the same hunger as them or experience fear as them, and unlike them he will suffer like no one else, for no one will ever suffer as beautifully as Holland Vosijk.

 —

Then Vortalis will knock on the door to Holland’s life. Failed attempts following one another, it is better to talk to him and stay on the ground with him, than to kill him; if he could ever kill him. A new kind of hope comes into Holland’s heart with Vortalis. Not the fairy tale kind, like the Someday King carries; but a new one for his world’s magic. When Vortalis becomes king, and Holland his knight, it is apparent how different they are compared to the previous reigns. Not a sudden change in behavior or looks, no acts of selfish reasons; they try and try and try, for London, for magic. Maybe the Someday King will never come, maybe there are decades for him to come; but until then they are here in his place, to do whatever they can for the balance and well being of their world, their home.

Alas, all good things come to an end; something Holland had to learn by experience, twice in a row now.

When the Danes come, so does change. And short after, comes him.

Holland has gotten a look at him before but this is the first time he has truly sees him. The Aven Vares of Red London, the blessed prince. The pink pearl of the treasure chest. Holland looks carefully and observes. And all he can see in Kell Maresh is everything Red London is to White London. Kell blinks and Holland sees the gates shut down ages ago. Kell walks and he can smell the lingering scent of roses. The blue of his eyes show Holland a sky he will never see in his home. With his each step, his red coat kisses the air, too vibrant for his faded world.

Holland looks at Kell Maresh and all he can see his the selfish world that abandoned his. It wouldn’t be a surprise to say that Holland didn’t like Kell from the first time he saw him but unfortunately this would be false information. As much as he wanted to dislike him and despite him, Holland didn’t have it in himself. Deep down he knew the Antari of Red London couldn’t be hold responsible for the things they had done. But wouldn’t it be so much easier to hate him? To channel all his frustrations through him and the image of him? Yet what he felt wasn’t one but close to it. Holland didn’t know what to name it but it was clear there was no dislike or hatred for the young rose bud.

 With Voltaris gone, the Danes are cherry on top. Each day a torment of its own. With the first kill, came the second, and one after that; it was never easy, it never would be. He wanted to fight back, desperately. But all he could do was to obey and carry out their orders, watch everything Voltaris had worked so hard for crumble. The Danes would play ost sometimes and make Holland watch. Athos would seek out a man to resemble Holland with looks and make him a part of the game too. Seeing the slightest change of expression, tiniest bit of emotion in Holland would delight them both; and all Holland could think of is to wish he was in that man’s place, for there was an end to it all. A finishing blow, a light at the end of the tunnel. What made Holland ache more was the knowing, that the man wouldn’t have suffered as much or as early at their hands if he looked a little different. Just another pawn in their games, targeting Holland.

—

Time only grows duller; more encounters with the young Antari, too kind for his own good, always sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong; the body count Holland keeps for the Danes increasing, their deaths never getting ordinary, seeing the light leave their eyes always haunting his memories.

Life, full of dread and pain and never truly free, yet Holland finds himself holding onto it some days.

That night in the alley, a part of him hopes Kell lands the finishing blow, he should’ve remembered it is never that simple to kill their kind.

—

Another day of waking up, to a pitch black world this time. Yet something has changed, he can feel it, or the lack of its presence. He is almost upset he didn’t get to kill the twins.

He never hurried to celebrate, for he can’t break free of the chains. They’re changed and the leash held by someone new now. But it’s worth it, to see his city bloom finally, to see the sky gain color just like his cheeks do, the air not as cold and heavy, the sun shines like his hair does.

Bound tight by yet another force, much stronger this time, but it doesn’t hurt as much anymore. The happiness of seeing his world change is eases the agony. Maybe he can hold on and keep Osaron at bay until he comes, the promised one he hoped for all his life.

No matter how long it has been, the tales provide a sense of solace. A trinket of hope; one he will always need, he fears.

—

As things draw near to an end, he does what must be done, what he must; for the sake of his world and the others. So he does what Red never did right, and he does it for everyone.

When Kell takes him back to where it all began, the Silver Wood, Holland feels comfort again and warmth spreads through his chest. His world still cold and as Kell leaves, he stands in the middle of it, alone. In the boy’s eyes, he feels the countless of times he was there, acts of kindness and gratitude; maybe Kell could never truly understand Holland’s pain, but his eyes told him he understood some of it, and suffered with him every time he looked at him. As he sags back against the nearest tree, Kell’s eyes never leave him. He can still feel his touch on his hand, his warmth and care. He can still smell the roses and see the sky. Kell was someone he could never name accordingly, perhaps he never wanted to label his feelings toward the boy in the red coat; but Holland would be a fool to pretend he never liked Kell, to act like he meant nothing. In his left hand, lays the the red lin he left behind.

As the leaves rustle and the woods let out a tune of its own, sing the song of a tale long gone, a cheer for the Someday King. The wood whispers and Holland hears it say: The King is coming.

All the dots connect, all the strings tied together, no loose ends, no gaps. He understands.

Holland Vosijk breaths out one last time and he feels his world breath in the air he let out. As he fades away, the world starts to bloom. And with one last breathe, he becomes one with his home.

—

Anoshe lingers in the back of Kell’s mind and whenever he sees an acina, his green eyes flood his heart.

[ashintheairlikesnow]

It was Holland's birthday two days ago! (Yes, I forgot.) Did he do anything special?

Holland did his favorite thing in the whole world. He woke up when he chose to - still early but his choice, you see - made his own favorite food for breakfast with strong black tea, some milk, a little wild honey.

He read throughout the morning and ate a nice lunch, simply prepared.

In the afternoon he decided to lay down for a nap. Of course, the nap had to be somewhat delayed when he heard the sound of footsteps outside his door and Kell's familiar, welcome call of, "And where is my Antari?"

Kell came with gifts in hand - a bottle of Holland's favorite dry red wine from Arnes, a hard to find book on Veskan mythology, a perfectly tailored Arnesian-style court outfit from Rhy - and Holland welcomed them all, although he pretended not to like the clothes from Rhy.

Once the gifts had been given, spread out along the table, Holland considered his plans and looked Kell in the eye. "I was about to lay down-"

Kell's expression brightened considerably.

"-for a nap," Holland finished with dry emphasis."You may accompany me, if you wish."

Kell considered, glancing towards the door to the bedroom and back. "It'll be a nap eventually," he said, hopefully, and Holland pretended not to smile.

And readers, it did not begin a nap, but once it was a nap it was a really good one.

[thatfantasynerd10]

No but the shades of magic series is just Holland being "this is my boyfriend Kell and Kell's girlfriend Lila and her bestie Alucard who's also Rhy's boyfriend"

argue with the wall😔

[booksaremyadventures]

“I[Rhy] apologize for anything I might have done. I was not myself.” “I apologize for shooting you in the leg.” said Lila. “I was myself entirely.”

- A Darker Shade of Magic

by V.E. Schwab

Full disclosure - I did not like this book. I had to force myself to finish it. I absolutely loved the premise, but was ultimately let down by the execution 😔

[theincorrectbookquotes]

Kell: When did you learn how to do that?

Lila: While you were busy being heterosexual, I studied the blade