Night of Blood and Beauty

A Companion Novella to The Order of the Crystal Daggers

By: C. S. Johnson

Narrated by: Elias Khalil

Long before Amir taught Eleanora the harder truths of life, he learned them himself as he fell in love with her mother.

Constantinople, 1845

Amir Qureshi knew his life would never be the same the day he met Naděžda Ollerton-Cerná, much to his chagrin. With her sharp wit and brazen charm, Naděžda is as infuriating as she is irresistible, and Amir cannot stop himself from falling in love with her - even though they can never be together.

As an ally to the Order of the Crystal Daggers, under the command of Naděžda’s indomitable mother, Amir knows there is no place for love in the life of a spy.

When they are sent to Constantinople to investigate a missing shipment of weapons, Naděžda’s life is endangered, and Amir races to save her, knowing he cannot deny his heart any longer.

But Amir is not the only one who is keeping secrets.

From the book:

“Miss Eleanor.”

The desperation in his voice was only matched by his irritation, and the moment he said anything, Amir feared he had inadvertently given himself away.

The sapphire eyes he had come to both love and hate twinkled mischievously at him. “Why, Mr. Qureshi, I do believe you’re quite flustered. Especially if you’re going to use your manners. Where are those mongrel ways of yours? I might mistake you for a real gentleman with such a formal tone.”

Her lyrical, teasing voice did nothing to lighten his mood; rather, it plucked at his heartstrings with a bittersweet twang, and Amir had to force himself to remain still as he stared down at her.

It would do nothing for his case if he showed any further sign of compromise, especially now that his partner sensed his weakness.

“It is only proper I address you as such, Miss Eleanor,” Amir said, keeping his voice stripped of all his conflicting emotions. “Your mother, Her Grace, would be the first to agree with me.”

At the mention of her mother, her gaze only grew bolder. “We both know my mother’s favorite thing in the world is being a hypocrite.”

©2018 C. S. Johnson (P)2021 Christina Johnson