دانلود رمان انگلیسی “کودک گرد ستاره ای” – کتاب 2 امپراتوری ستارگان

“The Andelin for my duchy. The Brede for my own. And your daughter for my wife.” With this gauntlet thrown before the Divine Emperor, Remin Grimjaw set out to reclaim his birthright in Traitor Son, the first book of the Empire of the Stars. As the son of the Empire’s most infamous traitors, he has been plagued all his life by the Emperor’s enmity and survives both war and assassination to claim his prize, becoming the Duke of Andelin, master of the River Brede, and husband to the divine Emperor’s daughter. But his enemy still has one last trick to play. Promising one princess, he delivers another, a secret bastard the Emperor has hidden away in exile all her life. Remin’s marriage to Princess Ophele begins with hostility and suspicion, but he is resolved to go through with it at any cost, for the sacred blood of the Emperor’s line will be the foundation of his House, and ensures it can never again be destroyed. Having grown up a child prisoner, Ophele is thrust into the company of heroes and wildly unprepared for the harsh circumstances of Tresingale, the tiny village at the edge of the Empire that Remin dreams of making into a great city. But she is determined to contribute in whatever way she can, and her quiet persistence and kindness win her the respect of Remin’s men. When she succumbs to sun sickness one hot day beneath the city walls, Remin is forced to acknowledge her contributions and the injustice of his suspicions, though he still can’t shake his fear of betrayal. Even as he navigates his difficult relationship with Ophele, Remin is working frantically to defend Tresingale and his distant villages from the Andelin devils, monstrous summonings that come in terrifying numbers to kill and destroy. Strategizing with his knights, Remin makes a cruel calculation about who he can protect, and turns to Ophele for consolation in the aftermath. Their relationship reaches a turning point when Remin, in an ultimate test of trust, offers Ophele the chance to kill him without repercussion. Perhaps it is the only way to conquer his fear of betrayal: to give Ophele the dagger himself, the chance to set it to his throat, and see her throw it aside. Ophele also burns the copy of his will that would pardon her for his murder, just to drive the point home. As the walls of the manor house rise, Remin and Ophele dream of a peaceful future for the Andelin Valley. Their reconciliation is only the merest beginning. The fate of Remin’s villagers remains unknown, the mystery of the devils has yet to be unraveled, and the implacable malice of the Emperor guarantees continued strife with the Empire. New allies conceal old enemies among them, the untried Duchess of Andelin is forced to wade the treacherous waters of Imperial politics and the deepest vulnerabilities of her soul, and Remin faces a perilous journey that will reveal not only the nature of his enemy, but the terrible cost of his choices.