Misseri, Gwyneth

Gwyneth Misseri is the crowned princess of Eden, a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe crossing into Asia where all crime is legal. She is the protagonist of Tear Garden who brings together a team of some of the most lethal killers in the world to aid in the search and slaughter of her family's murderer. She is seventeen years old, however, and is forced to grow herself as a person while juggling the stress of her Senate wishing to overthrow her and the rebellions in the country drawing closer to the days of her coronation.

Now here's some excepts from Tear Garden about her!

1) "Eden is around seventy-seven thousand square miles. My mother had me memorize that as a way to help convince me of my power over others. I own seven-seven thousand square miles. 76.3 million necks strung about my fingertips. Three official languages; English, Russian and Mandarin Chinese. Currency. Power."

2) "Michaela always shakes his head and comments, 'a lady shouldn’t drool when there’s food involved.'

I retort with, 'as a man, you shouldn’t be responsible for knowing a lady’s place.'"

3) “'Do I really need a tutor for dancing of all things?' I whine, taking a sip from my coffee. 'No offense to the instructor, but the waltz isn’t my forte.'

“'Well, you do have that gala coming up.' Michaela opens up the ironing board and plugs the iron into a nearby outlet before smiling brightly at me. 'Although, if you want to make a fool out of yourself like your slip-up last year stepping on your partner’s toes repeatedly, be my guest.' My face reddens drastically and I scowl at the servant, crossing one leg over the other with my arms crossed over my chest.

“'It’s not my fault that insufferable piece of shit has giant feet.'

“'Language, princess.' Michaela smirks at me and leans on the ironing board closer to me so that his face was a less than a foot away from mine. 'Must I warn you that a lady of power does not swear? Unless it’s behind closed doors in the bed, of course.' My face continues to heat up more and more. Okay, so yeah, I had a crush on Michaela when I was younger and ever since he found out, he teases me without end. He’s an asshole, but an incredibly attractive one at that.

I avert my eyes from his, not wanting to even look at the coy son of a bitch."

4) "Sometimes I forget that, despite being my butler, Michaela lives a real, normal life. Or, at least he wants to. Being associated with me keeps him restrained from normalcy in pretty much every situation. I feel bad when I think about it because I want Michaela to have everything in the world. But he could only have it if he left me. I’m too selfish to let that come to pass."

5) "'First off, I wanted to inform you all that if you haven’t understood already, I’m the princess of this country now,' Gwyneth began, breaking the silence. 'That means that my word is God. Gretal, you understand, correct?'

"'Y-Y-Yes, mistress,' my mother choked out, teary eyed.

“'Good. I’m glad you get it.' Gwyneth was smiling at her, arms folded behind her back as she strode over to me. I shot her a look, silently questioning what was going on. She ignored it and strode to my side, taking my arm and leaning against my shoulder. She wasn’t looking at me, but her thumb rubbed circles into my elbow. 'As your God, I am declaring that you all have sinned in the worst way possible.' Her smile widened. 'You raped your son,' she said, voice cheery, 'and you raped countless other children. You molested me, too. But if it wasn’t for Michaela here, I would have been in even worse shape than I am today.'”

6) "'Do it,' she whispered in my ear. 'You’ll love it.' When she pulled away, I was stunned, and I stared down at her. She tells me at times whenever we mention what happened that my eyes were unreadable and that she was even a little nervous that I’d turn the gun on her. But she was right."

7) "'I bet.” I sigh a little. 'I was really looking forward to college.'

"'I'm sure it’s not too late, Princess. I mean, you can always install some form of Parliament to help make laws for you--'

“'No.” Morgan stops talking. 'Sorry, but no. I don’t trust the people here to go along with the vision I want. And I can’t just out and kill them if they screw up. Then I’ll look like the bad guy.'

'You’re the leader of the true Free World,' she chuckles. 'You’ll always be the bad guy.'”

8) “'Hunter.'

“'Gwyneth.'

“'You and I aren’t friendly enough to call me by my first name.'

“'Oh yeah, like I care about what Her Highness thinks.'

“'Look, I’m too tired to deal with your attitude right now--'

“'Cut the shit, Princess. Just tell me what you’re giving up and maybe I’ll think about flying out tonight.'

“'You’re fucking insufferable, you know that?'

'Only the best for the crown princess.'”

9) “'Just the people we kill or…?'

'“Everyone.' I’m intrigued.

“'And if you die?'

"She chuckles a little bit. 'I’m your’s.'

“'Tempting, but I have a girlfriend.'

“'Jesus Christ, I feel sorry for that woman. Such violence she has to put up with in the bedroom. And looking at your ugly face as you fuck her. Ugh.'

'Come back to me when you’ve lost your virginity,' I deadpan, not in the mood and my interest slipping. I know I hit I’ve hit a nerve at the tch that rings through the line."

10) "Her face is an adorable shade of pink. When Gwyneth is incredibly embarrassed, the blush in her cheeks travels throughout her skin to her ears and down her neck, something I find hilarious."

11) "'B-But Hunter,' she wheezes, grinning wider when I bare my teeth in rage, 'they left you out on the streets. To die.' Another laugh. I don’t know how to react. I don’t know whether to feel scared or angry that she’s not scared or angry. I feel weak all over again, just like how I was the day she ruined my life for the second time. Her eyes shift over to my claw and she retracts her nails from my hand only to move towards my right arm and guide it closer. She traces her index finger against the deathly sharp edges and pricks the insignificant layers of flesh on the tip, watching it bleed with a grin. 'S-See?' A labored breath. 'Isn’t that nice?'

And then she grabs my arm and yanks it closer to her face, letting my claw scratch under her cheek. Blood rains down immediately even though I’ve barely touched her. I tense up. I don’t want her touching me. She’s a sickness. She’s a plague."

12) "Her highness, on the floor still, pouts up at me. 'Tch. Disappointing.' She sighs and wipes the blood from the gashes in her hands onto her shirt. 'Should have known you’d be weak. But oh well. I hope you man up enough later when we track down my parents’ murderer.' She looks up at me when I don’t react or respond. The guards of her house created a blockade at the door, Michaela manning them, ready to protect their princess. Gwyneth glances at them and giggles, waving a hand. 'Don’t worry, guys. False alarm. Just reuniting with my step-brother. Thanks for the concern though!'”

13) "'If you get old, that means you’ll die.'”

14) “'B-But what if something were to happen to us?' I’m not smiling. My eyes shift to the ground and I sniff, tears stuck in them. 'I’m afraid of being alone.'”

15) "'Everyone liked her. She was even like the mother I never had. Maybe my real mother was like that. I can’t recall…' Sometimes I forget the things my family did for Michaela and Hunter. They faced so much trauma and heartbreak, but they came in and saved them. Treated them like their own children. And I hated that desperately even though I had no right to be jealous."