HAR

tle creature, my lips curved in a

ng," I murmured. "But do tell me... how did you manage to slip pas

was gent

tivel

sweeping through its tiny body-searching for s

th

ld pup, or so it wa

my mind, sharpening my war

blood also carried an unmistakable lure-on

ound far less repulsive than the human

scent of their blood stir

s appearing on t

o

lieve in co

the pup merely whimpered, peering up at me w

e softened. But my he

out on my doorstep. Not until I figu

I felt something warm brush against

ed out of my though

uzzling my hand, rubbin

d, I stood abruptly, retreating several steps backward

since I felt anothe

'd nearly forgotten

self-imposed cage a century ago, refusing to

ertips

e world beyond these walls-to tempt me. To lure me out. To make me forget why

s intent rose in my ches

deathly silence around

ted stray intrude and

p enough to steal my breath. A w

appearance wou

aking c

monition was neve

es ha

had t

ver fate it carried, good

had nuzzled moments before-and a

I caught

inno

tartled by its own

nd st

rom my throat-sharp, derisi

elf neither righteous nor kind. But I had always upheld on

d nearly don

tion. Over an

ded me an abomination for being a hybrid-condemning me base

ht myself clear-mi

wasn't

When I finally moved, the spell on m

d from my palm to envelope the pu

faded, I lo

unt yourself lucky you're leaving alive. Now that your injuries are healed, be on your w

ction, I turned around an

this encounter would be nothi

I th

reshold, a soft rustle from b

t, assuming that it was

.W

together as I realized t

appro

y tracks, and

ing toward me-slo

er, a humorless scoff

of rare compassion, but appare

death so badly, I wou

edge of my herb gar

e garden, the air was lethal. Even a breath of tha

tly as it neare

two...

n the air would seep into

d say. A consequence

ne

inches from the i

n spell burst forth and shot toward it, wrappin

fr

had I d

logic: I had gone to the trouble of healin

was the on

ing up with those pitiful blue eyes, I

eave? Is that it?" m

ond and simply

continued, "Very well. Stay

, a strange glint f

ld use th

ou can keep your wil