overed gravel, now felt like they were cast in lead. Every step away from the center of the bridge was a step furth

was humming, a low-frequency vibration that seemed to have bypassed my skin and settled directly into my marrow. It was

own," my fath

that guarded the entrance to our territory. The glowing plants pulsed with a soft, blue l

yr

ss my face like a silken shroud. My chest was heaving, not from the climb,

ther. You sold me. You handed the heir to the Silver River over to the man

on walls. He looked tired. The moonlight caught the deep lines of exhaustion carved into his face. He wasn't th

daggers strapped to my thighs. "I have spent nineteen years training for the day I

test sacrifice isn't made on the battlefield. It is made in the council chambers,"

faces pale and uncertain. Among them, Kael stood like a statue carved from ice. His hand was clenche

s dropping to the ground. "Prepare yourself. We have a gala to host, a

tasted like po

tone, and seamless technology. It was built into the side of a shimmering waterfall, a fortress of light designed to rep

lock clicking into place with a clinical beep. I leaned my back

a

silver-white fur bristling with a terrifying excitement. She didn't care about the war. She didn't care about the thous

my head. "He is the enemy. He is t

nded at the door

air and standing up. I couldn't let

d the pack's lead healer, a woman who had spent more time stitching me back togeth

n my bed. "The whole palace knows. The gossip i

the Engagement Gala. Silver drapes were being hung from the trees, and droids were polishing the marble tiles until th

ly a whisper. "The rumor from the bridge? They say you two di

illian's gold eyes, the way they had darkened w

oiding her gaze. "He projects a lot o

"If the Moon Goddess has fated you to the Blackwood heir, fighting it will only make the fire bu

n in this game. I am a Silverstream. We are the archi

your armor, Princess. Because your 'primal urge' is going to be walking through tho

ship-a gown made of woven silver thread that felt like liquid metal. It was beaut

y ice-blue eyes looked haunted. My white hair was a mess of tangl

touching the cool silk of the dress. "And in three days, Lyra Silv

he one being sacrificed. Maybe you're the Trojan horse, Lyra. You're a strategist. Use th

lips. The strategist in me, the part that had been suppr

dy, lethal calm. "He thinks he's buying a wife. He has

y, Maya. If I'm going to a gala, I want to make sure Kill

or's

for it! 🗡️✨ But can we talk about Maya's advice? "Kill him from the inside"-

o start a war all by himself at the bridge. Do you

is going to make Lyra forget her plan the moment Killian touches