The River

the border of the Silver Moon territory. This wasn't the clean, crisp cold of the Obsidian

anded, pulling the r

ily black. It didn't flow; it churned, as if thousands of hands were reaching up from the depths. Th

the damp wind. She looked at the dark water, and for the f

black mud. "It's made of the memories of everyone who has died in these woods. To cross it, you have to walk throug

the Silver Queen. She saw the girl in the mud. She saw herself cover

lakai," she said, her voice cracking.

ehind her ear. His touch was the only warm thing in this dead place. "Facing them as a Queen is another. They wi

I can't fight this for you. I will be right

into the ri

boots, the world disappeared. The sound of

the Great Hall o

ing on the stage, his hazel eyes full of disgust. She saw her

ps. "A wolf-less freak. A servant who thinks she can be a mate. You are n

as wearing her old, tattered rags. Her silver hair was gone, replaced by the d

the shadows. "He's using you, Elara. He wants your blood, just like the Council wants you

waist. It felt like heavy lead

pered. You're just a maid playing d

lara gasped, the wat

reaching out through the bars of a cage. "Why didn't you save me, Elara?

ara screamed, tears

e shadows of the river were wrapping around her thr

n spark flickered

, violent heat. Through the fog of the nightmare, sh

IN

sn't coming from the river; i

ened her eyes under the black water. She saw the shadows of

he th

he reached out and grabbed the throat of th

voice bubbling in the water. "And gh

hed the si

black river hissed as the silver fire turned the oil

d, breaking the su

, but no longer alive. She was standing on the far bank, dripping wet. He

ide and bloodshot. He had survived his own demons,

s hands resting on his knees. "No one... no one

. She looked at the Silver Moon mountains in

said, her voice vibrating with power. "They tr

tensity of her gaze made the King

" she said. "But the girl they hated

walked to her, ignoring the cold, and wrapped his arms around her. He didn'

ell them the new

r Moon territory. But as they reached the final ridge overlook

was decorated in white silk a

Elara asked, her

elen and Selene. They are rushing the ceremony to so

where he had rejected her. He was holding Sele

d. She reached down and gripped

tepping his horse up beside hers. "But all he's

, piercing cry. It landed on Elara's shoulder. Attache

other's dress. On it, written in shaky,

COME.

village, then at the

trap," s

k sword. The steel sang in the moonlight. "But we'r