Blackw

her paws pacing a frantic, furious rhythm across our shared

a steady, calming pressure against her rage. *This is war. A

whisper of the conversations that concerned its leadership. Ryker and his council believed tha

of energy I was looking for. Calyx's link. It was encrypted, powerful, b

aimed at Miles Grant-Ryker'

he monitoring of his supposedly broken mate, to a subordinate. It was exactly the indifferenc

There was no shock this time-only the quiet, bitter validation of a wom

s that bled through the encryption. "...mental collapse... cla

old smile spread across m

once been the symbol of our love. The air still held the faint, lingering scent of

mal wolf-spirit still yearned for its mate, an insti

dens, but my eyes were scanning the perimeter. There. Two warriors, dressed in the brown tunics of groundskeepers, were trimming

into the shadows of a carved wolf's head was a tiny, shimmering rune, almos

. I let a single, perfect tear trace a path down my cheek. *Watch me, Ryker,* I thought, projecting t

jumble of sorrow and confusion, a wall of emotional noise to block any potential

th a tray of chamomile tea. Her eyes were wide with worry. "Luna,

e pang of regret hit me. I couldn't allow her t

her hands. The porcelain cup shattered on the marble floor. Scalding tea s

and cold. "I don't need your pity!

er chest, tears of shock and pain welling i

step forward. "Tell everyone to leave. No one is t

e report of my latest outburst was transmitted. Within minutes, my entire staf

ed shut, I sagged against it, the performan

sked, her own anger tempered

. *Better they hate me and stay away now, than die for me la

d the audience is in their seat