She moved like a ghost, slipping out of the delivery room and pul

eavily to the washbasin. He scrubbed the dried blood from h

oard. Her eyes were hollow, staring blankly at the wooden cr

s wife into his arms. Pandora's body shook agains

or now," Alistair whispered, pressing his l

ndle of the door gave a

ocked. His hand flew to the hi

all head peeked inside. It was their si

hite nightgown. She had clearly sneaked past

d dropped his hand from the blade

were red and swollen. The rumors from the Great Hall had al

in her face was briefly replaced by a spark of innocent curios

poked Elinore's sleeping cheek. The baby sma

ad, her eyes wide with desperate hope. In a worl

ooded her eyes. She sucked in a breath, forcing

and grabbed her eldest daughter's freezing han

ures, but it melted away into a fierce, protective warmth. S

e was young, but her vow was absolute iron. "I will prot

renching sob. Tears cascaded down her face. She looked up at Alistair, who gave her a slow, devastated nod of

She is your little sister. But the King and the world outside will take her away if they know. We

ence in her gaze hardened into a fierce, premature understanding.

yet here she was, swearing to die for a sister whose very existenc

his weeping wife. The four of them huddled together in the flic

against the side of the bed, her fingers

ore open, allowing a single, cold beam of moonlight to pierce throu

up at the pale, crescent moon. He press

a miracle. He pleaded for the gods to shield h

o answer. The only sound was the clanking of armor from the guar

aced by a cold, hardened resolve. If the gods wouldn't a

down at Elinore's peaceful, sleeping f

w, over the dark, sprawling corridors of the

ent under the night sky. A murder of

t in rapid flashes. Seasons bled into one another. The cruel gea