eant something had shifted overnight and the c

the way two wolves near the gate stopped talking when I passed. In the way Mara handed me coffee witho

?" I

g," Mar

re st

everyone

olutely

nto her cup.

that the entire compound knew something I didn't.

is eyebrow catching the morning light. He looked at me with the ex

," he said. "K

my cup. "

n't

you

that was a genuinely

Of cour

nt I walked in. Eight eyes landed on me. Then moved to Kael. Then back to me with the part

t off, shirt untucked, hair not yet in the controlled state it u

place where I was keeping

ted me,"

see you fig

went ve

d at hi

know what I'm working with." He picked up two practic

. At the four wolves watching

o spar," I

es

th

what I

e an A

awa

me by at least

apology in it. Just

here

k the

e someone who'd been fighting since before it was voluntary. Economical. No wasted motion. Every strike placed with the spec

s fa

reach before he'd finished extending, changing direction twice where he expected once,

Fast. Faste

without either of us l

t, same immovable quality - and turned it into a hold that brou

reathi

an who sat across breakfast tables and said careful things. Something more immediate than that.

s without wanting to - g

he said. Low. The bre

trying to kill me," I said

e inside move? The

ighting ring and had very low toleran

were you

wee

expression. Like the ma

ks," he

u. Fast cu

eturned and I was irritated to notice I felt it -

n," h

ae

ga

se. By the third round Coren was sitting on the fence with his elbows on his knees

Lyra had appeared

and her blade-eyes moving between Kael and me with an expression I could

t looked almo

, I did

I'd take i

I. He looked at me with that alive expression still in his eyes -

t a com

n obser

se might be t

orner of his

on," he said. "Strength gap

e well to be

ed. Do i

is jacket. Sta

and I watched her position herself the way people positioned themselves when they wanted a priv

h and wiped down t

list

lk," Lyra said

t," Kae

e you found him." Another pause. Heavier. "Kael. They know about th

n my hands

ending wolves to retrieve her anymore." Her voice dropped lower but I

was ver

own the

ed a

uldn't read - too many things happening behind it at once. Ly

irectly. No point pret

Lyra said. "

odd

," I

eyes narrowed.

price on my head for four years. The number goes up, the method changes. It doesn't change

out of

to the c

the corner an

st the cold stone wall. Pressed m

ssas

ne playing

exits, distances, what I had, what I did

to

ned m

h that I had to look up slightly to meet his eyes and I hated that - the havin

t math," he said. "I

can't

d it the first night. They do it every time somethin

't get t

y this time. It was something else. Something that had no business being that effectiv

w was

flat against

l the warmth off him in the cool corridor and

did

her," he said. "That'

hat allia

act li

him for a

s man make you feel like you have backup because backup disappe

wall

d. The word c

he sai

or a moment that last

steppe

th went

oti

urious

Like the last thirty seconds

lked

eathed and told myself the tig

efinitel

olu

as all