n P

ment of stunned silence, then an

an in a ridiculous feathered hat sneere

rple. "Guards!" she shrieked

my size, stepped forward. They

en grant th

ers. It was like they had run full-tilt into a stone wall. Both men grunted in pain and surprise, stumbling

replaced by uneasy murmu

of massive granite statues flanking the entrance-two snarling wolves, car

ly towards th

oing now?" som

hat?" Another voice, a nervous

und its solid base. Anya watched, breath hit

cles in my arms and back tightened, a subtl

asp swept thro

inch, the giant granite wo

sound of stone grinding against stone. The cane slipped from Martha's nu

than me, a monstrous weight that I h

e the gate. The gate of reinforced steel

cutting through the stunned s

from the very depths of my soul,

O

e ground. The steel gate screamed, buckling inward,

top. I swu

AS

king in protest. Cracks spiderw

e over my head and brought it dow

-KO

estate collapsed inward, torn from its moorings. It fell wi

ay wa

nded with a heavy thud that made the ground tre

t a backward glance, stepped over

led to dust. The look in his eyes would have changed from cruel amusement to somethin

nking. He decided then. He

the courtyard, trying to look composed, t

e strained. "He... is unable to attend the

d humiliation. It

low, mocking smile sp

th false sympathy. "Is your Alpha'

ned beet red. H