city

as the first through the doors. His face, normally a carefu

eaned on a silver-topped cane carved into the shape of a snarling wolf, but there was nothing frail about her.

scorched floor.

d, standing too close to a tear

f guests packed in the doorway. Whispers erup

. It was a raw, animal sound. But she

imed for my face. "If you had been woman enough to keep your own

an's arm shot out, grabbing h

hand cracking across Donn's fa

int blooming on his cheek, his ex

she sobbed, pointing a trembling finger at me. "Felicity came here lookin

y dignity. The soot on my face felt like war pain

struck the mar

fell utte

ping girl at his feet. It was on me for a moment, sharp an

turning from winter

he didn't address Brianda.

spy with age, but carrying the unquestionable

on. I recounted the giggle, the open door, the

rstanding. The lies sounded pathetic even to his own ears,

le with rage. "Take him to the cells.

mate, but a single, glacial l

rms and dragged him away, his protest

to collect the sobbing Brianda. Her eyes, as they led her

tension remained, thick and suffocating. Every e

lt worse than

le. There was assessment in her gaze, and pe

," she announced to the

their whispers followi

, a source of embarrassment to be quietly swept away. Given some mone

through the remaining family members before any of them thought to stop

felt Gwyn's hateful st

tood near the open doors, speaking to a servant in a voice too low for me to catch. A moment later, the servant move

aw me as a f

y arms. I shivered, but not from the cold. I was adrift. The Tates woul

, discarding them one by one. I would n

n so unassailable that no one, not Gwyn

rkness of my mind. It was

s per

wings, past the family quarters, to the highest tower. To the Alpha's suite. The

heir warrior god, who had vanished on the

ryone had alr