ia's

, cold and sharp against my skin. Below, the sea chu

ing to jump. I wasn't planning anything. I was just... here.

heard

of trees nearby. Pack guards, talking am

already chosen his r

lair girl. Po

st for show. A po

wisted the knife already lodged in my chest. My

e. The world tilted. The small, l

my lips, swallo

was a moment of weightlessnes

n I was

id enveloped me, a crushing weight that forced the air from

it. I let the

around my waist. They were powerful, pulling me from the c

er. I coughed, sputte

saw a face. Anxious, kind, and unfamiliar. A gent

! Just h

, no

the crackli

mother, Clara, sat in a chair beside me. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but her expression

t weak, bruised, but it didn't have the deep, settled a

ened?" My voice

mask of fear and relief. "You foolish

ater, her movements stiff. "Mr. Case

Ree

of him before. No one by that name had ever crossed my

trembling. My gaze drifted to t

art s

the past. Six years before my wedding-the wedding that

wave of vertigo maki

ver hand mirror fr

e-year-old. The cheeks were full, the skin unmarred by sleepless nights. The eyes

waiting, the humiliation,

quiet grief, my brother's tragic end, and the cruel machinations of a woman I had once trusted. I saw Brenda-my father's mistres

torn a veil, and I could n

mination crashed through me. I gripped

off a cliff. The time when I first heard about that cons

mother. I could save my brother. And I

nfused, sharpened into something as

change. "Emelia? Are y

, shuddering breath. I had to be careful.

oft duvet. I looked at my father, arranging m

ff six years ago, I said in a trembling voice, "Fa

name hang

hisper. "They were arguing... I didn't mean to listen,

int a finger. I just painted

th worry, turned to stone. Brenda had swor

ice a low growl of command to

Bring her to m