HIE

ltered, a flicker of unease in her e

" she shri

charged, his fis

punch to whistle past my ear. As his arm extended, I grabbed it, dropped m

nd with a heavy

le stared, mouths agape. This

cracked and reformed as he exploded into the massive

sharp silver dagger-a gift from my mot

opped into a low slide, the dagger flashing in the

ony, tumbling to the ground and shifting back into

I said, my voice dangerous

e other a silver burn, scrambled to their feet an

just me an

ega," she stammered, bac

"I'm the person you've tormented for seven

bed he

ort by the sharp, sic

releasing her, "

her broken arm and sob

d and l

from the edge of the clearing. "You hav

un a

g as if she had been watching

ing a strength I had never seen. She looked nothing like the woma

was a strangled w

she noted, as if inspecting a piece of art

ed her pierci

could hurt me? Did you really think I wo

tilted o

Pack, it has all been part of my plan. Your suffering. You

wake. She had

ornered," she said, her voice devoid of warmth. "

loneliness, of quiet endurance. It was all a

hed, the word

ck everything that was stolen from us. And Everet S