are

d Elara as she disap

tick around

just

at her as she crashed deeper into t

ve a plan. Di

he knew for sure: Prince K

d

errified when

aw nothing. No soldiers. No horse

hen her lungs began to burn and

a clearing and dropped hard

just lay there,

cus shifted

it was the silvery mark that caught her eye a perfe

It was warm. Strangely warm.

pered repeating Kael's q

, the mark

r hand back,

d. The si

trick of the night. Everything since the pri

yes, but Kael's fa

tare. His drawn swor

l h

en she was hurt still nagged

ad he

hrough his shirt. But sh

, swaying

to get

eps before the distant thunder

d turned

e coming

e

ce Kael lingered

he girl, tearing through the

ed to the spot wher

up behind him.

idn't

e keep se

overed his palm. His own blood, he wa

pulled of

escent, just like the

symbol once, buried deep in a forbidden book

fist around the ma

hesitated. "

d in Kael's ja

li

, hand tight on the mark,

t through his ches

he soldier called,

him off.

right. Just like tha

t the darkn

thing ancient and electric. He hated not knowing wh

astern woods,

our Hig

n't tou

ed. "But you told

lashed. "I ch

bowed and

ent on his hand, his father's o

wake t

t the night.

ust as dawn started to break. The sight

o

toward it

or sto

art dr

forward. "

ans

age was a mess. A chair knocked ov

y breathed.

every room. N

kitchen table

rawled acros

AR

hook as she

O NOT

ed, cold

only person she'd ev

e window. From o

Another.

sold

found h

nd desperately.

t heat, rising

ooked

r wrist was blazing now,

is hap

her fing

O

bell note rolled

pped in h

vants, guards, even the king himself. For eighteen year

eastern tower, the great

o rattled

king's han

servant crumpled to

o.

the distant tower.

again a four

no one had dared spe

ess El

ods, Elara hea

e, the soldiers su

on her wrist gre

time, a voice slip

ce soft, agel

chil

st couldn'

e whispe

finally