chest burned and her br

d deeper into the forest, slipping on sli

ere she went. She

ldn't g

diers burst in. N

UN. DO N

trange, silvery mark that was

warmth would ripple through her, hot and bright then a sha

d, pressing a shaky

t flicke

relief washing through

n s

ch cracked

red so loud she thought for

iers already

the dark. Nothing. Only tr

r of tangled branches and soggy earth until finally, a

dd, leaning chimney. A l

ived here the villag

what was happening

, once, then twice, then th

her

ans

more desperate. "Pl

he door cr

silver hair loose down her back, shar

d, voice scratch

ispered. "Somethin

the old woman step

rbs and dried flowers. Dozens of glass bottles lin

nd them and bolted it.

happ

ge thin and far away. "The royal soldiers they found

do you

ds shaking, then pul

a crescent of silver,

white. The cup she was holding slipped f

at the noise.

at the mark. Not confuse

word barely

shaking her head

a pressed, p

met hers. "Where

asn't there before, I swear." Elara'

w l

ht," s

stared a few

almost missed it: "

certain she'd hea

oward the window.

wned. "Wh

r. Not a

?" Elara ste

here," Mira said sudden

ill crawl down

le checked the lock, then hurried back. She grabbe

" she said, he

ly breathe. "You

to leave,"

ha

nig

e to cry rose u

rk again, eyes haunted. "Beca

ded in her chest.

woman he

s someon

ho

lickered across Mira'

he Moon Princess died

eemed to tilt.

"Princess E

nside. Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind a woman with flowi

dar

ered, grabb

A

gh her skull, v

stant, echoed in her m

and the vis

by the elbow. "W

y get the words o

ression softened now-sa

ou?" the old h

ght

ra's skin. "Eighteen," she repeated

choked out, "What a

ooked her strai

village eighteen years a

t was a drum in

re only

reeling. "Wh

er head. "I

ger flared now, pu

hand. "I'm tryin

m wh

, she reached out, cold fin

with a stead

d..." She squeezed tighter

stopped bre

s eyes fille

red, so soft it bar

re the Moon Princess ne