didn't f

omething in my blood and decided, after three

air that tasted like victory and terror at the same time

ough, dark hair plastered forehead, breathing hard in a way tha

furious, still shou

already

nto open water at night against current that strong, and Valer

mad

legs, human and shaking and abruptly, horribly aware I was naked,

ed, already shrugging out the soaked overcoat

d, voice carefully even. "Most of us dev

ok a

renaline, aftershock of tearing body int

naged, and meant

thank m

led the coat closed, then turned

, but we're not safe. Not truly

or

my arms ar

tis. Rhaevan Noctis. That'

Pack, uncomfortably far from anywhere yo

hing bitter cr

. Calls us backward. Isolationist. It su

hy

too many questions about what

ing a small waterproof pack he must h

d, that went back f

was look

said q

ou

look away

ears ago. Your mother made that conside

st tig

mething abou

ars ago rather than let the

ening, and somehow honesty hurt

from anyone who might come looking - including, apparently, own daughter. I don't kno

ater, rippling outward into questio

her than let

seal h

e y

for leaving. For choosing whatev

slowly, testing the shap

my belie

st gentle ente

for you, quietly, alone, and never told you because telling you would ha

to beli

th a cold twist of unea

tonight, in the worst possible way, wha

?" I asked. "I don't know you. I

ith seriousness that, whatever el

once you've seen what I actually

g hand a second

de whether I've earned your trust. Because people hunting the

to life behind my eyes, sharper this time, edg

Moon

Detected: Un

ou are bein

very

aev

does i

ne is watching

m his expression as gaze swept the tree line across the river - Ashveil side, where no

moved betw

a

acker in

nd at all, watching us with patienc

unmistakably, it inc

eti

war

hed into dark as though

Rhaevan's face - a man who had clearly, for the firs

ietly, "was not on