hings her father insisted she would need and she was fairly certain she would not. Garrick rode ahead of the column, already tense in a way

he flatter, colder country that marked the edge of Blackthorn territory. She had never been this far east. None of the wolves in her escort

deliberate rows that meant someone had shaped this forest on purpose centuries ago and it had never quite forgotten the discipline. The air smelled different too, less l

ger than Wren by two years and had begged to be included in the es

Haven't been since yesterday, probably. This is buffer land

l like that? Like so

felt like admitting how little any of them actually understood about the world they were riding into. "S

le cause for but that sat at the base of her skull like a held breath. By the third evening the land opened up ahead of them into a wide

e. What she saw instead was almost beautiful in a way that made her angrier than ugliness would have. Pale stone buildings climbed the hillside in tiers, connected by bridges and stairways lit with what looked like actual fire rather than

ly, and then flinched, as though

ould hear how little conviction was behind it as they rode dow

clothes that looked more practical than ceremonial, and at their head a woman with pale hair and sharp eyes

t that made it clear she was cataloguing weaknesses rather than offering welcome

of our people two weeks ago," Garrick said, his voice flat and hard. "The escort st

rely in silence, and eventually Seraphine inclined her head, a fraction of a degree, more

ss, whispers running ahead of them like water finding the lowest point in a landscape. She caught fragments of it. Wolf. Blackthorn. Pact bride. Early. She kept her spine straight and her face empty and let them look, because she had

ow mostly looked like teeth, and beyond them the palace itself sat on the hill like something that had been carved rather

timing of the raid, the speed the council moved to invoke the clause, how ready this whole c

ve been thinking the sam

wrong, you send word. I don't care what their rules say about conta

le, though it did not reach very far. "Go home, Garrick

the escort. Wren watched them go until the dark swallowed them at the bend in the road, and then she turned back toward the palace steps, where Serap