different walki

ugh the halls beside Kael and feels every eye that turns to watch them pass, and this

she mutters, keep

is pace. "You're under my prote

self, still cold from three days in the forest, still raw from everything that

ce, something that looks almost like it hurts him to hear. "I'

ead, annoyed at her own slip. "Still an Ardyn. Still part o

"I can't undo it. I can only tell you what

enough that she can feel the warmth coming off him despite the cold stone hallway, and neither

wooden door. "Guards outside, day and night.

window that actually lets in light instead of drafts. It's more comfort than she's ha

a cage with nicer furni

"I won't lie to you about that. Until we understand exactly what's h

t want to be k

nching. "But not tonight. Tonight, you eat something, you sleep

lie she's sure has to be hiding somewhere in it. She d

says finally

rs. She goes looking for him instead, finding him in a small stud

e says, closing the door behind

lmost looks relieved, like he expected her

l st

s back, folding

mething was wrong wit

answer does. "I was seventeen. I overheard my uncle Severin - no. Wait." He sto

ily that needed 'handling.' I didn't understand what that meant at the tim

you

n father." His voice goes rougher. "Tha

t think about it again until you walked into my Hall three nights ago and turne

"So you knew. For year

was yours. I didn't know your mother had a daughter who'd grow up s

bleeding through the careful control he usuall

means to. "Don't tell me what you would've do

k, and something about him not fighting her on it makes

s the door open without waiting for an answer, dark brown hair

two of them, reading the tension in the room

it?" Ka

ve vaults under the east wing." So

ed as routine maintenance. Except nothing about it was routine. Whole sections j

ting means nothing to her. "You're saying she didn't just kill

ctly what I

. "I'll be honest, when you first showed up, I didn't trust you. Thoug

d n

dn't know it." He almost smiles. "Whoever your family really was, Seraphine went

e healer's quiet room down the hall, sunl

ntle in a way that makes Lyra's guard drop almost against

er wrist, checking her eyes, murmuring soft instructions under

reeping back into her should

wing her faint markings under the skin near her wrist, silvery

not an injury. It's not a marking anyone gave you. It

ng for

eyes hold real curiosity now, sharp and focused. "But

hing in Mira's face that doesn't feel like the wary distance

ays quietly. "

whatever's in your blood is something to be scared of. I think it'

hen Lyra crosses the courtyard, Ronan Ash falls into step beside her

past the mountains," he says, no warmth in

otic

ned hunters and walking away." He glances sideways at her. "You scr

oint to this

ld've just let it happen." He shrugs, like the observation costs him so

have muc

me since she's known him. "I thought you were trouble the second Kael brought you throu

es barreling across the courtyard toward them, dark red hair

without hesitation, like they've known

eat with me, please, before Ronan b

ight almost be a laugh and w

ing him go. "Trust me, that's rare

range way of

ll. "Come on. You look like you haven't had a real meal in days, and I want to hear everything. A

aughs, short and surprised, like the sound has be

she admits. "And

g her through the Hall doors

apers still tucked under his arm, expression thoughtful and unreadable, already turn