ela

k estate was an iron fortress meant

er. I jammed my palm against the emergency

ead groundskeeper crackled through the static. "W

gate, Rick

th. "Miss Isabela? The

ore I rip th

llowed by the deep hydraulic groa

mulch was cloying, masking the underlying rot of this place. In my previous life, every s

ke an executioner ap

door flew open before my

o-thousand-dollar emerald silk robe, her face plast

to see if I was bleeding. "You smell like a sewer, Isabela. Gasoline, smoke

letting my cold blue eyes sw

on her forehead, utterly untouched by

she tried to catch my scent. "Are you deaf? I asked you a question! G

e! Don't ye

marble staircase ca

amas, her blonde curls bouncing, her wide eyes

wide to embrace me. "We were terrified! The tracking signal on

touch she had used in my past life to p

gers could graze my skin

forward, catching herself on the doorframe,

ng up at me from beneath her lash

d down

So soft. So pure.

aid, my voice dead and fla

blackened sleeve brushing a

ird-floor staff. "You turn around right now and apologize t

d foyer, leaving a trail of gray ash

abe

over my shoulder. In the low chandelier light, my eyes caught an eerie, p

ork," I whispered, the ghost of a smile curling my l

d the attic, the old wolf-servant Mari

et, staring at my ha

in wasn't burned-it was glowing with the faint, s