Kensin

ctor said quietly. "You can sti

th blood and sweat, the lingering evidence of what had happened in this room. The dr

but it would also leave Tristan fr

of letting him wr

the flames, watching the fabric curl, blacken, and disintegrate. The fire consumed the p

would take time to fade, and no amount of bur

ces along my body, my expression

he had arranged, I needed a way to undermine his story. Hiding the marks wouldn't be enough. I need

hamber and stopped at the

e-l

ewolves: angry red patches that spread across the skin, obscuring other marks beneath them. If the rea

eryone of my innocence on the spot. I only needed to make Tristan's

d my expressi

vase and tore off several leaves,

es shriveled into brittle, darkened fragments. There was no time to waste. I crush

went

though he couldn't decide whether to stop

've just taken?" His voice

bit o

Fire-leaf does

d

er to conceal: admiration. He understood that I wasn't acting out of panic. I had recognized the plant and the reaction it

just to give yourself a chanc

risk myself than let

ension in his expression shifted. The concern remain

er to rescue me. I was willing to make a ruthless choice when the situation demanded it. The re

s would take a little time to appear, and I needed to fini

floor, checking the narrow spaces between the furniture and

ilver b

bore the royal twin-wolf crest, th

ghtened aroun

out to him. "These b

my palm, and the last trace of

id you f

Someone may have miss

the crests. "If these are found h

them somewhere no one will think to search. And don't l

"You think this is about more t

ow it

s another prize Tristan had been maneuvering to obtain. If he could discredit me and put Vi

ed, I could point to the sudden change in my skin as a reason to question the accusation. It wouldn't prove Tristan had fra

d rumpled. I straightened the covers as much as I could, smoothing the fabric until the bed look

, remained near the firepla

merge, spreading beyond the original marks. The reaction was taking hold. I gripped the e

don't have to prove your stre

have to make sure they can't twist what

ere seemed to settle something in his mind.

t chime rang thro

a s

king the original marks harder to distinguish. The footsteps beyond the door grew louder, ac

ch

re almo

eps stoppe

betray me. My skin prickled beneath the spreading rash, and I kn

the risk. Tristan had come expecting to use those marks to condemn me. Now, when

le began

oyed my first life were ma