blur of freezing wind, aching muscles, an

nswers. He simply wrapped a heavy fur cloak around my shoul

on a loop behind my eyelids. The fire. The screaming

ed my eyes, the darkness inside m

his territory. As we crested the final ridge, I

rawling village of wooden cabins and a mod

d hut compa

gleaming obsidian stone that seemed to swallow the weak morning light. Towering spires pierced t

adel. The seat o

paved in smooth black stone, bustling with servants and heavily armored warriors. They all stopped

r King. They were staring at me.

ble boys who rushed forward. He turned and reached u

tone. The exhaustion and the emotional toll of

tened around me, pulling

hing the shell of my ear. "They are wolves. If

raighten. I lifted my chin, meeting the

is my d

oice cut through the

dressed in a gown of deep blue velvet, her dark hair swept up in an intricate style. S

gaze swept over me. Her lip cur

oice dripping with venom. "And here I thought the rumors we

gana," Kael growled, a

er, the Dowager Queen. And from the way the servants co

mark on my neck. "She carries your mark, yet she reeks of a shatter

s quickly swallowed by a rising tide of anger. I had spe

way from K

aid, my voice quiet but steady, "I will do

d by my defiance. Then, a cruel, mo

uldn't even shift. You might have fooled my stepson with your tears and your mother'

t hung in

mething insi

rk, ancient thing I had felt in th

my mind. It was my voice, but layered with an

It traveled down my arms, pooling in my palms. The ai

ed. Her eyes widened, and she

to crack. Thin, glowing silver lines spread from my boot

She was a powerful Lycan, a witch of no small ability, but she was sudd

len

He stepped in front of m

me," he c

ed, and the heavy pressure in the air vanished. Morgana stumbled bac

They were shaking. The gr

," I whispered, horror

look afraid. He looked at me wit

voice low. "You let the power u

killed her,"

imply. "You could ha

en and wrapped his arm around my waist, steerin

oulder, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "Speak to my m

the massive oak doors and into the

barely walk. The dark power was recedi

, the panic finally breaking thro

behind a massive stone pillar. He pushed me bac

nto mine. "It is the power of the Moon Goddess. But

n... I was burning them. I wa

er of something dark and kno

curse. The Moon Blessed are destined for either absolute salvation or total destruction. You

th left

it?" I asked, m

from my cheek. His touch was surprisingly gentl

he flames," he said. "O

rom mine. The mate bond pulsed, hot an

he distance, a frantic shou

urgent message

He pulled away, his hand lingering on my waist for a

the cold stone,

to feel the heavy weight of my mother's s

terrifying questio

g... how long did I have before Kael d