alace, the prison w

ough the corridors, swallowing their torchlight. At the center of the ancient ch

d-red ey

smi

For a thousand years, the royal fam

eard a h

his

e

Queen w

other. The sound rang thro

n sanctuary, A

e. Black bars rose around her, and chains swayed overhead. A man stepped from the shado

our time, l

d away. "Wh

our ancest

you want

d. "Everything th

ulled away. Instead, the bond between them

hands

traitor's fist. The silver-haired man kneeling beside a dying woman, cradlin

hand flew to her chest. Eryndor st

did yo

in ch

ar broke through the g

dor said. "The immortal so

n in th

the Wolf Queen's sworn protector. He helped her create the ancient laws that gave every wolf a voice. When the first Alpha King stole the t

still hummed there, unfamiliar and

oyal bond, formed bef

n I fee

ing has brok

re far below, another chain snapped. Eryndor l

when he's free

ne you are reclaiming and the vengeance h

d. "Then I'll make s

head. "That is what

ill. "What ha

d away. "She died

tuary gate. The messenger from the palace stood outside, bre

an's marriage to Seraphina and secure her claim to the

e was written in ancient royal script: TH

greed to b

nized the mark stamped into it: her mother's

parchment had be

bout your mother's death w

eone in the palace knows

may know what happened. That does no

he folded the message and slippe

he pa

acy. And to find out w

wer. His face was pale; one sleeve was torn and streaked

ds before the throne. Seraphina is beside him. The royal advi

er. "They intend to crown

s gaze fixed on the distant palace. "They inten

ave a relic. They said the Wolf Queen's b

crown she had brought from the a

e invitation was bait. They mean

e could disrupt with a speech. They had planned to cap

her cloak. "H

" Eryndor said. "Not enough to st

The ancient mural shivered. A thin crack sp

nger flared hot beneath her ribs. The council wanted her blood.

gger and slid i

em a coronation the