eful kind, but one that sat heavy upon the chest-pregnan

died, leaving her small quarters chilled. She dressed quickly, her fingers fumbling with the laces of her bodice, jaw clenc

anxiety. Her mother's condition had worsened. If there was any way to be by her side, Selene would have left the acade

e archways and thick tapestries. Students milled about the corridors, whi

pt see

n Val

ee the shape of her soul. The touch of his voice still lingered

teeth and shoved

ng passed

g lecture halls, scrubbing soot from the sills of ornate windows, foldin

for the headmistress's tea, the sun was high and hot through

a silver pitcher

. A gasp. A

ightning. Not floral. No

oo

ipped towar

pilled from a deep gash where a crystal tumbler had shattered. Shards glitte

moved without

st

ano

s song. She could hear the pulse in his hand, the rush of it beneath ski

want

need

len

her arm hard, y

blin

s wide with concern. "What i

roat burned. "I do

g like you were

hed away. "I

turned and fled, ignoring

>>>><<

rt's private estate, Lucian leaned against a hig

again," he

. "Her name is Selene Duvall. Seventeen. Human. Servant-class scholarsh

ession didn't

corded as dead. Last week. Drowned in a river near Marr

ng for a long mom

voice a velvet knife. "And now s

Your G

s narrowed.

>>>

ove of the west wing library,

Her breath came too fast. Her reflection ha

And she couldn't ask anyone. Not Margot. N

y to write. No f

has to be. I've been cursed. There is

in and gnawed at her mind were too real to ignore. The hunger-thick, insistent. The itching under her skin. Th

a particularly old volume when the

tep, not a breath-bu

rned s

as t

in shadow, silver-blue eyes gleamin

the ladder, catching

there?" she demanded, trying to s

slow. Measured

r eyes. "Are yo

said, stepping

st, she thought it did. It

clasped behind his back

aid softly. "And yet, you search in b

than silence,"

e... there is truth in silence, little one

breath caught wh

now what I'm

ded. "Because I k

step. "I'm just a

ou were a girl. Now... you'

lse roared

what you're

storm clouds. "Don't you? Tell me-when you smelled

ach turn

, voice soft as sin. "Did your hand

head, more from t

pped c

hit the b

whispered. "I didn't ask for

did I," h

him. Their bodi

th the back of his fingers. "Do you think

parted.

admitted. "But I i

she saw something-pain. Ancient and unsp

ecoming?" sh

ly touched, his breath brushing hers.

s eyes s

arving, ar