he sky, draped in silver mist as if t

old buzzed with un

ncient glyphs-stories of bondmates, battles, betrayals. The scent of burning sage filled the a

ael Nightborne w

l himself-could predict

-

ceremonial chamber, her breath c

silver, her raven hair woven with strands of pale crystal. Her dagger, Kael's gift

erous. Just li

hed, cloaked in silve

er of Mooncrest?" the woman aske

clenched.

tand the vow y

d

od, and bond with the

d

e. Not for Kael-but for the weig

acrifice

e would n

born o

e did n

-

intly under the moonlight. The great wolf pelt over his shoulders looked more like a crown th

oom h

Two worlds

them move

stopping only when he sto

afraid," h

uld

is gaze dropped to her

as e

ess raised

and the promise of new blood,

gger was ha

an line across his palm. The blood pooled dar

d the blade

d the same, slicing across her palm. H

together, binding the bleeding p

. From this night forward, let yo

himmered. T

gi

llwork-but the older, quieter

ike a pull ben

ssure in her chest, dee

dissolved

d settled b

Unforg

eaka

ve breath. But the two newl

idn't

t each o

hts. Not

pre

f a future neith

-

l's chambers, the silence bet

s furs and velvet robes undisturbed. Aria stood near the windo

her from ac

stay here tonight

kno

wai

ill," sh

ickered acr

eep beside an en

e den of a wolf I understand than in th

nd rough. "You thin

But I

e space betwe

mate," he said

dn't flinch. "

w we're

es

sing like smoke. "This bond-it changes things. Yo

do," she

tled lightly against her arm. S

d hate me,

e replied. "G

und dark and genuine

are

not with urgency-but with somethin

touched, it wa

sponded, it

. Like rivals. Like two s

oke apart, b

pped ba

urs," she s

d. "But you're m

elight, that vow felt hea

-

llowed were tens

gan walking the halls unescorted, speaking to guards by name, and showing up unannounc

dn't st

encourage

e wat

s wat

glistening on her skin, laughter escaping her lips after she bested

soft, simpering princess

realizing-h

mu

-

ven arrived at th

d. Marked with the blood-re

the lett

aw cl

es dar

urned to the hall, noting the way hi

id no

saw it

e

raw, u

or hi

is pe

d her th

quickly-th

... Lira.

was low and c

gaze. "Then l