, Selene. That's the

ce. Lyra's concern always wore the same ed

. The moon bathed the clearing in a soft silver light, but it did nothin

pping closer, her voice low. "No one here to stare.

her. She didn't bother pretend

. "That's not

to face her friend, her voice calm but hollow

nst the trunk of a nearby tree. "They don't unde

make them wr

he trees and the occasional distant howl from one of the outer patrols

after a long pause. "Told me I had no p

h hitched. "

in her mind like a curse. "Told me I'm a flaw in the

doesn't get to decide your worth. He's not the goddess. Just

What am I, Lyra? Everyone else has their bond. They're

gest person I know, and that's not just talk. You've stayed. Eve

trong. I stay because I don

, "you don't back

t, she let herself feel the warmth

her cabin. "I need to be alo

u s

ice was tight.

st nodded and watched Se

thick brush. It wasn't far from the others, but it always

were lit. No fire crackled. She didn't bother lighting one. She just

relics from a life before the disappointment, before the silence, the day she first b

box. Now, it just held memor

came sudde

her eyes flew to the door. It was lat

her

to the door deliberate. S

ci

alone," he said, arms cros

d you f

u leave a trail without reali

ed to shut the doo

ay," he said. "You asked why I

want yo

t offer

fer?" Her voice crac

e before she could s

Out of what? The

"You've been conditioned to believe you're less because your wolf

hat ma

oes t

ting the sincerity she saw in

been dying here. Slowly. Qui

e not a healer. You can't co

ewhere that might awaken what's inside

tempting, more than tempting

said, "they'll n

he repli

if I don't find an

w it wasn't because you s

earching for the lie, but there was none. J

to think," sh

. "Caelum's making plans. They involv

oes tha

. He turned to leave

y, come find me.

he wa

her head against it. Her hands wer

possi

cha

in her, not her wolf, not yet, but something c

room, lit a single lantern

wasn'

choose the right