ar

de's

my fingernails and the

ssom like a scream stitched into silk. Somewhere between waking and memory, I had wandered beneath its branches again

a

ne and breath, standing half-sunken

at the chest, and my hands trembled. There was soil o

Rich

like vines. The old house creaked with the hush of something waiting. I wrapped

he forest

en words, the sound of roots moving beneath the earth. I knew

ots. The soles were

ight? Had I walked ba

the door

slow

Duskmere, nothin

oice-familiar, hoa

vi

ed the

h and shadow. The wolf was still beneath his skin. I could see it in the set

he said, eyes flicking p

e been alone every nig

any

e without waitin

ard," he said, voice low. "You opened

. "The

sn't a

realized I was barefoot again. A smear of dried blood da

forest shifted. The air chang

if seeing something not

calle

led

close, too w

ollow

The room spun, and for a moment I saw it again: the o

t call anything. I don'

u w

mere spoke in riddles and shadows. But Ravien turned

're c

-

said they're com

d now held it. Every leaf outside the window stilled. Even t

e distance,

sn't

red, already knowing I w

d through after you touched the gate. They're drawn t

my stom

cracked. "I didn't ask to ope

voice softened, just slightly. "The gate

hy

he inner lining of his coat-a blade, slender and black as obsid

g me here," I said

s met mine. "T

han it should've been. The house moaned, groaned-as if it, too, was aware of what

the fores

hadow returning to its source. I followed, branches catch

en I s

ening and closing like a fish pulled from deep water. Its spine jutted at shar

-wal

dn't b

and burnt hair. Of

turned-a

en have tim

e was a blur of claws and fury. He struck the walker hard, knocking it in

idn't st

lun

bled backward as Ravien took the full brunt of its weight, rolling in the dirt. Blood-

oice made of broken glass. "She called th

s teeth. "Then

dian blade into t

omewhere else-from the Veil itself. I felt it in my bones, in the

en, si

psed. Dead, or s

His shoulder bled freely, s

u-?" I

" he g

wed. As if killing the walker had

e said, wiping the blade clean. "And

t the corpse. I