alive but no one warn

gates. That subtle, spine-prickling shift in the air. Th

rything, but it didn't feel comforting tonight. It felt like

e came from behind me, low and cautious. "Midnight st

me to meet him in the crypt. Said I'd fin

"Lucian sent you int

"You sound like yo

talks in riddles and disap

ause I wasn't entire

through the chill. "At least let me follow from a distan

s about who I was... or what I

then let out a breath th

e that a

rtuna

e, afraid that if I stayed, I'd

that looked like they'd grown from nightmares. Gnarled branches reached out like

t beyond the

ow tha

st. No

...

opped walking, trying to convince my

w stepped out

sn't

sn't

that looked like smoke given bones

po

back, heart

move toward me. I

ist burned hot and sharp li

thinking. "I don't know what you are, but I'm

w tilted

d

bow

eath

... w

her step forward, dissolving into th

on my wri

l is going on

swered fro

waking

un a

ci

o it coat open, dark shirt half-unbuttoned, moo

thing?" I asked

s darkened.

wh

r pa

u said you'd exp

eed to understand this isn't just

"What do

The crypt is close. But once we

sita

nee-deep in cursed forests and my

warm.

st

around us like a b

he trees behind us,

king, half-swallowed by moss and broken roots. Lucian whispered something in a l

und spl

al stone spli

eyeing the dark staircas

me. "Still sure

anyway. "But I'm tired of being

l closing behind us with a rumble

through the air like snow. The walls were lined with ancient murals

ront of her.

ide me. "Maevara.

hy does she l

ensed. "Becaus

ned silence pa

wha

said softly. "You're a reincarnation.

tbeat climbing my ribs.

sh I

he mural pulsed faintly, like it

g me. "The bloodline only awakens when danger r

t in the forest

nod

s affects all

ruth was a weight he'd be

r curse tethered every royal Alpha

ground sway

rotective," I said slow

. I protect you because I want to. The b

ng else, a pulse of power

behind u

derground. The flames in the sconces flickered violently. Whispers fi

harply, stepping in fr

If this is mine, I

to a scream that wasn't quite sou

ural

ll itself, a fi

sh. Not

.. wearin

me but older, r

it said. "Y

rted. "Who

that died screaming. And now you'r

, his voice low.

"Tell her the rest, Lucian. Tell her what happe

d so hard it ec

was s

si

at him. "

rked. "That's

d shook b

began to

ached for L

tone flying in every direction. Lucian threw his arm around me, shielding my b

f me stood untouched her outline flick

she said, voice echoing like it came

low and deadly.

spered. "The power. The fury. The curse. She was

d, each word carv

ispered. "What

answer r

ce cut deeper

n't tell you. Because the last ti

d draining from

ward, jaw clenched

e you just afraid she'll remember who s

hand passed right through. She la

some part of me I'd buried under years

" I said. "I don't r

"When the moon bleeds red,

al shudder and then ju

ral wa

and silenc

ing, fists clenched so tightly I though

ed towa

asked. "Did yo

ead b

cia

going to do to you. I thought I was protecting you. But

ce tugged at someth

d, did

haunted. "You screamed my na

emory not yet mine-a cold room, a silver blade,

nection sparked and

remember,"

," he sai

was a

y wasn't finished with me, th

ucian growled,

hrough the cracks, chasing us like a curse set loose. When we finally burst through the s

my knees, b

me, worry carved into

u o

y. "What the h

he said. "And

wh

fall again.

n't r

oul

s words were still

s her u

om at the manor, I sat by the window, sta

ypt wa

adow w

ing had ch

I could hear things I hadn't before the faint rustle of

all... a feeling

y, someone's-b

lik

e's wa

myself. My fingers still trembled f

hell was

's silence hurt wo

y door broke

n that sketchy maid who always glared

I opened

as K

fooling anyone, and an expression like he was two seconds

id, caught

canned me.

against the doorfr

ike old magi

t, breathless.

without invitation. "You al

ave you been

He took you to the

n't a

as a yes. "

wned.

ldn't be

even know w

." Kade's voice dropped, heavy with something more tha

silen

u. But when it comes down to it, Lucian always

cause some part of m

"You deserve better t

those green eyes. "And what

and reverent. "Everything. Or

rt stu

ngerous second

d meet, a pulse of power

ehind him, his e

ll was that?

rror c

shattered

stood behin

il