e. Ember didn't move. She couldn't. Not with Ash's blood staining the cracked stones.

d the Alpha. "She's not

is teeth as he backed away. "She

nes rather than from anyone's throat. Ember recognized it: the Call of the Bound. It was the

ping forward. "You will not

son Alph

g happene

stone where she had stood. Ember hit the ground hard, rolled, and came up with her dagger

round Ember, shielding her just as the Alpha slammed his full weight a

on the altar

m!" Embe

e clash of enchanted resistance. But it was like fighting a nightmare-nothing

ned to he

she said through clenched teet

war between blood magic and mat

nd to the talisman at

," she said. "But

do you

or. When I break this-he'll

said. "We'll ha

ss to the talisman, the

ect was

ed-fur receding, bones shifting-but instead of transforming back into a man, his body fractured into something inhuman. Horns erupted

e?" Ember

her said, swaying with the

r the broken st

decorated with old glyphs. His lungs were not inhali

ed gentl

and used her weapon t

agree." "Not just c

ooked

on, of blood servitude. It wasn't just physical imprison

. "Then I'll unmark y

er palm to th

away. Instead, she reached for the bond between them-the vow. The tether th

ed it throug

ared-and th

surfacing from deep w

said, "You

it," she said, still s

f up, staggering

both

g half of Ember's guard and forcing Vess to her kn

o stand. "Let's en

oved a

s freshly awakened. Ember charged center, her crimso

dem-light and flam

lpha

Ember hurled her blade into its eye, blinding it. Blood like l

ard again, chanting a spell

no!" Em

as alrea

itself. Stone peeled away. Light burst from the

chor," her mother said, and

on Alpha

l-detached from its tether-began to unravel, howlin

nce

hen,

this time

ain through the broken

ter of the ruin, heart

her side.

whispered.

er in the cathedral, came a so

y of a

urned

of torn cloaks and b

gi

r aura-part human, part w

d at Embe

aybe hers. My mother's. After sh

do w

the child i

she said. "Awa

urrowed. "Yo

cycle. It be

y. "Then we'll

d at him. "

and, his other

whatever future we build,

ow to never let the past

rain

on Cathed

ashes, someth