artbeat, the wo

Mari barely managed to stay upright as the power surged through her, cold and sharp, like river water in

moved

om his shoulder. His grip was steel, but his voice stayed ca

th the garden walls bending like reeds. They bolted through the smoke and flicke

dark, its windows glowing with eerie amb

eave her,"

aid. "There's a way t

he house during the first Blood Accord. Us

ast the old mausoleum no one spoke of anymore. The door was rusted shut, but

cold breath of air

" he

rd, narrow and wet, until it opened into a long corridor lined with dusty shelve

rse us?" Mari asked,

nd to the Highblood line," Thorne a

u were

also

uldn't be

marks you herself. And she only

t him, everyt

does that

ve hers. "Chosen. Cursed

ere above them. The Tribun

find Liora?

ne they think no one remembers. It leads

veni

"I lived her

k faded

g through them with gritted teeth, the injury on his shoulder leaking more bl

conserve you

ot fra

red. "You're f

olor in her face. "Fine. But we're gettin

this time

lls here weren't made of stone-they were carved bone, packed tightly an

," Thorne mutter

ou know a

had to. They made me believe I was a weapon

tened. "You're

struction before I e

decide who you

d. Looke

sed between them-

eam cut th

or

rinted

oated mid-air, their flames blue and flickering, revealing the binding circle etched

with two Tribunal enforcers, their robe

" Corvin sneered. "You think we didn't

dn't he

e ribbon between her fingers like a bl

wed. "You don't kno

aid, stepping beside

" Corvin hissed.

reathing

orcers

ribbon-and this ti

moon

nf

he circle c

fell. Her head snapped up, eye

lunged

block

horne grabbed Corvin's collar and threw him back-but the effort s

ing off the remaining b

ed. "But Mari-your

do you

seal suppressed it. But now that it's

t under

ll in your body pulling toward him. You'll a

k. "What happens

hesi

thing can

oared be

llowed. "She belongs to Kae

slowly. "No

r house for a rogu

nd houses before I le

lung a binding spell at him, knocking him b

ing his arm over her shoul

steps light but swift. The temple shuddered as the old magic colla

ust beginning to bl

rest, his skin pale, eyes glazed. Mari dragged hi

ing," he

dress and pressed it to hi

faintly. "

fr

differently now.

whispered. "Do

dn't

win

for her-hands shakin

rning," he

are

hen-i

force of

al seal

ty. Every part of her snapped into place. Her ribs ached like the

Th

de, glowing briefly with moonlight,

no longer

ere th

un

ol

ri breathed, her

," he wh

passed

e for you both now. The Tribunal won't st

ed down a

still cla

them have u

kno

. Through the Shadow Vale. I know a place

ho

exiled. The ones who r

ntains, toward the pale li

ding," she

at are y

fight

Mari Wynter-marked by moon and fire, chosen by f