ravik compound as she'd

lack veil. And a smile tha

ng into enemy territory. I was on the balcony above, arms folded, knott

rse, s

in my room. Sitting on my win

ike hell,"

oodbath. I was rad

I do regret not seeing

ou doing he

n invi

tled.

ked her head. "But I sus

s or

miled

't tru

shoul

d at eac

ather summoned

di

ren't you at

he told u

for

ing, he said. Something that would

hen he

he window. "Yes. St

nk Kaelen w

uickly. "But that does

o t

e the one married to

hav

nd

e me a

oved toward me slow

t safe her

e y

ever

leeve, pulled out a folded pap

t is

uran

name. One I'd n

is

paid to watch you. I cu

paid

n't know yet. But the money wasn

ood c

ird player,"

an one,

ed until now

I didn't know if yo

appeared for

you

ed toward

wing. Come on over if

nd walked aw

e name in my hand, wond

as already too

t follo

elf that t

the east wing as she said, I followed behind her. Quie

red through

hunched back a

eard Kael

supposed to

asked me," Vionne

rve. Not to whisper

truth. No one el

decide what

voice turned ic

le

ce more. "What

ou do," she s

n't pos

t y

, breath tight

s you," Ka

And that frightens

N

she listens to me, the less

didn't

a truth in

," Vionne continued. "She's not

ot suppo

ing around stalking her

nce

's voice-lo

use s

skipped

"I'm observing her because she gets to e

use

es

simply use her?

want her to

"Be careful, Kaelen. Desir

y weakened me

ped br

d to be able to

Vionne, by

too close," sh

already

n it bre

ill prot

rom you

tst

d slipped into the sha

ow what sho

n was play

of him didn't

im in the

lasses half full.

pt, and it made me feel some

otting?"

n't look u

at it. The control. The hinted threats. T

o compliment me

"I'm here because

him. He fina

eps well he

to silence t

me. "Somethi

er's death and the slow unra

ked. "Yes. Ot

ed to V

. "She'

s dea

's b

am

dded once

expecting. A wall, mayb

got

still. Wil

facing him over a table co

e who made the world

dn't blin

ho

e map, not at m

happ

Six yea

idn't know you

en't sup

was he

ent cold. "Like

ped me fo

orry,"

As if it had co

't cry,

raised

ng would come at some point, but it didn't. And th

"You don't cry when yo

t what

s for

don't want to

ar enough to bridge the space. Fair e

n't," he

how to be an

stand by and wat

ked a

ween us. Not tender.

e that w

it on

ing. Just the envelope-plain white, folded once, tucked n

t call

't s

't p

ked it quietly, and st

"You don't cry when y

just survi

was a

up the

n

s

ened

chment. Handwritten. Black ink.

a house that

e will be carve

rk at the bottom, two r

r seen i

y my blood

new what

ck it down my sleeve, an

didn't

t

t this believed the

had n

aised b

bite