FOUR:

as

led of old leather and l

Elder Council seven in total watched him from behind stone desks carved with ancestral sigil

ckthorn territory," Elder Morrik said, tapp

ected. And now, reports claim she use

a used her gift to stop a curse

arrow snapped. "She shows up after years in exi

o react. "You think she's

fell deat

n, and the Forsworn park had been thought extinct for over a decade. But Luca

k are dangerous

lder Morrik said. "That girl is dangerous.

of this pack your Alpha. If she wanted reve

g the long game,

u forget, I made the mistake of underes

ause. Then Morrik

hed. And if she so much as whispers warlock incantations

a stiff nod

unease gna

d to justify it part of him still

rina

em watching

water. Her hair hung loose down her back, a soft wave against the wind. The forest murmured sec

ned Kaele

forgotten the

he moons align, or the blood y

crisp air. A rustle of grass behind he

cry when you

s's

you used to say you'd never l

n beside her. Not too close. B

e to talk abo

staring ahead. "The

ilent for a

"The Council wan

a didn'

ured a

them otherw

t him, her amber-gre

e I tru

er laugh. "Now that I

o face her. "T

d quietly. "B

gain, but it wasn't the heavy,

was

ag

nd pulled out a folded piece of parc

ded it

before unfolding it

g a crude one b

arply. "Where di

n scouts we tracked last night.

od turn

l didn't just belo

ged to h

len

ruins of a fallen watchtower

n the stone wall three spiraling moons crossin

e said aloud. "Her he

d, Neris, leaned aga

royed the

defiant. But she still hasn't told Luca

hat do

he more she'll realize Lucas's pack will never ac

. "You still plan to

s eyes

? No. I

pa

other comes out... she'll have

her cabin, cloak wrapped tightly around her

ave her tucked in her boot, bu

long before she died. It was the crest of the Nightborn Line, a secret linea

lways thought

rn were using her

other hadn't die

e'd been

e line, a rustle ca

rned s

side the border of her

e finger, the figu

vani