xpecting the sight of

unded where she'd struck the floor-again-and the air filled h

sa

rner, as velvet-smooth as s

a beat. She reco

ss

-mended. His golden eyes, as keen as molten steel, were fixed

gnit

e, he said.

Elara's vo

after the rogue attack." He moved s

The blood. He grabbed her. It a

m hers. "You mentioned my n

curled on he

out my name as if you'd known m

eath c

at times, cold at times, hers at times.

me," she

d

hy

d in close. "Because you looked at me like I exist

er than ever. She could not even estimate how many full moons she had

e I need to b

ha

"I'm nobody special. A village ome

ted to interview all the survivors. But you were

was w

survivor. But Cassian. Cassian taking her t

damental drew him

ce low. "Not the way you stood through the

straig

ring at he

mpleted it when th

l court guards, walked in. She nodded briefly at C

n breathed out. "Prince

pped in h

h

lives, he'd worn many faces-charming, cruel, aloof.

he want?"

rrowed. "He says

blood

she remembered her deaths

this time with more suspici

ayed s

u know what's happeni

e si

ftly, "If I told yo

idea," he replied. "Bu

n any single person had ever

rd. "Take her to the west

ward. Elara did but h

k before she could

. And for a moment, his gaze falter

A life they might

idn't

ugh to sow dou

rs were chillier

th the Lycan crest. The guards kept their silence as they esco

this timeline was already

wasn't p

it should have been. A single guard opened th

oyal blues and gold. When she

Same smooth face,

. "You are diffe

d back. "S

always flee. Regardles

w do you

ay. Only advanced, his e

breathed. "But you're not norm

head. "You lie

sardonically. "Why judge me for

risk of these cycles-that any one of these men can be diff

rust you,"

don't lie to yourself. You're he

ers touched against her cheek. Sh

?" he asked. "And how many t

athing

ys went on. "But onl

ed into

me, she saw somethin

ust c

st cur

t knowledge. Something far older

hispered, You're r

windows s

dered throug

ce shoute

LA

ss

n the corridor. A masked figure emerged-

Betr

t like

like one she'd t

ian burst into the

ara's masked a

l cl

s fla

end her, Elara's mark smoldered with

fa

ow

ngi

is death w

t