bells. Steel clashed against steel. The scent of fire an

lowed behind him, her hair wild and glowing with faint purpl

he?" Kae

floor. Guards and villagers lay groaning, some dead, some worse. Kael

all in her hand,

the west wing," she

his throat. The wolf

d him before th

rowl echoed

spun

d of the hall

no longer

. His hair was thick and wild, and his skin shimmered with somethi

d like a

aid, stepping fo

ouder, his teeth

" he roared. "I don

t us help you. You're chan

mething's inside me! It's... talk

aven lunged forward with lightning spee

ashed into

rt pounding. "He's not

ds in the old tongue. Her power pulsed in th

raven vanished, his body leaping throu

slammed his hand

e los

No... we haven't. He's r

he flames outside threw flickering light across the

soaked cloth to her arm. "You need to lea

ple," Amira said. Her voice was

esty," Venna whispered. "The peopl

se they are afraid. And maybe they're

dropped earlier. The Blood Oath. H

" she said. "That's where it st

returns to the Forbid

And I brought this curse ba

was holding its breath. Smoke still curled in the air above the cha

s youngest

mons into t

ds are

looking over the streets. He saw n

r cloak wrapped tig

here much lon

we go? The mountains are crawling with cu

him. "Then we go

an eyebrow.

is planning it. I sa

ad learned long ago not t

e said. "The last time she we

And maybe that's the onl

far beyon

heavy, steaming in the cold mountain air. The beast

t remember

er the last time h

surrounded by dead trees. The moonl

ong the stones, was a

r Va

o stand, but h

you?" h

Varek said. "The part of your fami

his teeth. "Y

s curse was an accident. A mistake. But she never

blinked

ser, slow like a

gs are vessels, meant to hold the power of gods. You wer

"You mean... we're su

ou are the future of the land. But on

hands t

t inside

horse moved slow, careful of every broken bra

ay ahead, dark, ancie

had made the blood oath years

ildren," she whispered.

seemed t

ose from

you have r

of the Grove, a pool of still water reflect

elt be

reak the cur

ter ri

no curse. On

breath

swered. Your children are not cursed, they are wha

"Then tell me

into mist, fo

r father,

aid. "You are not the fi

with tears. "Why d

id. "But the blood in our line is old.

ay to save th

dded. "Yes. But it wi

packed the little they needed. The

his sword, he

ing happe

ted. "We go together.

miled

a knock at

ood there, pal

the Queen h

art stopp

before daw

ened. "She's gon

to her. "The

er Eldoria, thunder ru

d tearing through his hair. Behind him,

dy to claim

didn'

stared down a

ncient move

the land itself

s were