a noticed after the

in her life, her bones didn't ache, her skin didn't bruise at the lightest

ghtly into the frozen ground. Her wolf was massive, sleek as obsidi

ad w

al was

wolf w

't sound like her. It sounded like wind sharpened into

l she felt the tears freeze on her fur.

and wild and unfamiliar. It ta

ine, eyes trained on her, watching.

rever

not hesitant. His presence stirred her

a

knees in the snow as her body reformed. The transition wasn't as painful as

kneeling beside her

draping it over her s

her voice hoarse and disbeli

al. "I told you the wolf w

, stunned. "You..

o," he said simp

assed between them,

spered. Wind changed.

rst. A tightening in her

rkened. "We're n

ing for Lyra to follow. Her legs shook, but she obeyed, slipping

ttered. "Too fast for

ed. "You

d. Rogues working for him, maybe even bound wolves. He would

eath his skin, sharp as steel. The Kaelen who had been t

od the war-born

en nightma

ay inside-knives silvered at the edges, a curved short sword with runes etched

hem?" Lyra asked

. Not if they've been order

we f

glancing at

ch droppe

en said. "You'

efiant. "You said

ained your wolf. You barely shifted once. You're str

hey'll

They'll cage you. Use you. Breed your

ace p

rth to them, Lyra. Not because they see you.

weaken, but she did

t

do w

. A sanctuary. Deep in the Whispering

hy

lves there don'

hard. "Sounds

went when I ha

ze. "It's wher

-

rent beast at night. I

ses stretched taut. Her wolf lingered just beneath her sk

ose, but not far either. Whoever Dren

said, cutting through thick brush. "Even Shadow

. It was half-frozen, the

ordered. "We

brow. "You're

little. The water will hide your

reezing current surged around them. Lyra

elen said through clen

the current numbing,

ing. Kaelen moved quickly, handing her a dry cloak from a hidden

Tell me again why we coul

alf-smirk. "Because

despite the fear

he how

ng through the tree

both

len muttered. "And th

at

the moonless sky,

ake them

-

faster than

ue in wolf form lunging for her throat. Lyra dropped, rol

s already

ked. He moved like a hur

side, biting deep. Blood spilled across the snow, steaming

ame. Then

where at once. Bruta

haking free the last of her fear as she stoo

eaved. Her

the wolf inside her didn

d her, blood

. "Means there are more. Dr

at him. "So

em think yo

"You want me

it. I'm going to burn one of their bodies with your scent al

h turned.

ish. You'

pau

if you cho

d at him,

he said softly. "You can kee

olf g

od stra

oose

ssed through Kaelen's gaz

ething

n let's make yo