oose

ith a clarity that settled i

crackling with shared purpose. For the first time since the blood moon,

hed, not quite a smile, but close.

Blood pooled in the snow beneath its broken spine. Without hesitation, Kaelen knelt

moke curled up from the powde

asked, her breath

ey find this body, they'll smell your blood, your wolf, even your shift signature.

"You're framing yo

chest - not his, not hers, but that of the rogue. "If it keeps

e you'd kill me?"

y believes I'm a monster. Might as

t, tugging at Lyra's cloak. Her wolf s

rackled - not yet complete, not f

ding. "We have to reach t

asked, following

he replied. "Protected by wild magic - old magic. No on

wned. "W

is shoulder. "Because the Hollow does

ul precision. The forest around them grew darker the deeper they traveled -

was w

-

til even her wolf whimpered from the

len to slow down fo

omething

h

her

that had trie

thicker, their bark gnarled with age. Moss climbed their trunks

elt it

whis

e brushing her ear. Then they multiplied, overlapp

rries th

oon rem

olf, no

nched. "

r, scanning the for

d, heart

he said grimly. "T

lay ancient ruins. Black stone pillars jutted from the earth like broken teeth. Vin

was

Ho

older than Alpha lines,

ward, but paused before

ed, "the forest will kno

ned her spine.

orward-and th

ned inward. And for one suspended mome

l inside her chest - li

he whisper

nger spoke

poke t

ra.

fr

rned. "Wh

. know

ched for her hand. "Then don't be afrai

into the ru

t the pull of magic - not malicious, but probing. Li

ees bu

r before she fel

.. somethin

"Something is awaken

tore thr

es of

r eyes chanting be

lf pelt, placed on a st

ing: The last of the line mus

ision vanished, and

olding her. But hi

a

oc

w it?" she

ce. "So did

was

said grimly. "

-

of a massive tree. Kaelen lit a fire while Lyra sat wrapped i

bad luck," she said finally. "That my

en," Kaelen said.

wh

aunted. "By your mother,

ghtened. "I don'

d

eath c

o Riftwood once, long ago. Pregnant. Pow

he gi

away. Said she reeked of corruption. I was barely a

"She knew Dren w

rry - your bloodline, your w

trembling. "Then I need to s

ng p

aid, "Tomorro

-

Lyra didn't

med of m

run

fre

the woods, a voic

k the curse. Or bec