lled the guard

ely looked at me as he led me to my tempo

't here to be caged like

he guard says,

in, shut the door, and let out a

ns, firelight glinting off old glass. Everything smells of

doe

y coat. My skin feels too tight, my wolf pacing b

did. That was

, pacing the room.

fall in line. I'

. Not the guard's rhythm. T

woman stands there, ar

"Hi. I'm Mira. I was tol

g to be afraid, too sma

need a ma

r's daughter. You need formal

ands. Silks, velvets, white a

a ceremony I d

happening, whether

ck and le

ace and lays everything out on the bed

t a com

an obse

of the bed. "Wha

ng. Soft. Obedient. Sc

"Disapp

. I like tr

The symbol of the Nightfang line is embroidered into t

t weari

y n

t a Nightfang.

s me. "You

't kno

he kind of guy who l

t her. "Yo

is council. I've seen the Ki

one wor

ctually like

o one doubts him. That's more th

use I know she's righ

'll leave the dresses. Try

u should watch your back. Not everyo

for th

les and

oidery. The wolf's head is stitched in thread s

g and toss it i

it b

e library

a maze, and my thoughts are louder than my footsteps. T

m for a place full

through the r

hen you'd sta

I wasn't

of something dark. His coat is gone. His shirt sleeves a

leave. Bu

ead?"

rumour, I a

fingers along a shelf. "Di

l of sur

ing on the

and rough. "Try t

stick pins

agree on

e window. The moon i

t," he says

don't mea

eath my ribs, tightens my throat. I hat

o fight it all th

ce him. "Why

fight everything. Th

try surrendering

me slowly. "That

retending yo

. I want control. T

ot away, look

playing ni

been play

yes. "Then why hav

sn't a

his skin. I can feel it like he

iet and letha

you stop pretending

The heat betwee

t's the kind of talk t

down. "Maybe

hifts in hi

bond is howling now, de

th

cr

dden, from

s alread

rd outside my door is on the ground, throat slash

him. Still warm

ady shouting orders

my room," I say

," Thorne snaps. "A lot c

. Mira pushes thro

say to her.

sniffs the air. "T

ay. "It w

at me.

y. "You think

meone wants

oward the bloo

above the handle, is the same

une.

ime, it's

re's a name ca

n

y