believed

re

night, she wasn't sure anymore. Something was happening. Something that could

you. It's waiting

ll she could

t truth to what Rowan had said-about the curse, about werewolve

answers.

d at school, she d

to the

elled of old paper and lemon oil. It wasn't big-only three ai

ked up from her cataloguing. "Back roo

al history sect

linked up at Lyra over her reading glas

ed, then nod

head. "Well then... local

a brass key, and handed it over. "Bac

as colder than the

ew and mothballs. Thick binders lined the walls, each labeled with a y

her's name appeared several times: Amelia Hale, valedictorian, 1997. Ame

bli

nother page. A t

urse. Only daughters inherit it. Alway

This time, the article head

in Forest – Survives

ge, unresponsive for 72 hours. Woke with no recollection.

old settled

e'd lived through it. An

t

stead, she sat in the courtyard a

a dark flannel and a black beanie, like he was preparing fo

bout to ask," he said

Lyra replied. "What's the Moonbound Curse? N

dded,

He wasn't a mayor or a sheriff-he was something older. A kind of... spiritual guardian

the fo

-but not in the way trees are alive. It remembers. It

ant. His people would protect the forest, and in return, they'd

es," Lyra

es

But something went wrong. A woman-a witch-tried

stomach

ance

no one should be bound to the moon, or to the forest.

it

the ground. After that, the packs splintered. Madness spread. Some werewolves lost their minds during t

y generation, the curse chooses one Hale w

at him, he

en two months ag

odded.

Lyra couldn'

the forgotten swing set and overgrown rose bushes. The moon rose ful

he locket

ing cl

sp popp

thicker than a coin. Her fingers trembled as she unfolded it.

rling

n the forest has called you

tried to shield you from it. I wanted

ds you, go to the Lockwood Est

d the truth-and the key

you more than th

d the note t

ckwood

know what w

thing: it was tim