en's

thicker the d

s mist... it moved with intention. It coiled around my arms, kissed the side of my n

est no longer whispered about curs

raw from the rocky terrain. But the burn in my chest, the ache in my

, always,

know his

hing fragile and fierce. I knew his shadow had touched mine the nig

t was call

ollo

rbidde

rsed f

Ashclaw wol

one of them a

nger anythi

.. mayb

-

eaching toward the sky. The air tasted of iron and rain, and every s

pulsed

as c

steps, sense

n-s

broke b

was too thick. Nothing

trying to sound brave

le

t-just beyon

slowly, my h

ere?" I w

ans

ed now-not with pain, but wi

e emerged fr

Tall, broad-shouldered, and wrapped in dark layers of leat

build that made

s his

rci

a

ci

like he'd been wa

mouth, but n

The mark shimmered faintly be

said, voice low and rough-li

"Neither

d-half amusement

ary," he murmured. "Mo

most," I said before

oment longer, the

tepped back.

felt like moonlight in shadow, like the edg

I asked, voice

said. "Of H

a

through my tho

f

... were at the a

gaze softened-just slightly-and he looked

rth awake," he s

me?" My voi

very bone. Every breath

his voice mad

to me like that.

lly not

afraid of

head slightly.

ay I'm

d the mist seemed to

he said quietly

thudded

giving me the chance to

hed a lock of ha

ch a simp

unrav

eath

ough with calluses, b

t lie," he murmure

idn't you c

"Because if I did... I w

oat ti

ff his skin, smell the earth and storm clinging to his clothes. H

ow who I am anym

er, his breath b

"Not who they say you are. But

between

e bond-silent,

d, my voice crac

said. "They're remembered by the blood. And you

ed just above

he aske

odd

his palm

mark i

I gasped as warmth flooded my veins, spreading from the point of contact outward, d

like he was listening to som

them again, he

be it

ver strange

my eyes. N

om bei

ly

who didn'

ho didn't ca

-

ind s

slightly, eyes s

e said. "Ashclaw won't le

t care,

sho

m. "Then help me

-a slow, almost reluctant thi

ed once

, he turned and wa

oll

ause I

or the first t

ed in s

didn't beg to be filled-b

elonged to this forest in a way I never could. His shoulders were te

the tide. I didn't know where he was leadi

one paths and twisted trees heavy with dark vines. The forest felt alive-older than an

ing to decide i

look like this?"

his eyes unreadable. "It chang

es it mean that it hasn'

sto

rn

ed

swallow what belon

ent a tremo

lo

his

h

g flickered in Kael's gaze-a gentleness, brief but real.

in moss and silver runes. A half-broken fountain sat in the cent

ured for

, but alert. My bones ached, my soul frayed. Ye

lt in fr

iffe

ossessively. He moved like someone afraid

ooked down at my mark, still g

," he said,

odd

it mean?" I

thumb traced the edge of my palm-s

bond you were promised," he said. "Beca

my eyes. "Then why do I fe

ed his ga

an take root," he said softly,

were inc

ed around my he

ven know me,

his head.

't kno

remember y

still. The fog stopped swirli

d-I wasn't af

d just beneath my eye. My skin burned where he

in-just

did

dn't

t felt clos

red. A tethe

pulled apart, no

-everyt