rm
first thing
che in her chest that had become so fam
war
he air, thick and earthy, as comforting as it was foreign. Her lashes
anket-real fur, plush and thick. Beneath her, the mattress gave slightl
't the fo
s snapp
didn't recognize-runes, maybe. Ancient. A fire burned low in the hearth across
oo fast. The
m. Heavy beams framed the ceiling. A carved wooden door stood shut to
as old. Time
not
looke
one had tended her wounds. Her arms were bandaged. The grime beneath her fingernail
d touc
arbone. The mark was still there-cooler now, bu
?" she whispe
arely broke
wasn't empty
coiled behind the walls. Like the breath
bare feet meeting p
er chest like a stone
asn't
t a pris
lder. Wilder. Boun
ort
just any
an stro
ed low and steady. The air tasted of iron and ash-like somethin
et, the cold stone biting at her sole
eded a
faintly when she passed. Every step echoed, even when she tried to move quietly. Her heart pou
d a corner
across their chests, blades at their hips. Their ey
ed to the other, n
at's
odded. "The girl
corridor twisted and opened into a larger hall-stone columns and arched cei
Urg
touched
ered, hushed
ared. I saw it w
d, breath
be. She shou
r collarbone, finge
l th
ll
t by the warriors or whispers-but by the stone itself. Like this
aning against the wall to catch her breath.
she whispered, eyebrows
, part of her
ith the g
ho'd foug
t her befor
r like it wei
spers were afra
t far before t
, eyes like sharpened steel. He didn't speak.
omm
ll
aze made it clear. Refusing wasn't an
in step b
walls were no longer polished. They were etched-scarred with ancient runes that
id nothing. Ne
lent, confident, controlled-spoke of discipline forged through war, not
iers. Protecto
sn't a
acks built li
d unreadable. No one bowed. No one smiled. No one offered comfort or
asn't ruled
uled by
omething-sat at
owing around her. Torches flickered like nervous
he hea
vo
mooth.
ud. It didn'
e western ridge. I want eyes on e
it stopped
use it w
ause it
e. A tone that didn
in its p
him yet, but sh
istened whe
ulse
ormous ironwood doors. Runes glowed faintly along
finally tu
ession w
meaning
En
ide
oice
he
ycan
deliberate-like the fortress
lungs forgo
through the
ast from t
hadow in
the
frame filled the room-tall, broad-shouldered, unapologetically lethal.
edge the warriors lining the stone walls wit
looked
his
ld. Stil
More restrained.
thousand decisions made too soon, of blood s
presence pulled the room into sile
at, neither o
breath
ide, itching to shield her mark, e
already
eady seen
lly spoke, i
sn't
ade drawn i
to tell me eve
ked the silenc
, all her stubbornness-cou
t even know what
s about to