la'

basement like a blade. I flinched, covering my eyes as the guard ste

" he said sim

hy

n't shut up about it." Relief mixed with confusio

s Thorn, arriving at our border with no notice, gave him

pack is changing. You either stay ahead of it... or ge

It didn't. It felt like the light was accusing me of living, like

ve an answe

uncil tower. She didn't see me at first; he

gets to claim anything, it all falls apart. She was speaking to so

careless way. A crooked scar cut across his right ch

y girl," he said loudly, stepping toward me lik

ned. "What are

ser. Celeste scowled and di

light. Things are breaking, I like being aro

e. "You sent

ilt

hy

things. Besides... He leaned in, his voice a whisp

gain, then walked away with

Everything was falling, and som

eleste and Kade. Though I didn't mean to lis

este snapped, her blonde hair whipping

d. "You rejected her," s

now, deadly. I was forced to pick a future tha

g pau

ws of the trees. Kade's face was tight and painful. Celeste was

r hand touching his arm. "T

he said. "Stay aw

I turned and walked away be

she answered. I didn't wa

d, but I wouldn't b

eaten all day. My body was sore from training,

h, knees pulled to my ch

ing her arms around my s

f someone who didn't need

t?" I asked her after

back. "Because

sed m

e added. It means you had something

nt to love

ently. Not like before,

isper. I turned to look

but she smiled. "Mi

lked out in

cut the sky like tiny wounds. The moon hung j

other used to sit on when I was small. The same place I dr

e sore but strong. The bruises on my arms were already disapp

r," I said to the trees. "I

chin towar

words rang out like a promise. "A

hem stop, as if they were listening.

alled for an official challenge. That she wa

was consider

d yet. Because at that moment, under the sta

eed for and the kind they can't take away. And no one-not M

thout