ot a

like to beli

unraveling-and not in the way a soldier does when

the edge of a knife sta

stepped into my line of sight, not the first time she loo

made i

ved like something ancient. I couldn't track her half the time. Her feet never made sound, and

re was t

y a f

I sa

Silver, soft, flickering like moonlight on water. It w

e wors

lt fa

uldn't translate. Like a

ked, watchin

er head. "I

i

en her eyes looked like they were

houlder to shoulder but not touchin

y she

y she

ke she was preparing for a

are

k it aloud.

ion wouldn't

ng about her felt heavier now, like her skin

what I meant. For the traini

he wanted to speak but

rned and walked

d, I made a quiet

d out who s

ven if she turned out to

A P

ything in me

e I was af

size. Outwitted generals. Survi

capable of. Not just as

w me, he'd start spi

s. Of powe

he wolf inside me was

ng would

back. I had pulled my hair back tight, changed out of my apron, w

Until I could hear the echo of his b

ped into th

oo busy smoothing out his cloak

d up-when his gaz

pped m

mask c

of the Bloodfang chamber, my hands tied behind my back, my mouth full of blood and

reverently. "The moon cu

you are he

master, Lyra or should I

link. Just stared at him

y for you," I

ck. "Still sharp with you

. "I'd ask why you're h

eamed. "Sti

ngerous,"

. "You disappeared, Lyra. The Bloo

pretend you mour

d, just for a second. "

you wanted o

at you... hiding as a servant in

e lowering like a blade. "S

saw it-the tension in his j

still c

u can't run from what you are, Lyra

brush the hidden

"You should have k

inning like a man who'd t

that means the pieces of my puzzle are slowly coming together

l be fun,

adn't just reignited a fire

wouldn't burn a