a Lan

r mind swore it forgot, then you know how I felt standi

ing I didn't know was locked. My name sounded too gentle from her lips, like it belonged to

ntrolled. Like she'd rehearsed i

rotective without touching. Elias did not move at

not worn. She was beautiful in that terrifying, tragic way-like a melody

s supposed

gan slowly, "why the hell did you let

. Not sad. Not cr

use I

ded like bric

nt-shaped scar ran along her

of my blood. But you can not kill what was fo

were declared lost by your own

et here I stand. Maybe you shou

ry written in eye contact alone. I

minic. Not reckl

asked. "Who decided I

us, and for a second I wondered

. Used me. Then feared me. The Circle of Ni

like a man who already kn

you died pr

gain, that same so

d it wasn'

years of orphaned dreams. Maybe it was her v

cked t

ice flared.

hurricane, but something deeper-a root

t like that, she was real. S

no reunion music. Just s

l in love with your father. Because I wanted a child that wouldn't b

"You knew w

hat you c

hind me. "She does

you either, Alpha. Sh

that followe

tay here, the Circle will come.

if I

we stand together. And we

And maybe it was. But som

Elias turned h

being w

w and violent. "The

in robes stitched with runes that flickered i

hissed, voice layered wit

rd. My mother g

summons unless it c

ther priestess counte

e," my moth

unged forward, claws out. Elias blocked one of the p

ran inward. I grabbed the dagger

unes

estesse

" one whispered.

o ignite until the ecli

to steady my breath. "G

immer of broken light

touched

hat means your blood

s that me

Dominic. "It means they

He just stepped cl

tate anymore," he said. "Not

ed. "Sh

ard, eyes cold. "Y

ffened. "She'

ce. They will keep coming

thought they knew what I needed. Three pas

is the

. You face the parts of yourself that were hidden, broken, or st

if I

said n

y mother. "Di

ey broke me afterward. Y

I better bre

oud. "You have my fire. I just

begin at dusk. Until then, rest. You will

t once felt like a prison now felt like a

did no

t

ng in the shadows watched. Not C

de

gri

ts name across my ea

hk

the name. But t

was c