ra'

ge crackled like it w

er palm still tingling from where i

falling in shallow gasps, the strange

ng dried moonwort into a

Elara once, not since d

id more than wo

ra said at last. M

hat is not what I ask

breath. He is not ju

o

, with a

s Th

d pack? But they weren't cursed

new hi

the paste over Kalen's mark. The

aned i

once, then he w

l he

red. Mira did

ding. Why didn't you tell me the

e wolves beyon

ve, Elara, Mira said sharp

ot to bond with

rds hi

not cho

ra s

s finally

you're ready after

t know how

ssed in again, h

reathing

n dimmed. Whatever Mira

hest had not faded. If an

ull ache had bloomed since the forest. When she

her tunic down sl

, shimmered on her skin, right above her

eyes w

ime that night,

did it

"I felt something in the fo

cou

mutt

a tattered, leather-bound book. When s

the middle and turned th

k spiral with two marks, intertwin

d awake

it? Mi

curse mark and

angerous." Elara touched the cre

ra said grimly. Your magic is tied

, heart racing. "So

ira s

can't be closed. Outside.

in the cot

, he said throu

oward the door.

ra sna

fter you, Elara

said d

d her, she became a

pped bet

not ta

g her anywher

hey will use that as they alwa

are

ck. Mercenaries. They hunt down wolves

swal

Mira stepped back, as if the

ra'

you should know "before she could fin

in a blur of snarls and claws, armo

onf

ng off the cot in a b

e first hunter

ones too. The secon

n front of her

and the wolf screamed, flying

han the rest, bared

onblood, he growle

ed back, The wolf pounced, and a w

ir

raised,magic rip

Elara, blood on his

he

lara he

ir

hem, the heal

ough the back door into the freezing for

und of fighting ech

burned. Her h

tever it had

the snarling wolves, halted in their attack. From the fractured ground, roots curl

ecogni

ser, his wolf for

kened it,"

t is

roots, not words, but a memo

retreated,

ove. "Elara...

my mouth

nd split wid

ng. Together.

hifted from the valley below, a dozen golden ey

iti

voice in her min

o us, m