r beneath the furs Ronan had begrudgingly offered. The rogue den was crude, carved into th

exactly wha

eamed from yesterday's training-no, not training. Brutality. Ronan's warriors didn't bel

d la

re

r rose to her feet and grabbed the bl

a faint smirk. "Yo

for the guy I nearl

Harlan. He

ted. "Didn'

d. Bleeds when he's really im

houlders, wincing.

her roots later. But first," he tossed

red back to the woman she used to be-sitting in a sun-warmed kitchen in the Emberfang Packhouse, J

ut him. He's no

dding toward the den's main tunn

abbed her blade, and followed

ring of packed dirt surrounded by jagged stone

r, spinning his curved d

when he saw he

ize I was on y

piercings in her ears and two daggers strapped to her back. "

n't flinch

g her neck. "You sure you're

d her chin.

Mira said. "But

cled eac

claws. No shifti

ed back, and

g of metal echoed through the stone chamber as the two women danced across the arena, t

thigh. Mira got a stab to

nd rage. Every dodge was her remembering how it felt to walk into the packhouse and see Jason's

ped. Just a second

ammed her boot into Mira's chest, pinning her

" she g

reathing hard.

, panting, blood dr

stle. "Didn't expect

only one who und

up, Thorn, and I might act

Because I'm not here to play pe

. "Then tomorrow, we

de, "Oh, she's already

ck toward the den, every mu

ck every hiss of pain. There was no healer here. No soft voice whisperi

it bette

, she drea

on, kn

rid sc

she walked away, blade in hand, crown of

chest heaving, sweat

ne was wa

her dagger a

ches from Kad

, raising his hands

sneak u

ot

a sack behind him. "W

. "What d

But..." Kade paused. "Jason's

swallow

"Not in front of Astrid, anyway. Bu

Eli

find peace. That you

away. "He

r. "That's not the full

dn't r

assortment of scrolls, parchmen

t's

rituals. Binding spells. Blood magic. Even so

owed. "Why would I

eld he

eason Astrid wanted

s breat

ted you silenced. And people don't silence threat

ds-strange symbols scrawled in faded ink, a diagra

ause whatever Astrid's plann

e was quiete

qu

the pine-covered hills of Emberfang territory. The morning sun filtered t

strid was hum

he night tangled in his sheets, whispering promises he never

nd him in nothing but his white shirt and her prid

answer r

waist like vines-tight and unyielding. "Oliv

. Not directly. But in eve

erase

h him in the battlefield, soothed his demons at night, and held

trade

oward Astrid, the intoxicating scent that made his wolf restles

nce Oliver left, tha

my, defiant eyes-in weeks. Hadn't

erything fe

t there was something hard beneath i

t say an

dn't ha

He let her. Out of habit. Out of guilt. Out of some war

wasn't

weren't

idn't make the

d not

lways

ed to get out of the house. Run with the patrol. Or maybe..." Her f

ht. "She was my Luna. Yo

't your f

more th

ilence

say anyt

corridor toward the council chamber. He needed dis

echoed with

teasing him about the creaking floorboards or t

silence m

s-his Gamma-was already waiting, arms

Elias sai

por

Ironroot Ridge. We tracked rog

. "Rogues don

e one

his eyes. "And

Elias cut in quickly. "

led. "It's

re abou

idn't r

m. "She's not co

kno

you wouldn't still be sleeping besid

napped up. "Wh

nd claim her mate. She manipulated the elders. Spread rumors. Poison

d've se

busy being enchanted. Or distrac

il table, and the echo cracked like

didn't

rowled. "I know I broke her. I

something

her? Bring her

aid simply. "

n bl

.. she's already rising. And when she comes

opped like a sto