ere. The air was colder, thicker, humming with unseen life. Trees stretched tall above her, their twis

something-or someone-was drawing her forward. Since the Moonstone shattered, her magic had become l

the castle felt like freedom.

ed. She was something else now. Something people

napped b

e. She was

pulsed in her palm-soft and blue, but ready to strike. Her hear

e stepped from between th

red dully under the moonlight. His dark hair was slightly tousled, as if he had been

d, hands raised slightly to show he carr

er her magic. "Y

epping forward slowly. "

im carefully.

ed. "I was invited to your coronation. But it se

nobles she had known. He spoke with a quiet stre

for company,"

your kingdom's secret war,"

m was the wind rustling the trees and th

ppened at the ca

look in your eyes when the power surged through you.

"You're not a

d, with a small shrug.

dn't push against him. That was strange. Usually, it reacted to others with

our kingdom," she said.

to follow duty. But I learned long ago that sometimes, you have to fo

keeping people at a distance. But now, here was someone standing in th

staring out int

a girl born under the Blood Moon. Of betrayal... of wa

ove closer, but still a

k I'm part of

ut everything in my life has changed.

ou're not who they told you to be. You're something new. Something dangerou

, surprised by the

get out of helpin

t want to stand by while another kingdom burns. Or

inside her chest. A flick

ice softer now. "Then let's go. There's som

ide her, close b

ncess," he said. "Or wh

o strangers, bound by fate, walking toward