ticed was that the wolv

at Kael Draven ha

y made her feel

ind me,"

w, for a man who claims to have rescued

let the people out

y they're trying to drag m

lanced

will get

et you stabbed. We

of a second, hi

struck the

orthern Council, s

musement

ned th

bore the silver insignia of the Northern Council, a

the front ste

hair braided tightly against her sku

iolated the Council's decree by bringi

ded from th

Council had authorit

er anything that thr

believe s

gaze shift

g moment, she loo

your ha

ely tucked it b

N

s expressi

erstand you

. You want something from me, and you're hopin

oman

ised he

ration, explain why. But I will not be treated like an anima

s exchang

y, studying her with an expr

man took a me

serve as the High Chancellor

y. I'm

who yo

already maki

ards coughed

ignor

ood you carry

tomach t

dden b

that protect

your laws ne

ooked to

er here without tel

ng for a sui

onside

t

ivil, but the tension between t

aelis step

hern Territories for seven days, Prince. During t

refuses?"

considered a threa

tared

o imprison me because

you of the

s a dif

s eyes

Lyra Vale. Ch

nd walked in

ards f

nds, neither Lyr

mbed back int

red, "your neighb

athed hi

et the unpleas

orried this trip mi

a long moment befor

d be caref

d toward

my life being carefu

e was qu

terested in

aid no

in his expre

erstood that rescuing Lyra would be t

Northe

arriage had reache

towering black walls. Beyond them stood a palace carved into

s bea

y enough armed wolves

woman hurried

High

sped his forearm, and examined hi

stern border patrol reported suspicious movements, and

unate for L

ae

er

oman

e notic

m Lyra's face to the b

O

a sma

trouble

oak and draped it o

ewhere quiet. No visitor

eyebro

permis

in

not the one who needs protect

oked bet

she s

I'll arrange

ast portraits of stern-looking rulers and enormous

ore a pair of ca

e your room,

a private balcony, a dressing room, and a be

ood mot

ng in this world, she had a r

ng for her t

anding her

worth by how useful

alcony and looked o

e scent of pine tre

unfam

frigh

hers to

, Seren sp

to decide ever

swall

kno

have to deci

live as someone el

nd her strange abilities, and build a life that co

d from th

er

es

where I can le

n bl

ig

whatever it is you people use w

ime that evenin

I'm going t

e - Blacktho

stood alone

t lay shattere

ember the moment t

den emp

e silence ins

rough their severed connection, only to di

nan, stood n

m that Lyra has entered t

ightened around th

h Dr

es

illness settle

Dra

who had disappeare

e challenged the authority o

en Darian's mate i

ma

closed

as something permanent. He had assumed she would

gined that she m

delegation,

hesi

Northern

es

what pr

beside his desk where Lyra used

p the broken hal

coming to ret

xpression

respect, she

n loo

perature see

still

eplied carefu

n looked as though

turned towar

he moon hung over B

whether the woman who had loved him so desperately ha

The Nort

the blood from her hand when

beneath her pa

longer a f

th her skin, shaped like a crescent

ouche

ark p

n

ic

sper fille

th star ha

spun

y was

ace crackl

lection in the mirror

ant from me?"

ark b

eath the Northern Pala

d for centuries, trem

m its ancient

cks bega

that had been silent for a

ue