y

hinks I'

says it on his way out, the door clicking shut behind him, like

where he had me again

nd go find somew

y room when m

pick up, and before I can say anything, she

omach

y. Night Prison int

agic with some classmates. Someone reported i

a voice that costs her

says. "The warden's bonded mate. Jul

now what's

to ask Jul

se my

spend favors. He saves them, keeps them clean and unspent. He wouldn't pull from that account for Thomas Lancaster, and he'd know I needed him to. He'd hold that the way he holds e

p people for free.

another w

there

another way

hours. I turn that over and

holding back because I kept telling myself I didn't ne

dn't wo

thing I have

s, her color wrong. I pour her medication without being asked and she

oes warm. Refill the water. Pul

ame locked door. Thomas in a cell. Julian as the only key and the worst poss

s have gotten until I reach for

e chair on the way down and I end up on my side

p,' I

dy do

h, and I've done neither. My ribs pull on every br

ng forward in the bed, one hand pressing

ing out thicker than I want

e on th

w wher

itting with my back against the wall.

oor o

t always does. She moves straight to Meredith's side, picks up the

rest," she says

own room. The lamp is on.

e corridor outside. Their v

sed in Lady Meredith's roo

Meredith for days now. The Luna

e is she

. But I don't have time t

ad swims. I wait it out, the

er.

write the

an authority that answers to no one in this territory, that even Julian would think twice before

ences in when

n. No

stion. "Meredith needed someone. Selen

re. I was

You were in here on your own, doing nothing." He picks up the paper, crumples it without read

paper land

it. He doesn't know about Th

against my ri

ct. "You never listen to a word I say. If that's how it

doing thi

king your p

walks me back against the desk. His hand comes u

this territory. You walk out of here and you have nothing, and nobody lines up

My jaw aches wh

dom,"

d talking, every night I lay awake listening to his footsteps go somewhere I wasn't. This is what I've wanted. Not

He stays one beat too long

" he says. He walks out. Th

over word for word, then keep going where I left off. My hands are steadier than I expect them to be. I seal it befo

e corner an

s is a long time to go silent on someone. But the letter is out of my ha

*

ian

e next morning. I sit with her for

oking after you," I say. "S

djusts the blank

say. "Selena is exactly what a Luna s

h looks

e whole night. She didn't sleep. She was still on her feet when she collapsed

say an

Meredith says, her voice

er tea and say

with

s before I asked a single question. I pulled her al

n wrong a

age: Ivy on the floor of this room, one hand reaching for the comp

ed her a liar. Every word. I said it and felt nothing

m with Ivy. The

na the way wolves are supposed to lo

She said the word freedom and she meant it. The thought of her walking out of this p

ith s

have fallen, but it outranks Selena's. After that, what

Silvercrest with two Lunas is unusual, but it's been done. Ivy is mine. She walk

works,