re

. Not because Grey preferred silence. Because ever

d tried.

you h

no

o c

e of h

ou like

her

xtent of Maya'

ly disliked speaking. Then he remem

der

ence. The irony almost made him laugh. Instead

bout her fel

t of wind might sweep her away. Even when eating, she moved ca

e flin

God

flin

hed, Maya stiffened bef

Singl

infur

s though he carried a whip behind his back. Th

t away. Not

ibility until three day

ponsi

ing

en off the horse. Grey s

asleep wh

simply..

. The next she tilted side

ghts did. He had caught her. Only aft

If anything, that

most effortless. She fe

of her dress hung loosely around narrow wrists. Her shoulders were delicate beneath the

fro

t fed his Ro

couldn't

had a naturally slight build. Whatever the reason, she looked more like

ye

ugh to blink at him wi

fallen as

laughed the entire afternoon. Even

leeping through

liev

The forests changed. Towering pines replaced broadle

o

ce instinctively. Behind him,

erely

ifting mist. Jagged. Ancient. Protective. Beyond

king

bu

eaned slightly forward. Grey noticed through the

. Smoke curled from hundreds of chimneys. Frozen rivers shimmered beneath pale sun

e cen

n from this

Everlastin

hed toward the sky.

in

onstantly. One moment wonder. Another moment curios

look

time. Every mountain fascinated her. E

ryt

orgot himself

ing through the snow. Her shoulders tensed imm

oked

sponsibility whe

ed before they

the

ds b

ledged them

stopped hanging laundry. Old men leaned upon walking sticks. Even the ones already stuc

ause Grey had returned. Because

Ron

's h

ha broug

dess hasn't a

t tightened

clasped their hands in prayer. One el

u, Moon G

't bear loo

they did

d children would once more be born healthy. They believed their sons and daughters would be able to shi

belie

swall

veryone. She looked con

rse sh

ant to them. How could they? Even Grey

People threw winter berries onto the road. Children waved

twisted someth

y smile rest

ne halls. The carved wolf statues. The frozen foun

ed her for

never left V

ation unse

ined. Always indoo

ng beneath a hedge behind all the gatheri

was, the softness disappeared. Replaci

owned s

nge

ly closed behind them.

mmediately as ser

climb down. Or ra

n. Looking at the

his hand. "It

d Maya's arm roughly and tugged her down from the horse. Maya squealed yet again and she closed her eyes as if expecti

' disapproving face beside him. Even the servants looked surprise by how Grey treated her. Perhaps it was not the wisest t

manhandled. Knowing that only irritated him more. He had to tell hi

a cub with her... although with her constant flinching a

ye

ch

uld have a

eed to seek alternative sol

approached quickly.

rse th

the bridge

te

ace them yet.

ced tow

l he had

ne person who mi

the kingdom's most secluded elder. A woman few had seen i

conversations between them. Always about Ronas. Always ab

why Maya's flow

uld b

haps defects c

thing blocke

rh

rous so Grey s

il

ded to

ora first," he said to Mar

e brow. "The gir

ignor

eople?" Ma

palace gates. Outside, celebrations had

o

elt

supposed to

pable of sustaining a single flower? That ever

t

ould

confirmed there

l th

.

ft her. Hands folded together but head turned at every direc

waiting. She hadn

lked

ly... She

ai

hard to push down his annoyance,

ou

ly turned

deep da

tbeat neit

s words caref

wa

t to speak

blin

re not to tell anyon

her

o demonstrate

ck th

remained

ll do a

le

h

ded obe

n

fro

easier than expec

her

o questions.

th

his throat quie

nced tow

dy doing all

ked back

gh

approached anyone. She har

ordered her to continue existing exactly as she alw

il

he was defective, word would spread before sun

ld die o

dn't al

t

hausting ever

xhaled

dark cloak, which she was too late to catch so, it fell to the ground. A few servants murmured at the action. Realizing that he

l was toward Grey, he closed the distance between them. And once the cloak had wra

he could only manage a

rked behind her eyes. It was only a fraction of a second. But he notic

ra

f her, almost

ed the excha

servants inside did Marcus

dy dislike

frigh

Grey replied

k his head. "I do

What is that su

ay Maya had disappeared throug

xcited to see new things. And... that spark of something he could not explain behind her

ched one brow

, "...someone must ha

tement

as faking it. The way she'd squeezed her eyes shut w

cted

ssed the

r had done wa

nothing. No

a defect," Gre

didn'

uette of the Everlasting Tree visible beyond the palace

added quietly, "But s

aid no

t afford to think

entire kingdom depended upon wh

e outside those palace wall

had already begun dis

ossible possibility that somewhere, hidden beneath those