TER

aph

city to look offended when

or, ignore several armed guards, and dissolve into

wed to be

said, stumbling toward us, "we

ed at

ed back

" I

ed. "No, Yo

where until somebody exp

alace

ed from th

th s

ature who looked as though he had been perso

rable," he said. "You

anners are

ckered in his

t a s

caught m

to pul

ded throug

asp

d over my wound began glowing, its lines

went

ntered the palace, the demon

that?" I

dn't

ret

snapped

so familiarly. Somehow, it felt

ying his name made th

f me," I

ased my

ain s

d at th

d you do

thi

y is you

top

shifted ben

rk lines rearranged themsel

hem, but I underst

UN

mach d

e change in m

id. "Whatever happens next, do

hy

it is not

what i

e was answ

ped ba

ne somethi

N

re ly

y things, Princess. Th

emor shook

side, bells b

toward the s

very litt

owed h

. The roses were black. The fountains had stopped f

ched across the courtyar

g moved

I whispered. "Are t

es

hy

of what

a prin

e many

know what

t me for a

what y

oat ti

oes tha

loser, lower

estroyed my heart. She believed it w

red a

dess was

es

think I

ow yo

s impo

the wards around this palace reacted to your awakening. Explain why an assassin

oul

led to anot

e childhood: a burning temple, a bloodied hand,

ssumed they we

in I had ever trul

said suddenly.

changed in

crossed

n't k

nest uncertainty I

at frightened me mo

own at the

ou rem

t h

remove it

esit

es

xha

n do

t y

ief va

y n

only thing keeping your s

red a

e bells g

an I'm

already tried to separate you from your

es wea

ght me bef

cheek resting against the cold fabric of his

t vibr

a hea

lled

was

ion became

thi

't feel li

toward the

more dangerous

im for sa

ause a part of me wa

something beyon

ood at the end

hite dress, and her feet we

er seen h

h such unbearable sadnes

t child?" I

th t

ridor w

me, all traces of sof

t ch

standing b

ed my s

ribe

e dress, the dark hair, a

nds ti

me as though my s

m the windows

hy

ad have begun r

anation, the girl appeared in the

directly

ips m

came fr

urned, and suddenly I unde

led me

un a

th

k at the glass, t

eflection

ten in letters of black fire, was

RIDE WAS NE