ILL

whose strings got yanked. My head starts to spin, but it's no

ause of

e of C

it soaking my sheets. I close my eyes for a moment, gathering my thoughts, but the first thing I see in the

e Moon Goddess said

ke her? I have more questions than answers and the frustration building

g I know, it's that I fucked

d to get

n the castle if I need to, I jump out of bed. I push open the door and s

Kiernan's room. The guards step aside when they see me, so I p

e window. My heart sinks when I see that it's already

s at me, and asks, "Your Ma

lls me that, but I ignore it anyway

d her in the freezing cold, just staring into the distance like she couldn't believe what happened. I

dia standing where I left her, crying and wondering what she did wro

k about that. It

d exhale slowly. Every time I blink I see her distraught face and hear her

kicked her right out

r had anythi

need her back here.

' quarters," Kiernan offers

at dawn. Every empty room we pass makes me want to punch something in regret, but I can still catch the sweet scent of Claudi

to knock, but I'm des

son inside the room.

here. She whips around as soon as we get in, and

into a bow. "Gamma. I will g

Kiernan says. "You are obvious

s going to say, but I find myself searching the room in hop

blissfully empty. Vac

just so unexpected. I asked her if it had something to do with the meeting, and she said n

urning back to Maia. "I completely understand. Please, take

room, closing the door behind us. I can't even

I said to her, she stil

e foyer. I hold onto the stair banis

to me. "What happe

prepare a carriage-no. A horse. Ready a h

the Alpha King. Do you know what it would mean to the Rogues if the

past him but he blocks me. 'Move out of m

hand on my chest. "You'd have to

ut not like this. I can see his quiet anger, and I know from the look in his eyes that he can f

of Claudia getting farther and far

th to steady myself. '

ke me un

se. 'The Moon Goddess told me so. She is the Siren a

a Ach

rlos standing by the end of the stairs

ousekeeper and the Chief Butler. Both of them are carry

'I don't need any interruptions righ

. today is the Winter Solstice festival. Ou