ght, and only a single lantern's flickering light cast long shadows against the shelves. Dust filled the air, only disturbed by her footsteps. She hadn't been in this r

history of Shadow's Vale. There was nothing to find; she didn't even expect that she'd have anything helpful, but her curiosity had brought her do

lowed. She scanned through it, hoping to find something useful, but most of it was a dry text about bloodlines and old alle

scent moon. She had seen it before, long ago. Her father would draw it when he thought no one was watching. She turned the page car

ats the soul. However, this is too attractive a place for unvalued beings to dwe

stories, far-off warnings given to frighten the pups into obedience. They called it cursed, thi

location concealed behind traps and ancient wards. The text warned, however, that those protect

ght she had imagined it for a second. She heard it again, but cl

t, a rogue wolf with its lips curled snarled. Thick, matted fur covered its body, scarred from countless bat

, how did you

wolf didn't ans

he wolf's side as it shattered. The creature yelped but didn't back away. It circled her, slowly creeping.

as a weapon. She closed her fingers around the edge of a heavy book and threw it w

iously, 'I don't h

it the shelf hard enough to rattle the books, and she stumbled. Pain shot t

ly danced around the room, looking for anything she could have an edge on. She saw

gged wood, and she dove for the chair leg as it pounced. The wolf's weight slammed into her

d the room. Liana was up on her feet, heaving. The wolf didn't attack aga

, and then the wolf growled low in its throat. It wasn't fear or pain; it was a warn

les went white. She had questions piling around in her mind. How did the rogue get int

catching the faint light of the torches, gave off a dull glow. Eve

table. Shadow's Vale wasn't just in danger; it was already under attack if the ro

the question she couldn't s