mara's pulse thundered in her ears, the stranger's voice echoing in her mind

ting beneath her skin. Beside her, Orion gro

ough gritted teeth, his sharp

firm despite the tremor in h

und hollow and unnerving. "Defiant

ound them pulsed outward, making the trees shudder. Amara's k

you?" she

inhuman eyes. "My name is of no consequence," they said. "I serve the one who will b

f shadow shot toward her. Orion leaped in front of her, deflecting the

focus!"

her hands, a stream of golden flames erupting from her palms. The

an instant. "Good, but do

the fire. It was like holding back a ragi

er attack. But this time, Amara was ready. She pushed forward, he

cleared, the st

fire within her had receded, but it left behind a holl

er, his expression g

head. "What...

her feet. "That was no ordinary wolf. That

They knew who I was. They

an I thought. If Elaria knows about you..." He trai

ing. "But why me? Why does she ca

rion said. "The Moonfire wolves were created to counteract

he had always wanted to feel important, to be more than the pow

or any of this,

e softer now. "But it doesn't matter

llowing her fear.

ncil chamber, his hands braced against th

k said, slamming his fist on the table. "Elar

voice sharp. "We don't even know where her forces a

if you hadn't exiled the gi

. "Amara wasn't equipped to handle t

here, unprotected, with powers she does

echoing through the chamber. "This isn't ab

t, the elders excha

n our defenses and gather intelligence on Elaria's movement

elsewhere. He couldn't stop thinking about Amara, where s

ng harsher with each passing mile. Orion pushed her hard, forcing her to

s she stumbled durin

im, her chest hea

ria's forces won't wait for

more. This time, she managed to hold it steady, the

oval in his voice. "But don't get

btle changes in herself. Her senses were sharper, her reflexe

" she asked one night a

an eyebrow. "

he said. "Leaving

ames. "Sometimes," he admitted. "But freedom c

e if she would ever feel free not with the wei

lt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe

no one would ta