y secret. Rylan and I crouched in the watchtower's shado

a tonight," Rylan said

led from the feast hall's chimney. Kieran would be there, l

*

ck avoided me, but the river didn't care if I was cursed. I scrubbe

choed do

u to be distr

rr

uching behin

sluicing off his scarred torso. He stared at the horizon

"But the men need the

shed his fa

itated. "Is

aw tightened.

t mean

gaze swept my hiding spot. My pulse th

riding past Garrick. "Do

*

oll

But the vial's w

Places I'd gathered herbs. The oak where I'd stitched his wound afte

ging my palms. He'd grinned through the pain

slumped. A hollow m

*

und him

shallow, as she draped herself a

ed. "I've

ender scent cloyed the air-my scent

k. "What do yo

You. Us. The future w

you?" The words slippe

ped. "

, restless. "It's...

u're tired. The treaty

to the oak, the sound cracking through the woods. "I

oiled.

But it's been weeks." He raked a hand through

s.

"The mistake is you

lled.

her trails, sigh over her memory. She's *gone*, Kieran.

ht possible, pinning her to

eeth. "Elara. E

like she'd bur

venom in her smile. "But rem

*

ace, tears blurring the moo

lan stood guard, but I shoved p

la

I choked. "H

lt, wary.

's empty." I clutched hi

r eyes unreadable.

't a qu

oked

his dagger. "Then

*

a raw, broken sound that t

ered, silent

cross his wrists, the sharp s

stolen days ago wasn't enough-Morana demanded more, *fresh* blood,

y allies. The patrols had doubled, but I knew their routes-every

d the shelves, the herbs I'd once tended now wilted and forgo

ands. *This is betrayal.* Bu

rd groaned

fro

rp as broken glass. "Check the stores

ecognized Rylan's

footsteps thudded closer. Lila's shadow loomed under th

ng. "Still skul

ped br

h cloying. "Come out, and I'll make it quick. Res

nted. I shook my h

"Fine. Burn

rumbled. "The

e now. B

e door crashed open, his blade at Garric

Rylan s

ts erupted. Torches flared. The infirmary ig

plit the chaos-

kn

he forest, our breaths

the satch

d feral. "Then we d