ou," Lucien whispered, "he'll

jaw with surprising gentleness, but his eyes-those storm

e said, voice fierce. "Don't keep hid

way, breaking the spell between t

n't survive this long by being soft. Whatever this thing i

something. Instead, he turned and lef

as alon

silence d

-

e sound of whispers. They weren't coming f

she didn't know. So

. Her palms glowed again-brighter now,

rms like they were alive, drawin

bled to t

lection

e face, but with eyes like a wolf's and hair braided with moonst

whispered

memb

and the vis

-

it before dawn, hurling punches a

l," Kael said, toss

like

sharp eyes softening. "So

k I'm remembering a p

nally said. "Rare. Dangerous. The Seer line could access

ara snapped. "I want to co

rim. "Then it's tim

-

Lucien had built a false forest below the surface-a s

ght above wasn't from the real moon but from a ceilin

e, tattoos inked down his back like runes from an

You enter the circle. The moon sees you. If

f it do

'll b

m dead in the e

d, almost a smile. "Yo

e. "I need to k

k, letting her

. The moonlight grew brighter. Harsher. It presse

pped to h

d blinding. Her spine arched. Bones s

ing. She heard Lucien shouting some

something c

bro

bou

er chest, and she shif

rst from

r and

s glowed

ves fell

circle, face pale. "You'r

nches above the ground, wrapped in moonlig

e storm that

-

in illusion, watching the girl-who-wasn't-a-gi

split

e murmured. "And she doesn't even k

d vanished in

he whispered. "You'll