Wolf King's vision, the fo

irds were

houlders. Mist hugged the ground like breath caught in expectation. Her

side of her

, in her visions, in the aching vibration of her

the final l

ark. The light was filtered here, filtered through the heavy canopy a

ri

tood

adn't been

een in t

huddering breat

ans

creak of old wood. But something in

ly crunching on damp ground. The path in front of her was no longer

the fore

ll. In the center of it was a tree with bark as black as coal and leaves th

forward an

u c

e. It was not spoken out loud-it blo

ed. "Show

adows

n, he w

cloak, his cloak one with the woods, his face ve

Wolf

pped back, but her fee

move to

she did

ds held

me?" she said, her voic

e was a growl, a deep, ancient sound.

re fists. "You

n. You touched the fire. You walked across the threshold

at. "I belon

ad tilting. "You say so, but

reath

as r

in, a warm golden light just under the skin of her c

e you?"

"A beast. A curse.

her heart poundin

e something much older. Something that even I..." He pa

eyes

he stillness betwee

u. Already has. You will hear the forest. Feel its brea

for

rose but did not brush hers. "You are more th

nked. "

he moon ch

oes not select. The Seer

ut I waited centuries for just any girl to carry the mark of a crescent.

s whirling on the rus

t thundered

ad to

he di

st because a prophec

tone turned suddenly harsher. "No, little

something

ser-barely a

to hover inches from her c

hard she knew he had

ir, he bent forward

It sleeps now. But it will wake soon. And whe

the chill closed ar

will sing

anis

link-

ist rolling between trees like br

, her skin

but this time it sounded living. A

rection from which she'd come

to th

o the

the lamp post ahead, she lo

no longer a p

ecret waiting t