ottage. Aria slouched against the window, staring out at the moon-stained trees

still

l mo

... h

n't

shifted, blood-soaked, and alive before her eyes, after feeli

s a second heartbeat. It hadn't faded since the night he'd touched i

ion had she ev

s called ou

n had draw

sts alread

t of Aria th

d on the cold glass, e

to be a queen,

ind didn'

he hunters' dogs had gone missing. There were prints near the

hey spoke of old stories. Curses. The days befor

"the trees choose one of us. And the girl

blood c

they

suspect i

squeeze her hand. "Ignore them," she whispered. "You'r

't reach the hollo

was... she wasn'

e-she en

the dreams

Elderly. They were filled with lavender

longer, in silver ribbons braided. A torc of bone arou

no longe

was

n on his knees before her

he said. "Even k

. "And you are the only kin

nd. "Then go to the Nort

hind them, wing

ke up

r collarbone b

ria did not att

wood or help Li

the edge o

lantern post, breathing in the scent of w

me sl

sh, this time

ion to mov

ed into t

woods

as laid out-not that she could see it, but that she f

she reached a hollow l

by a still pool

Wolf

her without surp

ou," she said,

f your

ping closer. "Sh

u a

eling beside the water.

ortal blood, yes. But your soul remembers a th

dn't a

looked at h

d on her skin

s, something a

ed," she

is lined with teeth. And there are those who would devour

she told him, facing him fully. "You

replied. "But the manner of it...

sat betw

hy not one who is stronger, mor

dn't

aned

e," he explained. "Only someone who cries, and questions, and hu

at if I

"And the forest will rot. And the bond will die. A

swal

n't a

statement

ght settled like

" she managed t

sed. "Then

hand-not to touc

lay bet

. No magic.

.. ch

, Aria lifted her own and allowe

rm

rl of

exhaled

ent shifted be

t moment,

't as much a mor

s in the proce