LYN

against her

Gentle

ed to the damp soil near the river's edge. Moonlight

blurred, like she was st

she heard

ma.

soft and innocent, ec

p with a gasp, her hand flyin

ingertips-warm, throbbing. So

red. "This... th

it

aby. The crib. The weight of love an

. She had

of hands gripp

l she saw Theo kneeling in front of her,

? You fainted. You're freezing!" he said, yan

er head, voice wea

uld've

n it? I heard a child's voice inside my mind? I

," she said instead. "I came to the

e third time in a week you've blacked out.

ught. "I wasn

t it's clear you're unrave

swallow

shing a wet lock of hair behind her ear

dn't a

down, she kne

DE

e edge of the forest, a place he hadn't visited in yea

you last saw he

here during the war. When the

the g

only a few weeks old. Evelyn nev

shing dust off an old dresser.

floorboards. Inside was a bundle of letters,

p the locket

holding a baby with midnight-bla

punched

murmured. "Our

if Evelyn doesn't reme

ow. "Because if anyone finds out about her b

LYN

, her head swirling with memories that didn't

ion

she

she couldn't remember learning. Bl

she held on to a nearby tr

s," she whispe

only person who h

ke another step, she he

ing to see it

turned

eer w

n ragged robes, hair braided with bones

an rasped, "the bond

ped back. "

fire that burned you. I saw the child

's co

l try to take

spered, voice bar

er. Your moo

s heart

d the only way to save her...

E P

she walked through the woods, the

yn was alone again, steppi

ted to know more,

tiffened

g," he said, hold

hen took it with

throat. Her fingers traced the tiny image in

he whispered. "I pai

she was born. You were

her eyes. "Wh

loser. "You na

s lip q

he added. "But you said she need

el

nd Kade caught her b

rything. For the bond. For leaving you alone. I was

quiet. "Did yo

her, raw hone

till

LYN

t night, locket presse

el

... but felt like it had al

d once befo

rawer," he said, hold

ave her on thei

den-forgotten-but

keeping secre

is gaze. "No

in love

ked. "I think

I'll ask one last time. Stay

her head.

ened. "He'll des

ng taller. "He already

E P

nto the cabi

ve a p

tensed. "

're saying Evelyn had a child during

turned to ice

ck. And if they ge

weapons. "Then