wolf wa

lingering in her ears like a curse. Her legs trembled as th

s she'd appeared. Elara stood still, bloody and breathing hard. Lucas lean

hat?" Elara

answer. She

ry, hidden by vines and centuries. No one came here. No one dared. It was

stone floor, sweat be

his wounds. The silver burns on his chest were still gl

get it out

Silver seeps into the bloodstream.

e sur

im die?" Celyn snapped,

hed. "You'r

, tearing the sleeve from

d, then handed

s's chest, near the larges

he whispered.

liced throu

from the wound as sil

ed then dropped,

shook. Her h

er arm. "You'r

m f

t woman said you cha

idn't r

Only the firstborn descen

I shouldn't be,"

k, his golden eye

his side in

urmured. "You're sa

ips cracked. "You... bu

ember how,"

s. "I do. You beca

or, arms crossed, wat

now," she said

up. "What d

mate bleeds for the othe

own at her own palm, where blood fr

prophecy was activated. You'

to Lucas. "Do

locked

thing you f

we do now?"

he doorway. Toward

" he said. "And why did they keep

fell

th a broken archway,

bare feet on stone, a heartbe

beside h

res me," she

se it'

thing bigger. Something ancient. And

ans to my father. It means betrayal. Trea

"Would you give i

dn't

lowed. "I

looked

wasn't supposed to want. A future.

oser. "Neith

, slower this time.

between them l

hadows, some

oved a

the first light of day, heading toward the pl

h packs, a land of bones and se

Elara muttered. "If

n't," Lu

sound

dn't

ls carved with runes that flickered when they passed.

. "They're drawn

underst

fang," Elara said suddenly. "Y

sharply. "Wha

thing Mother never told you. I was

split t

y f

ne follow

arrowed. "They

id instantly. "Meet

rowled. "We s

survive

ight," E

itated th

his hand. "I

hen s

en crumbling gravestones and shadowed trees until she found the center of the

er breath visible in t

d

ue's eye

ed through t

od. Moonlight awak

around. "Wh

ans

ound of di

d back to

sa

the stone.

na

E

d in

art st

hing behin

wly every inst

rst from

anot

from the grave, cloaked

ked away,

e lifted

White eyes.

it s

never mean

e trembled.

e your blood

turned

pse," the figure said. "An

k another

into some

tu

or

il

ughter of