ass of water. It had been two days since the anonym

dn't k

't want to appear weak.

anyone had alway

the garden. The hedges were perfectly trimmed, the fountains frozen mid-spill.

presence before h

vering by my windows,"

don't like people l

w. "Are we trad

u prefer

. "That's mor

over a black shirt, sleeves rolled up just enough to show the lean strength in hi

ople looked at him, l

thing "half" abo

e call," she

t his a

he

ibrary. A

om

an. He asked if yo

es darkening. "Why didn't

thing. And I didn't want to give you a

k I need

twist

Do you remember exa

ted the bri

d, then turned t

!" he

always seemed to linger nearby l

week," Allerick ordered. "Scrub the security footage. Pull voic

ght nod before disapp

turned ba

phone calls here," he sai

ed," she

ecause of who you were, but

laugh rise in her th

e story," he said

dn't shake the feeli

and turned off the lights, the shadows in the

the sheets, stari

upposed to fe

it

. She jolted upright,

sitor," the gi

his h

nt. He's in the foye

owed Maren down the hall, her

iting near the stairs,

vie

tur

brot

her brother. The same one who used to sneak her sweets after

e day Allerick's men retali

ed back. "Y

een in hiding. And I shouldn't

, unsure whether

said, voice low. "You ga

t underst

tand what he did to our fa

id what I had to. Adam was

astard, but he

rcely. "He's poiso

you, Leora. You're not one of them. They'll u

not a

're a sa

flin

g. Something big. Our father's not done with you. He sees

allowe

while y

ce interru

can

turned

stairs, flanked by guards. His eyes

id. "You don't barge in a

n front of Leora

on't o

erick replied coolly. "Un

ween them. "Stop

shoulders. "You don

elf peace,

like ice. "Your time's up. Ge

his sister. "You'

hoosin

he might lunge-but then he turn

as left

e of her bed, arms wrapped around hers

r is reckles

hurt

all

didn't have to con

ct what'

iece on your

r. "Then stop a

passed between them-grief, anger, mayb

his?" he asked. "Thi

e learned to t

ou've got fire, Le

way. "What h

re. You're s

esn't me

id. "But it