ded like wol

h the compound. Somewhere beyond the stone walls, the sharp cracks of gu

Seal the chambers. No one

r. Raven was still panting from the blood rite, her palm burning as if the bond had been etc

arm. "Tell me what th

e'd ever seen. "The Nightfangs don't

rn

complete their own claiming rite with your

as barely a

. "So I'm the b

" he said grimly. "Y

k the walls. Dust rai

chamber with a heavy chain of silver. "We're r

't," Luci

n't kno

cked like a whip. "I'

"No. You can't control

r of the circle, where the blood from their

for him. "Luci

ment, something ancient lived in his eyes. Not

real crown," he said.

pond, he dropped to

t was no

s scream turned into a roar so deep it made the walls vibrate. Black f

en's place was no

claws that scraped the stone floor. Its eyes were molten

He's still in control, but

ed. Her heartbeat was chaos,

error, something insi

forward. One pa

from its throat, but

e stepped f

eyes l

" she wh

haled, sharp

ll behind t

e and screams. Raven's ears rang, vision swimming. She scrambled up, co

Black veins threaded through

his

glowe

ast roared

claws and teeth tearing.

ang followed.

en toward the rea

t leavi

o good to

fangs, claws soaked in black blood. But he was bleedi

n said. "There has

a said quickly. "Call

oes tha

e only one who can bring him back

ned, hear

two of the creatures. One was raising

n screamed. "C

f's hea

king a claw swipe, leapin

If I'm yours, t

flared

howl split the air so lo

cyclone of fury, tossing the

shrieked. One

didn't

east turned back to her. Ey

she whispered

stepped t

gan to

but it wasn't v

racked back into place. When it was don

al

sed into

" he murmured. "

him. "You'r

kno

"You called that monst

rely conscious. "

s as the other guards stormed in, taking out the

n't let g

appens now," sh

faintly. "Now the wor

head. "I did

led me back. That's

he bond," she whisper

is eyes. "Then

N

will come harder. They'll send their Princ

hill ripple

's a p

. "Malrick. He's old

hink he wa

u. He wants your lineage. You're not just some accident of fa

r even hea

on pack was wiped out twenty yea

mother s

guised herself. Marri

ike the truth had just

life has

"That's how it

lood had dried into something that

ady to wear

ue. "Then you'll

I go down, I'm taking a few of t

ody and raw. "

d him to

ke had

ar had on