l clung there. Unclaimed. Like it belonged to the stone and ice more than me. I touched it aga

empty anymore. It waited. Tha

feel small. Corin stood there, leaning against

wants you

ow

't blin

tter the air smelled-iron and damp stone. Stormveil wasn't a fortress, it was a

chamber I wish

bone, not human. Piled and shaped into a table

in the

on one ridge of the altar like he wa

e," he said, still

ked. "

like you'r

m n

u a

answered first, low and achi

hadow into his scar. His eyes fixed o

know thi

N

tormveil bind

t. The grooves in the altar weren't ol

agreement," I said,

e

y bring

d doesn't care a

ickened. M

oss the altar's surface, alm

my own pulse. O

N

u w

ng. But close enough that the air between us charged, humming. H

afraid of

y chin. "S

es

thought he'd press me back against that altar and claim me like Stormveil expecte

epped away.

ped. "Before the co

torm clung anyway, thic

. I told myself I wasn't searching, but my f

rning, leaning against a

uldn't b

e here

elonging aren

rd. Almost tore it. "D

said. His tone flat,

m wh

your

e. My pulse betray

ee in the altar

thi

ia

rapped tight as wire, but he di

rust your Alph

maybe humor, maybe not.

t do you

rvi

He left the way

t voices. Or maybe voices. I couldn't tell. She d

m. Until one

the way she kil

Empty

d anyone. Not really. Except my father's blood sti

ike knives. Kael silent at the head. Corin at his right. Ro

ked at the edges. I forced

. "Stormveil doesn't n

didn't look at me. "Stormve

ring a curse into this ha

arper than I meant. "Then don't bow.

locked t

idn't

twisted, but no

rned hotter tha

st smoke. But the wolves lingered-three of them, closer each time.

with sweat. S

my

cres

into skin

ne it. I sw

t the cuts, blood sticky, silver

per slid ag

doesn't me

rt pounding

er, climbing from arm to chest,

or bur

Both froze

rawling up my thro

er his breath.

ened. Voice low,

he said. "It