ra'

the Moonwoo

s didn't sway with the wind, they

urs under silence broken only by Kalen's shallow brea

rds avoided

n asked as we passed beneath a

d. "But I n

nd was wrapped in cloth, and the blood was st

s pain felt shared. Like the mate bond had wrap

our laws," he warned. "It

t for the laws an

until the path s

when they

by

dows mad

in frost and mist, st

alike, except for

s white-gold, her feet bare on the frozen ground.

a wild mane of midnight curls, and

ed like tree bark, her hair braided w

Mai

Mot

Cro

on, though their m

nborn. Twice-marked. Y

ugh my throat

gaze pierced

is neve

rd. "She's not here

ent her soul reached for yours, Alpha's Curs

hing a lock of my hair. "So

asked, louder t

pau

e Crone

exist. A vessel of two

er of the Moon's chosen a

from love. Bound by fate. Destin

eemed to til

breath. "You're speakin

ned to him in

child of a cursed li

as never yours," the Moth

ate," the Maiden finished, eyes

le

air leave

.. by who?

Crone said. "And by t

"But... I thought

e whispered. "But so

in cr

'vessel'? What am

ches looked a

other step

y your mother. That fire can unbind the curse in him," she no

the Maiden sa

er," the Cr

st mistake," th

myself. "What happens if

. "The curse will consume him. A

if

the Mother said

t co

in close, her sm

ething else. Something more

lver light flar

all i

changing," the

. "Enough. We came for a

power," the

is teeth. "I

, none of

other nodd

," she said. "But only one of you may ente

rove?"

behind t

thed in moonlight,

: a pool of g

rone said. "And face

orward, hea

wrist. "You don't

," I

ld my

let

d into t

d around me. War

of the pools and lo

, seeing

I saw

no

Golden eyes. Fangs bar

wolves. Hundreds.

y b

m

vision

pered again, h

in only stepped closer, moonlig

aid, voice laced with powe

like touching fire. "Then l

split second, I saw her, Elara,

lently, magic surging fr

Cracks spread through

, figh

made of pain, fury,

s above

wed... she whispered my name,

opened to swa

, but not, echoed

ueen of Ruin. Bre

urged into me, silver and

ything w