The Debt of the Unmarked

e too weighty

my way to the door. Every step had a ponderous, echoing quality in the hallway,

r walked

gripped, tho' did not grasp for me, a g

," one of

as he w

from power and age, seated beneath the black banners of the Shadow Pack

Sila

lind

ot looking at anything. Across his right brow ran

front of him. Didn't have to. The room w

ea," one of th

to the

dug into

into my flesh. I buried my f

y voice shook, but I didn't relent. "He follo

fills

Silas's hand tighten around the blac

ht," he said. His voice was low, stead

st gre

said in a

It was as though, even blind, he w

satisfies the Shadow Pack now

ad jerked

the back. He went to

orward. "I

om my mouth before f

s st

ked. "An unm

ut, I could feel them as if lacerations on my

"Bind me to you.

e said, holdin

t for a moment

e cl

by the second one. However, the distance separating us appeared

rld er

seared. My knees wobbled as an ancient, se

at

shouted in

grip on mine tightened, for onl

d his ha

" he

cracked' li

d throughou

e council. Before the Moon. A traitor's daughter will

t deeper tha

though I d

t on. "Let her learn wh

nodded. "S

m my wrists – and then r

Kian was dra

him. I would hav

ns on the training h

nees hurt. My thin dress w

**

ed a

lin

e tapping once against the stones.

t," I replied

closer.

," he said. "

n the rag

me," he

sita

d the floor sh

sed m

e. My chest ached where the bo

only when spok

ove only wh

, Al

d his face. Some

, " he sai

h caught

he said. "Desc

. Then step

tly. "There's a bench to

ind mine, sur

he st

d back,

s brushed

ond f

was not seeing th

throug

ind's eye-shapes, light,

s fr

you do?" h

and away, my

don't

Then his head turne

since the rejecti

ee," he