The Banished Luna's Awakening.

ploded i

nst my ribs as adrenaline su

kn

that the survival instin

backward

rlah starte

dn't

bolted out

called after me

rough the unfamiliar hallways. My body still ached horribly, and

to get

rted looking at

decided I wa

y throat as I pus

ing the corner ahead until I sl

rd into some

ed my shoulders to steady me

ho

fr

could easily snap another person in half without trying. Dark hair fel

cond, I thought someo

a brow. "And where exactly are yo

outh, but no

iolently as panic

tly hear Darlah calling my na

slightly as he took in my p

ou've seen a gho

y lowere

I whisper

nother question, I shoved

nfusion as I disappea

, he simply

d after me wit

he murmured un

ng until my legs nearl

dea where

eading outside. Without hesitation, I hurried towa

ard

st made me col

d thick climbing vines winding around stone arches. It was qui

rf

o the garden until I found a secluded

my body fina

apping my arms around myself as I

ill pounded

*

s she turned sharply down the corridor,

out, stopping

er. "What's going on? Why are both

roze imm

rly, she straightened and lo

greeted br

houlder, down the hallway L

muttered. "And now you're chasi

h swa

rtain-like she was struggling

exhaled

the forest," she said carefully. "They brought

silently, his expr

continued. "She was in critic

rched sligh

h hes

alone made the a

," she said slowly, "She took a bath and

's eyes

sentence, as if the words themsel

?" he presse

ok a shak

the former Luna,"

le

absolut

ent comple

like even the air a

t a short, dis

ing things," h

k her head

insisted. "I told myself it was just a coin

ze sha

ha

voice dro

ark on her

very trace of disbe

continued, urgency creeping into her tone. "It

xpression da

tion her," Darlah added,

at p

ano

y exhaled, his

" he said quietly. "I ne

odded im

, Be

rd, the two of them tu

*

ar," Darlah said quietly

od

with my hand and held my breath, terrified they would

steps gr

os

my eyes s

sudd

O

d nearby, followed by

s flew

e, nearly falling face-first into the flowers. She look

both stared at ea

lled, clutching her chest d

rabbed her wrist before sh

pered desperatel

ed slightly at

I could still hear fain

en me and the pathway nervous

e you

hard before

blin

edly, her expr

ed my arm and pulled me lower behind th

eta's voice said from s

e voices faded before fi

close," sh

ased her wris

rows furrowing slightly as she took

hey were looking for, aren

fr

e sighed softly. "Relax. I

hat almost

y before helping me stand. "You l

e," I li

nimpressed look.

ituation, I n

lly guiding me out from behind the hedge. "And if yo

"Why are yo

y. "You don't look da

made my throat tig

corridors until the grand parts of the pack house disappeared behind

na explained. "Nobody import

to a tiny but tidy room b

stay here

her in surpr

he said matter-of-factly. "And honestly? You lo

caped me before

u don't have to tell me everything," she said gently. "But wha

st tig

wering carefully, "I just...

the truth

lowly, not pu

igure things out," she said

er kindness properly, she sud

t, you ne

lin

f wind could knock you

he returned with warm

t how starving I actually was. Embarrassment bu

st out l

teased while han