VOWS TO THE DEVIL

rld sh

by a hammer. The pressure in her chest exploded outward, flooding her veins with fire

wolf breath

she was

en caged inside her since before she drew her first breath. Her body twisted, co

oid between stars. Her vision sharpened. Her senses exploded. She could smell everything-the blood on Aldric's blade, the fear o

all wolf. She wa

the size of dinner plates. Her jaws could crush bone. Her eyes burned

e was

ldric s

nderclap. The Crimson Ridge warriors stumbled backward, their weapons

found a

e pressed harder against Kael's th

e hissed, "and I'l

on Kael. On the blood trickling dow

for himself. It

his voice hoarse. "D

t yet. He wants me to reac

He wanted her to lose control. He wanted the Devil Wolf to emer

t give him w

er wolf's muscles coiled, ready t

faltered. "What

Her wolf's throat was too new, too

think. And s

ulsing like a second heartbeat. It had always been the

ld herself. I won't lose

? I have been planning this for decades. I know everything about yo

. A cold,

e carrying the Heart. She begged the Moon Goddess to sea

wolf we

So she struck a bargain with the Goddess. Your power would be sealed. Your wolf would be h

Lyra like a th

wanted you

to keep you small. She chose

burning in her chest flickered, guttered, tur

lf whispered. He's

he? Was

ver held her close. Never whispered that she was

seen a daughter

ck in her composur

ating what she had sacrificed to protect you. She di

nk into Lyra

th

*

ted clearing of the Moon Temple. Her mother's han

igh Priestess. "Please, just one more c

old silver eyes. "She has no wolf, Seraphine. The

here must be something. Somethi

s voice was final. "Your dau

expected denial. She expected her mother to fight for

aw her mother'

ne whispered. "I'

yra's shoulder

she felt something inside her crack. Something she would never remember because she w

ned by the one person who w

*

to Lyra with the forc

The transformation flickered, wave

saw her falterin

s calm. Steady. Unwa

lo

doesn't matter. You are not your mother's choices. You are not yo

olden. Warm. Filled with something

e to f

. "Shut up! Sh

is blade to

a m

body exploded forward, faster than she knew she could move. He

c scr

backward, clutching his ruined arm,

howled. "You'l

. Her hackles were raised. Her teeth were bared. Her amber

e words came out in a growl, deep an

rriors rush

for them to att

warriors like they were paper. Her claws ripped through armor. Her jaws crushe

not a we

as a

s done bei

oken and bleeding in the courtyard. Aldric himself had f

er chest heaving, her body trembling with

elt Kael's han

tly. "It's over. Yo

on his knees, his throat bleeding, his f

ike she was the most beauti

was fine, that she was in control, t

oo much. She had held it for so long, and now it was

orld

coll

*

in Kael

steps quick and steady. Her head lolled against his chest. Sh

she wh

xpression was a storm of emo

Don't try to move. You've

ou

his army. We're secure for now." His jaw tightened.

protest. Every muscle ached. Every bone fel

are we

ou need to rest. Y

ll me wha

wn at her, and for the first time,

"Then tell me.

mother's face haunted her. The words Aldric had spo

red. "What he said about my mother. About t

arkened. "Doe

tters

d laid her gently on the bed. He sa

his: whatever she chose, it doesn't define you. You are

man who had kissed her like she was the only thing in the world. At

said softly,

kno

. What I'm becoming. Wha

n don't become what he wan

s. She was so tired

time in her life

I'll watch over you. I wo

omi

omi

sl

ric's face. Not the face of the Beta Commander

who had been waiting for h

was l