The mate he failed to kill

ehind them w

th, the growls getting louder with every stride. Bloo

not sl

tioner. She would not die

xara!" Thor

try

har

"If you have breath to insul

h broke out of hi

into the trunk

augh

lope!" he b

burst out onto a riverbank. Black water

the edge. Thornev

. "The current will

t carries

u swim better t

e you stop

d free an

ood. The water climbed to her knees, then her waist, shoving at her like a living thing

hand clamped around

a

ds, you stubb

they clawed toward the far bank and fell onto the

the royal wolves

he surface. Another threw

e crossed,"

pright. "Then we don't

n is behind those rocks. If we reach the gate, the pa

they o

too long

Least of all a she-wolf whose name

l make th

e, Nyxara. You've never

harder than she

eals, and guards who bowed when she pass

bleeding into her clothes, hunted

t to h

ill be my fi

the ridge like

owers loomed at the corners. Behind narrow slits, lanter

ce that had survived

an aimed a crossbo

s far

both hands. "We

eed to

t the blood on Nyxara's clothes without changing expression.

pt fol

ra Th

lifted her chin despit

condemned mate. The traitor

's a

ing signed

breath

palace, Draven's name ha

ought down. "I'm

ith royal soldiers on your heels

't invi

led the

on was a setup. Severax is hidin

a story." The crossbow

en another, then a dozen. Women, watching fr

back," a v

nough for pal

king's army down o

studi

lf cradled a small bundle against her chest as if someone might

t born enemie

es the crown h

an inch. "I'm Maevra. I lead Blackfen

hearing," Nyxara said, "it can do the same to

a princess to explain

ing you to k

t are you

nce to

believing strength meant never admitting need. Now she stoo

said

ots hammering the planks. She wore a leather vest, a sword at her hip, and her h

ara. Her fa

N

" Maevr

lutel

l me

seven winters. I watched servants dragged from their beds over a wrong word. I watched good soldiers vanish after

w everything

. You were the

ced Nyxara li

had trusted every promise. That the same Alpha Veyr

it matte

a said, drawing her knife. "

shoul

a bl

"But if the palace comes for one of yo

e wo

e by what I d

t through

. Tw

the ridge. "They f

?" Maevra

oug

rk. "OPEN THE GATE IN THE

name turned like a

rrying the royal banner. More riders follo

r reined in b

ned for treason. Hand her over

vra called back. "You h

ity reaches every

rough m

y royal decree, any settlement that hides Nyxara Thorne will be

out. A she-wolf near the gat

Nyxara. "See wh

es

me out rough. She

't pretend

. "Maevra. Let me out. I'l

rnev seiz

l punish everyone

, they'll

he choice w

st time since the platform, sh

eryone by feeding

ld Draven that before he

ev le

nreadable face. Then she turn

ate, the crown com

nd her over?"

d at Nyxara

is right to decide who a

ence st

stepped asid

passed

nd her. For one breath, sh

ched her arm behind her back, and

ake this fo

Warm blood slid d

w us you're worth the danger. After th

you deci

our king why we sent

cked like a whip. "Drop it.

own from his horse and walked to the

e us Nyxara Thorne,

xara, wea

"And understand this. T

ra f

ace, shouted by a guard. She had t

was

the k

xecution. He had watche

her now like somethi

t thought. Maevra was already s

ed. Boots pounded.

knife away, but her glare

incess," she hissed. "L

hoed beyon

a s

ing of ste

in the timber and p

rest path, sword raised, betw

orn

ced at

tbeat, their

outed, "Come and get

own and sprinted into the woods. More sold

er bloody hand a

We have to

r. "Open this and every s

ved my

ours. Don't waste w

until a clash of stee

wl r

d howl

sil

No shouts. N

ned. She did not know if he had escaped, be

nly that h

hated her, with an army outside and a king who h

the cut on

ad taken her future. He would n

ch

find him. If he did not, s

again, she would not be the she-w

e he should have fe