The mate he failed to kill

yone touched the silver m

inched at every sudden movement. A dropped spoon made her curl into

w that kin

dy long after the

h for the girl. She did not ask a single question. She simply waited, hand

e said at last. "No on

icked to her f

who I am?"

ho came in

ht. My name

Her fingers twisted t

to ask you abo

slid towar

a said softly. "You can stop whenever you want.

Velmira, standing by th

as special," L

said

in blac

they want

wallow

eeded girls who could

ightened around th

t si

her collarbone, then pulled

nder the house." Her voice thinned until it was barely there.

eemed to g

ed herself

children w

now. More

e where the

on it." Lysa pulled the blanket up to her chin. "The

dy s

The cold burn. The silver fire tearing through her ch

been an iso

ldren for the same corrupted m

fast the chair s

ing to Ash

ed between he

thout a

en may be dyi

get yourself killed, w

her, her chest ri

as fu

ause Velmir

ted her to storm into Ashen House and make ever

ought would only hand

es and forced her

s. We find every entrance. We learn when the chil

steppe

u are t

s been capabl

ing your hatred

ng because th

uiet. Nyxara looked back at

em out," she sai

id not

ot look at th

Nyxara's report w

r scarred face giving nothing away. When Nyxara finished, the silence str

to a house full of armed men in black coats

ild's

kes it more reliable, or

to decide that. I'

s eyes

watch the house and

ree

d off the w

d the children a

change

to let the enemy

r stare witho

e Blackfen's women because

tyard fe

blades by the wall had sto

. For once, she ha

d Nyxara for

uts. If anything happens to them throu

wil

ean

ow yo

led map from her be

a too

ed it first to check

a small

ore than M

raining twelve women who had v

limp. Another shook so badly she could

id not m

woman gently. "You're holding your fear in yo

in. Her blade stead

," Nyxa

eels like I

practice unt

ng a stance there. She taught them to watch their opp

hem. "He may have better weapons. He may

the circle, meetin

him

were exhausted b

others gathered their

a terrible

ise overw

ecome ar

rrogance fro

e faded from

ot meant to

mory arriv

she practiced archery. His hands covered hers, gu

arrow and finally

issed he

ng better, he

rned and k

hat evening believing she had a

ooden sword until he

tched he

mor

tra

ack on the rack, slowl

fight someone s

pression g

, I c

rst reference to Ashen House in a

ply carts, unidentified prisoners,

entioned only me

versions, then

hanged

a second docume

red. The other claims he was

wh

ax's o

stomach

that

Your Majesty. The c

he two versions lay side by

idence Severax had presented. The private

questioned

n

roceed because he feared that delaying

lled it n

it protectin

verax had known exactly wh

n ordered. "And bring me every

on no

uments connect to Nyxara's

e what the co

ared b

ooked up

quietly. "That

He had never heard the k

on the altered report, pressing it flat against t

ation was no longer an attempt t

uch of the horror had happened beca

ream echoed bene

lammed a

hild curled on the cold floor, watch

next subjec

ened

the top ma

RA T

le crossed

urmured. "Let us see what happens when