The mate he failed to kill

otten how to sleep wit

s bed. Other nights, he woke on the floor, his wolf clawing at the inside o

ing properly after

they learned not to comment when untouched meals left his chambe

d become an

lt was

verax was taking advantage of his isolation. Draven had listened to both men and changed nothi

he northern conv

rom the untouched

he

ning, bef

wh

"The woman calling

m went

the desk, watched the k

ame again,"

sty. That is what the

did sh

ansport documents.

nyone

ere injured." The guard swallow

ckly that his chai

e the r

r with both hands, as i

ck hair. A scar near the left wrist. A voice

d the last

w that

ught her. He remembered teasing her about being impatient. He remembered the way sh

ith such force that

the first time in three years it did not

thin and so silent for so long, gave

live," he

not congra

that she is the wom

now

Caedmon's voice stayed level. "You

n fli

the truth for him, and Drav

Draven tol

oor c

," Draven

d t

on hung be

ring her home. Lock the gates. Put guards at every door. Tell her

e word home might sound l

wly. "Do not restrain her unless

lifted. "And

em, let them r

long moment. "That order w

et it c

ill call i

me to move prisoners into a s

e original tra

went

rectives. He had signed them while refusing to read beyond the fir

dered childre

d his absence to

I signed," he

yo

st the desk. "Find every order bearing my seal. Freeze the transfers. No

x will

him a

one short n

was alo

toward t

ara. He had believed that if he starved long enough, if he let his wolf tear him apart from within, if

had

had sav

had not stop

ad survived

ck so

turned.

e ans

r opene

ce hidden by shadow. Draven reached for the dagge

ouched hi

"and I will finish what you

knew th

his ribs with a sound that was almost a ho

ll away fro

lowered

tood bef

something in her eyes had gone so cold that he c

saw the same dark eyes that

s nearly

xar

e as if you have

. A thin line of blood a

did n

reached him, rain and smoke and the one thing beneath them that was only hers. The sound that r

m for the first time in three years, pacing, clawing, every i

unded thread between th

eyes fl

ad he

hat," s

ice came out hoars

ows no

nothing else f

e it was, but her bre

u were dead,"

ain I had ever

I

gin with your pain. I spent three years learning to breath

d. Pride, old and stubbo

esk?" he asked quietly. "Two hundred. Not one of them stopped y

he cruelest thing he ha

them, You

id no

king with a knife at his

not ca

you are

f me." The arrogance drained out of his voice, and what remained

owe you

You d

Of watching you bleed. I used to wake up with

d n

deciding h

ond f

nger that had nothing to do with food. His wolf threw its whole weight f

her feet, the blade fo

and he heard her heartbeat as clearly as his own, fast and

ts head and bared

have stopped

elt to anyone

stared

t u

on't let me. He wants you close, and I-" His

ke this look like

sking you t

You'd g

ed over him. The sharp line of his collarbone beneath his op

oosened by the w

him, the flicker of her

flashed

em, and it made a low, aching sound that Nyxara's lips neve

ou last eat

nked.

came out too fast. "I do

xar

again, harder than before, as if puni

s eyes

out the evidence, and I signed the order anyway. I let

ga

on the last word. "I am sorry. Gods, I am sorry. I have

you whenever you like." S

kno

d let the execution

kno

aying y

t his skin. A new thread

not f

anted to tell her that every room in the palace reminded him of her, that he had kept her books untouched a

ings would undo the

you here?

t you know about

erax concealed th

allowed

es

anger her more than

e told me your grief made you careless." Her lip curled. "But you know the truth, don't yo

ould not

she wa

ward. The bond pulled tight between them, and his wolf ho

bond

t behind, and he felt her, truly felt her, rage and exhaustion and a grief

a sti

faster. For a heartbeat, he knew she felt his agony in her o

nnection against m

not us

make i

three years, Nyxara. It will no

s though looking at him any longer woul

orgive you,

not ask

you. If that bond has

id hoarsely. "But hear m

ep toward him before sh

r chest rose an

could not tell whether she was

derness, but with the terrible uncertainty of a person wh

ed the b

t u

aced on the desk. His legs

know what accou

len transport dire

anctuary is doing w

read th

drained o

never se

l is on t

e is using m

meo

ooke

ver

in him, the one who had ruled unchall

what it costs t

e ever known what anything

landed. He

went on. "Every name. Every location. And you

t of being instructed in my own study." H

used

wil

t to promise

d toward

ra, w

but did no

Draven said. "I am asking for the c

lders st

your kingdom requires choosing between your crown and innoc

nd the door handle.

ment, neither

olf begged without words, pressing every ounce of longing it h

did

last, without turning. "Eat somethin

he was

his throat and the transp

tionless until

nce she had left behind, howling for t

eartbeat dwindling down the corridor, one distant, stub

a hand to

seeing her again

ad she looked at him as i

hem had she stop

inging in the

hen another.

or a royal command tha

nto the study,

ry has received your order

n loo

nd

has been

ted by

's face w

econd command bearing your

e page with a

n too

carried a fre

s

it was a sin

BE COLLECTED