The devil's little bride

A Kingdom of

ll throug

No light.

t your ears and made your own heartbeat sound too loud. She couldn't screa

fal

ti

la

crash. No

.. so

n dropped. As though someone-he-had cradled her descent. Her breath retu

sat up

fr

his wasn't any part

with ancient, pulsing symbols. The walls flickered with torchlight, though there were no torches

no window

t h

d

ng the opposite wall, hands clasp

De

d stolen her f

screamed. Curs

lene whispered,

turn. Not

said finally, his voice low and steady.

uth we

e

d-fire, screams, chains. But thi

?" she asked. "I d

ed to h

rible. Like winter storms. Like ruins. Like

y your people," he

send m

pa

can

y n

drumbeat. He moved like he belonged to a differ

ust before her. "You were bled. Bound. Offer

r chest, hot and frantic. "W

t their daughters," he said bitterly. "E

ilence

e it w

eing a witch. No one cared. They want

ust... be

uiet enough to be suspicious. Al

ect sa

sed to be chosen," she s

w tigh

he looked almo

ient ones. The Devil Bride must

owed. "A ves

dn't

ith w

er eyes could follow-and sudden

chok

esting

st

nd her skin burned

wasn'

. someth

er ribs. A pull

as a flame and h

n a breath. Her

... st

Not with hunger.

h f

im. Turned. Walked to the farthest

he said, his voice rough. "This bo

inked. "W

dn't

held more truth

en though her

n't st

p, until she was close enough to see the

ached

linc

elene

ers brushed his skin,

saw

eam

eld soaked

d

ked like her. Sam

him no

m not to f

ssing her forehead and wal

ga

ered

ook. Her who

that?" she

d to her

f centuries

Long ago. Before the gods fell. B

fingers to her temp

ice hoarse. "And yet.

her legs no longe

g was wro

like it was stretching

cient had cracked

ked up

happen

es dar

You live. Y

rev

nod

belong here,"

aid softly. "Y

retched be

ainful.

e whispered, "

ead t

he said. "To surv

udied

nodde

"Your training begins

look

ice dr

night. The walls remember. An