The Wolf King's Daughter

pte

el the cold. I don't see the sun

ee

us

at me like I'm exact

t chained, not ble

a

bowed s

e, still

sor

My knife is in my han

" I say quietly, eyes on Rafe. "Be

lift his ey

he sound makes

ng forward. "Though I have to admit, I

l of sur

, you

His black hair slicked back. Cloak crisp. Rings on his fi

ur father whispered to you before he died. Did he tell

't an

wider, "a trait you must'v

nce from watchi

nally l

eyes

ce is

w what I'm

mo

gr

li

find a

eeps ci

rl. Did you really think Ra

my grip on

to twist th

winters ago. Offered me your name in exchan

head. "Yo

m

the dirt between us. "That'

t pick

at Rafe

e he's

ocks. His

close

uder than anythin

reaks. "Te

nally says. "At first, it was surviv

late

linc

ling now, but I do

kept your secrets. I defended you when they said you weren't

t know y

do

ly. "That's

teps in

is theater. You have something I want,

re at

ha

ather's seal. I k

n't

ans c

and I'll let you

htens at th

," he

omeone who stabbed me in the back?

Cyrus says smoothly.

dagger. Silver. Etched wit

s to move. To run. To s

legs wo

fr

from

bet

ould hold your hand with one side of hi

s something t

s to on

nt of

e look

u," he says. "Bu

, before Cyrus can

at

Cyr

s fast-

und, blade swinging, cutt

and shock spilli

mo

eaks like gla

the fire pit nearby, and slam my blade into the

s. Another

hard, knocking the

yells at

don'

he dagger, and drive i

how

on't

ing blades, slipping between trees and

of us

ust

heek. My lungs burn

e shouts beh

dips low and the

pse near

hing

edi

le

lowly, gla

ter expl

blood int

says. "But not to betray you. I had a

my name fo

fake name. He knew it

y the

es his

it. As

re at

tod

to get close to him. You w

u l

d

ga

gain if it ke

to hi

t to

just stare

oubt everythin

kno

think I was

kno

in si

ve to be the villain to ke

't an

t of me sti

nothe

d him tackle Cyrus w

dn't be aliv

akes every

against the

start to s

forgivi

asking.

oks a

ith you." I

ith w

him away when h

op him when he

" he says. "Something I

ok a

lded cloth. Insi

r's hand

d it, Un

words that mak

ghter is