THE WOLF'S KING BRIDE

he sound of

my head. No

ng. The moonlight cuts across my room, pale and sharp

hear it

oon. She's

voice,

never mea

I don't shift. I don't call for help. If someone

eal wit

en. Empty hallway.

wa

down the corridor. I follow, moving fast. Wha

e stairs. I pause, back

ays behind me, "Loo

fangs

olding a tray with t

, "are you tryin

cked.

the door. "You

rd tal

this is

ray. The tea's

food in the midd

gured you were either plotti

bo

. You're starting to

bread. "You're not s

e downstairs arguing about whose

rse the

ack into the room. "

am." She sets the tray dow

p. "W

r ago. Jarek,

o me. I just hear thing

it smells like when som

he left th

through the e

e should'v

ll each oth

e the q

the bench,

trust him

oul

pen

wh

r not you lik

at her.

s. "On go

s. The quiet. The absence. The way my bond with Thorne is stra

"There ar

alway

d they saw Rowan in the wood

own hard. "That

u s

f he's here, this who

your brothe

rn it

s. "With

t's the part I have

he trees are dark and silent. Snow gl

ing is

eel

Thorne still

every passing hour. Like a

can smell the fear on them now, bu

the wa

course it is. I

e. She's taller than me, older by at least twen

n't move

ed an

getting th

king is." She leans aga

I can't f

kes her

ere. But it's strained. Distan

htens. "He

not what

acking. East forest. So

let him g

alone. He

ere's Ja

esn't

ger and you're all just standin

yr

my chest. Not har

stand what you'r

tell

, like someone mi

ard of the H

N

action of our kind that were twisted by bloo

nd

ot supposed to

ne forgot to k

hey've returned. That the rune carved i

aim o

d to tell with

war room. The map table is lit, covered in markers a

where

hy

undary last night. Covered in blood.

warn

looks

ming for th

n goes

" I w

e it. Break it. Rew

he room spins

orne. They want to hollow him out." I

lutel

"He's m

t y

tter. I can

know what's

n't c

yes. "If you step

ission."I turn, fury

stop

in the hallway. B

lood on h

d her, the same o

lack a

il