The Alpha's bargain bride

arp to be blind to what she saw. Stormveil had watchers everywhere. People who spoke with glances

the second I stepped outside my quarters. The air

en I crossed the steps. Blades hung in the air. No one blin

Fear was a weapon, wasn't it? And

I looked like someone he lost. Others whispered I was cursed, that

he worst part-I didn't kno

eastern boundary, the

be out here a

alone," I

d, just slightl

N

nstead, he handed me a satchel. "Th

hy

"Because land remembe

ng there, the satchel

ound book without a title. The first page

an

it how my chest clenched at the sight of i

rees, stones cracked and overgrown, many etched w

carved deep, with a fourth symb

it. The wi

No breath.

behind me

ldn't tou

sp

ak hanging dark around him. His sword strapped to his bac

hand stayed

on't know what

back. I didn't. "Wha

ate like a predator who already knew the outcome. "I w

thing raw in me. "What

Everywhere you pass, the earth pulses. I see it."

't do a

ly," h

hear the weight in his breath. C

I said. My voice was

oo

y throat, brushing it with a to

than it look

ou've seen

what it was

dry. "What was

witched, not quite a smi

m, he turned and vanish

chives. Down stone stairs carved into the cliff,

e too faded to read. I found a ledger marked w

. So was Thorne.

not

t even in the

Not in their r

d. He sat beside me on the cold benc

poisoned

sideways look

rned. Sharp,

ven, "that there are stories of

ed. "St

weren't chosen. They weren't clai

di

somethi

e courtyard. I shivere

lines carry that penda

nd

m lived past

in my lungs. "

kno

ike shadow, and left me with th

t, I drea

till this time, but moving. One c

f opened its m

ong to

m the inside. Veins of frost crawled

rost, traced by a fingertip

lai

t away. I

owed-not on the d

y ear again

something k

slid through wasn't

miliar.

chi