Tales of Aria"Lost Heir"

nd her, the black wolves howled, their snarls slicing through the night air. She didn't

t filled her nose. Her muscles scr

onlight spilling into a clearing

shed h

inding through the grass like a silver snake. Without hesitation, she leapt into the i

olves paced the banks, growling in frustration. T

s and thick brush. A perfect hiding spot. She cl

she s

thicket, bow slung across his should

a

oticed her-

et a chance

burst fro

-arrow drawn, loosed. The string snapped with a s

ers hes

as e

ed and shivering, her voice

adable. "Don't thank me yet. That arrow wasn't for

ed. "I didn

wering the weapon. "Not your faul

there, just curiosity-and something else

re serious now. "What di

didn't do anything. They're not just

made his e

he distant howls rose again

the forest. "We h

ey slipped through the underbrush in silence, shadows stretching long

ders. The only sounds were the rustle of movement a

led her to a waterfall. Behind it, mostl

ca

The chamber beyond opened wide, its walls glitterin

sat be

ey entered-young, alert, a

d, standing quick

is Aria. She's being hunted. I was

want to speak, didn't want to re

them ev

k. Her parents. Th

hands trembled. Her voice cracked. But neither Kael nor t

shed, the sil

an steppe

gaze steady. "And we're not

ing just slightly. "You're safe here for now. Rest