Crimson Howl: The Luna's Tale

echoed down the corridor long

led tight, face damp and stinging. My sleeve moved on instinct-one rough w

adow s

it wa

protest. The breath that left me was

My voice was clipped. Too clippe

ai

no bark of authority. St

fr

ssed. The

lly. Not enough to give him th

h he were observing something far removed from

e reason behin

No tremble escaped

press. It lingered.

I can't know t

t. My head

are the reaso

st, too fast.

hrough his eyes, q

faltered, my voice thinn

answer. Ju

continued. "Not here. Not in a place where I

no res

had preceded him. "You stood there while they paraded me like something

ween us, stretched to

something. Anythi

n didn't falt

tand, surrounded by people who already decided I don't belong. I don't even kn

ainst the he

aid, softer no

e space between us li

. I didn't have the strengt

I cried in your beautiful,

le

ather-me, cracking open before someone who

felt like years

red.

nod

ll you ha

ed level. "Have

I searched myself for the fi

quiet

k I have,"

this time, thou

No denial. J

y, that

g to explain you

N

defend what

N

are you

"Because you needed

e room hadn't changed, and y

or your attenti

kno

need your

't offe

"Then what

"To know if you st

caugh

simple. Obvious. But the question did

ong here," I

n't the q

let them drop again.

. But he didn't

nd of project? A cause

d her choices stripped, and I regret

. Not a tear, not another outbur

ot fix it?"

. Enough that the torchlight

hat's done. But I can c

wai

r forg

er I hadn't yet

red. Final. As if that was all h

not meant to entertain or inflate egos. They exist to strip contenders b

ze hel

My mouth had gone dry, and

. "But it's about exposure. The trials show u

ow pace that somehow made

e not just competing. You're being measured. Prepared. You're n

d. His words echoed like iron d

one. I thought of how I'd gritted my teeth through the pack's sneers,

nance? Le

oused. Blistered. Good for grip

expression, because he came even close

Why are you be

ed before I cou

ch, but his jaw did.

aven't yet realized

pau

s known across three territories not for his blade, but f

ing a threat, but like someone try

e gli

int just past his shoulder. My vis

not

t. But the trials weren't

d, hadn't fallen. It

ves like you. One's still d

de me loosened

persuade. He hadn't promised I'd win. Or survive. He on

added. "Most see that

ight. My fingers

The freedom to feel. To speak you

enough to intimidate

hat, H

Twice. The lump in my

I didn't know what

dn't

he said. "But they won't des

e stretched

ybe more than once. The questi

pride. Not quite hope.

ul

ly an inch-but it f

ll but steady. "I'll reflect o

head. "Goodnig

oak sweeping behind him. But just before he di

behind his back. A slight f

ust as

ong moment, the corri

just h

n hovered,

my ribs, somethin

stro

. more