eart hadn't stopped pounding since he appeared at the door, eyes glowing, lips parted, fists clenched as if the only thing keeping him from touching me wa

s that for the first time

way, my hands trembling at my sides, until Ayla final

u o

pered. "Not

ed low. Outside, the wind howled through the trees that guarded the Academ

t much left. Most records were erased after the Massacre. But the ones that remain say the heir would be hidden

at... all that I've been

ny. It was injustice. And we're going to ma

yes and the way her hands were clenched into fists on her knees.

didn't recognize. "This belonged to my grandmother. She was a Seer. She used it when she made her Oath to the

tightene

nores. I don't need a rank or a mate to know who I am. But I choose to stand beside you. Not because of the prophecy. Not because of the bloodline. But

ned behin

," I said, my voice ba

ing. "I swear this to you, Eva Thorn: I will protect your secret, fight beside you, ble

ds were

erf

c. Bonded. An alliance of spirit,

lm. And something shifted ins

d taken so m

this,

wasn't al

of the training fields, the flicker of patrol torches in the distance. Somewhere out there, Dante was probably fighti

had ch

ng. Because now, I wasn

laiming