ALPHA KAEL & THE MOONBLESSED

air until Lyra's breath came out in small white clouds. Her skin prickled, and her hand tightened on the

. come

r. It wrapped around her like

had been de

body tense, eyes glowing faint

d. "You hea

ks to you directly. That

But that was her voice, Kael. I k

e point. It wants you to f

air to their right. N

ng in b

rd the sound.

was

" he said grimly.

, this time deeper, more guttural. Then

her wrist. "W

y r

ooked older. Gnarled, twisted like hands reach

me forest," Lyra s

The Hunt distorts the woods to test outsi

t's changin

t supposed to be ab

fog was thinner. A stream cut th

hand into the water. Then h

alm s

d. "It's b

eam. That means someone

this is more tha

to survive this. Not by the pack and

***

shb

clutching a silver locket. Her mother, a pale wo

gone," she says, brushing Lyra's hai

t w

Because when the blood moon

e forest,

warned me a

row. "Warned yo

ter she was gone. She said.

ed. "Then

w wh

were Moo

echoed be

," Lyra said. "What d

ngerous. It means you were born with a dormant power tied to the moon. Ever

m not a

thing else. And

owed. "Sc

looke

es

dow darted acro

yra behind hi

pe exploded f

a

o many. Skin like rotting bark. Its mouth split o

is that?" Ly

pted spirit. They

ow is i

swer. He shift

ck wolf tackled the creature mid-a

shed in

ll to h

back. "That w

om

ward the mou

s no one ever d

ollow

. "That soun

n turned to ston

****

imson Nigh

scrying mirror, watching th

behind her, staff tap

he ambush," Cir

the Ho

s never meant to die,

a won't l

The prophecy is unfolding.

er shoulder. "And i

gleamed. "Then

***

porary Shelter

h claw and flint. Her arm throbbed from

p," Kael said, w

an

e p

. "The voice. What

I'll b

hy are you helping me

et for a l

ct to feel anything. B

do you

idn't

closer

ar enough for her to

eath h

ed of me," s

of what you

t, barely touc

ose. Help me

nds. Then, reluctantly, he l

he said. "T

ine, hidden in shadow,

n't br

dn't

eyes bur

ered in an a

long fo

awaken a

wore Ly