ALPHA KAEL & THE MOONBLESSED

rupted from the floor, twisting upward like

en, bl

blackness that

the throat, and clung inside the lungs like damp ash. It was a d

s as he fought to steady himself. Somewhere above, droplets of wa

her than the length of his arm be

ans

ck. He spun, claws slashing the air, but hi

ame a

Ly

cut off too quickly to

d inside him. 'Sta

**

d hear the soft crunch of footsteps circling her.

ke silk. "Do you feel it? The dark isn't her

keeping her voice st

, changing direction each time.

uld think I had," Lyra shot back

uckle

llowed was heavier

**

pine, wild rain, something sharp he couldn't name. It flickered in an

ft, a voice called,

o the sound, a flash of silver grazed his ribs. Not deep enough to ki

but before he could rip into them, the

not from the wound, but

is side want

**

how a faint outline ahead. The Other Lyra stood

mured, her voice smooth, coaxing. "Kael will never un

d against her throa

ee the sharp curve of her smile. "I am it. And I'm offer

ot to move, not to re

etching too far to be human. "

****

ey made seemed to scatter them further. The shadows s

w here, a glint of teeth there, but

followed by a wet, tearing sound. Th

low, lethal growl

the thick dark. There

**

to feel her breath. "He'll never love the

yra's chest. She hated how p

ht Kael might be, but all she saw

the Other L

***

to Lyra's left, Kael's claws ri

His voic

d dread. Kael's gaze locked on her..

ov

tched. "I can

er head, amusement curl

it for an answ

**

round shuddered beneath them. Deep cracks spiderwebbe

ed upward, icy and ancient, smelling of somet

smile sharpened

e grabbed Lyra's arm, r

plit open, and the

moments that weren't time. The dark wrapped aro

d for him, fingers brushing his wrist,

***

Lyra was on her knees. Cold sto

bursts. Kael was nowhere.

ood a figure in a crimson

the sound of their boots e

stranger said, voice lo

pounded. "W

own you far longer than Kael has.

gers brushing the hood. "Your pas

ll back, an

her o

Other

qu

de

'd been waiting cent