od. I didn't even get a scream out before Kael shoved me sideways. The claws of the beast ripped

vy pain shoot through my arm so sharp it made my eyes sting, I wanted

bristling, bones shifting under its skin like it was still deciding what shape to be. And

e thing I could hear was a rough vo

en though my legs trembled so ba

threatening, that was the terrifying part. It looked... curious, stud

ed. "Why is it star

cent." He didn't even look back at me

promise?" M

o. Before we could have a second for o

across the hall like someone ringing a giant bell. Kael met the creature mid-jump, he removed his knife and that flashed through my e

perate, I was shivering. My heartbeat was a frantic, painful

voice as he swerved the beast. Missing hi

horrified at the same time. "What kind

other swipe. I was just there, doing nothing to help

e the knife into its side, and thankful

we just made him mor

y. The walls were shaking, I could feel vibrations under

Kael

cracked. "I'm n

ra,

shoute

oor and hit the wall, the sound was... wrong. His face

and stupid ove

And from the look of things, what I just did wasn't smart no

d off its skull wi

at was unbelievably stup

reature snapped towards me, I coul

e my ribs ache. It turned fully toward me, its claws

t was actually seeing. My brain screamed RUN, but my legs ign

, "Elara...

ser, and that made ice f

d. "Don't come close

aste my fear. I was so scared it was getting closer so I took slow steps

heart was beating so fast and har

up but he couldn't.

n glancing at him, like it was t

me very close to me, close enough for me to feel i

e they were humming again, just like h

haled slowly an

spered, "what

I asked that question, lik

smelli

" I a

ou're the one the ritua

ed. "I didn't agree to anything! I d

guardians don't care, they

it sensing me,

d back and made a low sound. It felt

tackling us both to the floo

s drama end, the beast isn

had been. We slid across the hall until we hit another

ve," he w

er you. I physic

oo

but then a piercing whistle cut through the a

head, confused.

tairs: slow, steady, too ca

h to cut. Behind him came Riven, half-shifted into a wolf, his teeths

ved staff. He poi

nd d

warning growl but low

not meant to enter the ritual chamber,

out small. "

do

to throw himself between us if he had

"Mistakes are cor

running over me like h

her," h

ted moving

"Touch her, a

arned, "do not m

n, and the guardian didn't charge, bu

ckered; shock, anger, s

athing, are Kael

the horrible truth: The creat

choos