lea'

ed to the wall. The echoes of Enzo's roars finally faded, leavi

needs surfaced. My stomach growled. My mouth was dry, lip

t here and wait fo

e broken doorway. The hall was empty, steeped in sha

find the

at any distant footstep. Wrong turn, then another. I found myself in a darker part of the ho

you l

. Gentle. From the

. A man leaned against the wall

mouth and jaw visible beneath the hood. Tall, dressed in the simple leather tunic of a pack warrior. But his energy was not

" I whispered

tch." A small, friendly smile. "What

might drag me back to my room. Report

asted strange. "I got turned around tryi

ghtly. "Easy to do in

ting the maze with ease. We arrived at a vast kitc

of cheese, some smoked meat. He set them on

nimal. It was the best

he counter, arms crossed. Something in his gray eyes

ike that?" I asked bet

heavy burden. The curse costs him a great d

killed his

val pack. Tried to poison him. When she was discovered, she took her

tely different from the gruesome rumors. And he said it with such convi

he mindless monste

sisted on walking me back. "Yo

e servants' quarters might be and st

u, Ash."

place isn't what it s

sappeared back i

pected kindness. In the dim light of the corridor, I hadn't fully made out his features-the shadows had clung to him like a second skin, and that mask had cover

ied to kill me. A gent

d in this

etween them, with n