ra

d be back soon with her poisoned soup. Refusing it would

eyes, trying to channel my will into it, to find the warmth I'd felt in the forest. No

ould rely

logy and toxicology, merged with this body's long-suffering expe

l absorbent layers, and secured it inside the loose sleeve of my tunic. If Debora exp

ora entered, a steaming bowl in her hands,

her. Garret Adkins, Alpha of the Stone

of any warmth. "Do you have any idea the s

etween us, playing the peacemaker. "The c

lara. I had the kitchens make this f

chicken, but underneath it all was a faint, sickly

ssion a carefully crafted mix of fear and gratitude. I

my father's impatient glare fixed

sell the act-then tilted the bowl. The hot liquid streamed not into my mouth, but down my front, disappearing into

e bowl, a smear of broth on my lips,

flashed in her eyes

I clutched my chest and began

. "What now? M

ocused. My face, I knew, would be flushed from the heat of the soup I'd pou

t time Aunt Debora gave me the 'bravery' wine? A

d, as though the memory had slippe

. The anger morphed i

ile froze o

, and desperate for his attention. But with my knowledge of pharmacology, the pattern was obvious. The wine had likely been laced with a mild aphrodisiac or stimulant, lowe

ed, his voice dropping to a low growl as h

n't listen to her! She's feverish, she's not ma

bora said... if I just kept trying, Prince Butler would s

supposedly delirious, were far more da

ands. His brow furrowed. The fury he had directed at me faded, replaced by a hard, searchin

pty bowl from Debora's hands. He li

ith terror, fixed on my father's face.