LY'

verhead. Pain shot through every vein as though I were being slowly burned from the

rby tree. I tried to steady my breathing while leaning again

th was goin

strands were almost silver in color. My heart wa

imminent," Layla's strained, tense vo

is it. Maybe this is how I'm supposed to die. I have nothing left.

oat, my voice barely more than

heard

cked up her scent. The

in, pushing aside my despair. I stumbled to my feet and b

she i

t behind me tore

go?" Layla snarked inside my head,

I gasped. "I want to live I wan

d. I was faster far fast

My senses my abiliti

y. You're unstable and the pain coul

through the forest. But I was losing steam. My

t a hollow tree, wi

ove

n my ears, and I pressed a hand over my mouth to

were

hing yanked my ankle. I hit the ground hard a

nd in their hands they held daggers laced wi

. I swear I'll disappear. I won't come b

of them stepped closer. He gra

his lips, "maybe you should do something

ned. Disgust b

e slammed into a nea

, rising. "You just sig

ied itself in my thigh. I screamed as he twisted it. Blo

e enjoyi

e said, his voice dripping with s

I tasted blood. Another man yanked my hair, draggin

mething in

cre

om me, hurling the men backward. A gust of wind circled me, and I

ed white bef

g toward my wound. Wherever it touch

happeni

were still unsure of me. I picked up a fallen dagger, its

ed through the night. I dropped

oked

rees, blades gleaming like moonlight incarnate.

hell we

through me a

them flinch from its touch. I veered toward open

My strength bled

e whispered

f the sea. Run, chil

her's

" I c

your life depends on it because it does. You are the

ds carr

the slope. I slipped and tumbled. Down, down, down. T

e moonlit sky. Saf

ds, I saw them. Werewo

darkness pu