elled like rotting

t the parking lot with sharp eyes, every mark, every scuff cataloged without a word. Even the dust patterns

ets. Her gaze flickered to the busted street-lamp by the entrance, then to the CCTV cameras....d

stillness of a trapped rabbit. She asked questions. He answered. Polite. Nervous. T

ed up as sh

and tense. "Nothing suspicious. No victim. No perpetrator

ted, her j

n be a murderer

ouched by the crime scene, somethin

asked, already knowing the

ing it. He's clean on the cam

oss the lot, pie

peeling off his gloves with slow, car

linked.

tepping out of the taped-off are

m, heart hammering

mply. "We just don't

nce. As they slid inside, Martha pu

by the dumps

let, deep-blue leather, bloodstained, wit

't recognize the mark, but Marth

d grimly. "It's from a private fight cl

an eyebrow. "

said, cracking her knuckles

ved into a grin,

have enough pull

, slow and dangero

work," Nolan said,

nwh

hrough the walls, its mournful breath the only sound breaking the stillness

ept soundly in their roo

e worn couch downstairs,

the tree line, s

of an old oak, arms folded across his

il

nst the night chill. Her hair stirred in the

erciless. He could feel her even from here... a burning thread wind

ma

ate. Promis

was

didn't know. No

ts tightened

ther, standing in the way. Clinging to old promises and old fe

curled into a

ad drawn blood first, roaring defiance, trying to

sharp tang of blood in the air, the way Max had dragged her fr

d've ended

adn't. N

vage, ancient part... had wan

ce frayed with

n deep. Old betrayals. Old debts never paid. Max had d

r eyes flickering toward the woods, some b

t steppe

mo

le behind him m

es.... smaller, faster. A wo

it murmured,

didn'

," he g

... weaker than we thought. Th

iled with

said softly. "She'll

n't?" the wolf a

ed gold under the

e said. "What happens w

gain and vanishe

he sight of her, the way she hugged herself

he t

have no one e

her blood. No

ck into the forest, the sha

r ran down Emilia's spine, sharp and sudden, as if inv

k inside withou

er arms around herself, trying to shak

aster... As if answering

, something fierce and anc

it would