s, their eyes wide with a fear that mirrored my own. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic,

s voice cut through the ha

e of morbid fascination and disgust. They were here for a

a sign, a flicker of recognition. An amber glint in the eye, th

sitant step forward. She was tiny, clutching a worn teddy

ama

rld s

e, colored beads, a trinket I had woven in the final days of my pregnancy. I had made ni

almost buckled my knees, washed

her my choice, to use my 'Vi

en I s

a Skinwalker. It was a cold, sharp, unnatural blue, like

ould have been stolen.

replaced by cold, ruthless logic. If this was a trick, and I fell for it, one of my real children would die

igilante must choose who to protect.

eath, my voice s

ing to a quiet child who had hidden himself away f

inting fingers. Sabrina leaned over to a portly man beside he

bracelet," he announced. "She seems t

ent followed. The

rror washing over me. What if I was wro

"The girl with the brac

rk on her face. She walked towards the little

little monste

mall body trembling. As Sabrina reached for her,

r hand back. A line of blood

ontorted with fury. He grabbed the little

e freak!"

ed crudely behind her ear was a small, matted pat

as a patch of shimmering, silver-fox fur. The unmistakab

. They had disguised her, hidd

nt scream ripped through

f recognition, of love, of anything human. He saw

ter to the ground. He pulled a sm

r eyes, now shining with their true amber ligh

tear rolling down her cheek

Ethan

The high-society guests gasped, murmuring amongst themselves abou

my heart a gaping, bleeding wound. I had killed her. My

a bottomless pit. And