a's

un from your

ze, my breath catching in my throat. That voice-soft, eerie-was mine. No

but something moved. I couldn't se

d up on

ano

ft rumble shook the stones as if the cave

n fo

y shoulder on sharp rock. I didn't stop. My lun

onlit clearing. Trees circled the space like guards, tall and silen

en I s

aring stood a tree unlik

veins. The leaves shimmered in soft blue light. I knew this place. Not from

on roo

s words echo

our blood will

like it recognized me. My skin warmed. The silver marks on

uth?" I

I touched

t shot thro

Light.

e mine-stood at the edge of a burning field. She was surrounded by wolves, all

Betrayed. Cursed. H

s my a

was he

ncient healer.

inst the grass. My hands were still glowing, a

t just

sn't

't for

s ch

tree pulsed.

clearin

d foot

rom b

m a

oked

the trees, landing j

d up, hear

e and leather. A hood covered most of their face, but I

A man's voice. Smooth, with

keeping my hands near

dn't

d closer, slowly,

u didn't die," he said. "You were supposed

cold. "You're

is head. "O

ed wo

"Not cursed

't und

didn't

ilver light shot from m

e wind-dodgi

eath

fast. T

ra," he said. "I'm here to re

dy know

know the lie your blood told you.

by inch, trying to

a healer. She was a weapon. One the Alphas feared.

my eyes. "Y

ne poison you, Mira? Why didn't he

art s

pped c

u were. He knew what you

th came

, but the wo

did. And now... they'll

fists. "Then

"That's what I

cloak-a dagger with a glowing blac

," he said again. "I'm he

the dagger across his palm-and flun

aves s

ark c

ight

, the earth b

t. I stumbled back, nearly falling into one of the cracks. Heat bur

w in its leaves flickered and died. Its bark blackened where the man's cu

do?" I cried

e gate. The tree's light sealed it long ago. B

My voi

sealed to keep the old magic from returni

wl shook t

from

hind th

nd, and what I saw m

crawling up th

g, twisted.

secon

he earth like hands trying

owly, his eyes wide now

ing," he

fight, but the ground beneath me cra

ump, but it

arth

screaming-i

monstrous awakens beneath the cursed tree-will she sur