el

idn't

t o

hough I couldn't remember when I'd stopped. My wrists ached, bound tigh

ing my arm whenever I slowed. His silence was worse than shouting. I w

s and the occasional sna

surr

e. Cloaked in shadow, hulking-half-shifted, but no

r what felt

er. Each step deeper felt like cros

owed by forest. I didn't even kno

communicated through exchanged glances, body

me by the chain between my wrists. Tall, broad, d

small I felt

ss my tra

e ready for this. T

was ju

me?" I asked, trying t

e ans

es glinting beneath a hood. He didn't ev

top of a ridge. Ahead, I

ere

first. Woodsmoke.

res nestled in the trees, like they'd grown from

dishes clattering, even a ch

en't mons

oked li

t made

the stories had

n't just

y l

lights behind drawn curtains. Figures at

me-glowing fai

I s

trong

Ivy and fog curled along their surface. Towers rose abo

stle. A

wo wolves in partial shift stood se

approached, noses fla

-not at me,

ng? A q

agging me

let u

s we entered. The scent o

walked upright, others in half-shif

s. Sus

oked...

hiv

orridors branched deeper into the mountain. Somew

ris

tight, jerking me to a stop outsid

le who caught me-his voi

ords I'd he

pped inside, and lef

. One with a scar across his cheek, the ot

t speak. D

h me? Interrogate me? Torture

rse-k

hours passed, the doo

a voice from within.

was pulled into a ro

ith stone, yes-but filled with bookshe

, covered in weapons and scrolls. A

e it... s

one who

one

nting under the firelight. Tousled dark hair. Gold

s met, something s

ravity

remembered something

n my chest. My

t under

-it deepened. But th

line,

r. Arms crossed.

introdu

idn't

f the Black

parents my f

d heard my

d turne

was dragged to the

n, hiding how m

r side of the forest," he

d not

t were you doing out th

w who

urse

. I would not beg

e once. Slow

f, smoke... and some

ped beh

l like a threat

," he added.

ped. "I was being chas

my line of si

d be scare

uieter-

ly becaus

le

f the secure rooms. Unbound, but watched

bo

out question. They tur

out, I look

still w

ovi

hak

f the Black

as his

ok from the

my h

with the sound