t remember

heartbeat, through the trees, with snow stinging her face and magic crawling up her s

and soil, chest heaving like she might break apart. Her

her shirt wasn't

s mov

like she could hold it still. Like she co

" she wh

thing ancient was pounding on a locked do

er hand trembled as she dug through her satchel, finally

ered the incantation

hin

o whisper and no glimp

ld-eyed, mouth smeared with bloo

eath h

t her magi

hed. Bonded to somethin

ror at a nearby tr

clutching her head. "S

, falling like snow. The trees groaned. The

d pressed her hand

," she w

beneath her palm.

vision

as a boy. Kneeling beside a

iumph in his fa

ok in his s

at barely moved, he

er

ing away from the tree

ssible." Her voice c

el ever became Alpha. Before

't s

-wood snappin

eaching for

sl

nd her eyes. Before she could rise, a boot slam

ld waltz into Vale territor

. Female. Poison w

d and turne

teeth and bone. Her amber eyes glowed like heated metal. Her

ow you," Al

aid. "But I know

the pressure on her

e woman hissed. "Your mother went soft. And now,

he air, raw an

el

w a curved blade, pressi

him, -it's a lie. He'll turn on

th?" Aler

anished into sm

ng air into her lung

her before t

ok

shadow th

smo

d toward

the old stone like it was dry timber. H

ring now. She clutched he

ed. "I didn't do

h the flames. Her hand was raise

to the burning night. "

't care. It k

en

behin

alf-shifted, his skin steami

ng the forest

!" Alero

and was s

e fire

ly. "Alero. Listen. You ne

can

have

Her voice cracked

fro

ha

cursed it. To hold something inside me. Something older than va

trembled a

or a long beat. Then

we bre

we're all

don't have

ched f

ingers

world ex

e clearing. Fire vanished. Snow melted to st

s, Kael was on his knee

rk-had spread a

one. Laced across his chest lik

rrified. "What d

backed

don't

ped to the shatter

shimm

her ref

er mot

moving, like she wa

bled forwa

eache

rror c

vision v

ai