s didn't know wh

My cloak billowed behind me despite the still air, and my eyes, I knew, reflected light like a pred

and trembled on his weapon. He could sense what I was, somet

d, like multiple people speaking at once. Another trick Morganna ha

s up to the border," another guard said, try

t the curse that's killing his kingdom. Tell him I know why his lands are dying,

he catalyst for it. The Moon Goddess had punished Alaric's rejection by tying his fate t

. Finally, the leader nodded. "Wait

, noting how thin and sickly everything looked. The trees had bare patches. The grass grew

had brought. Slow death for ev

"The king will see you. But you must surrender any weap

would be like trying to chain smoke. But I give my word that I won't

no real way to enforce their rules on someone like me. They gave me an escort of six gu

g how it had looked centuries ago. Vibrant. Alive. Full of wolves running free and ch

wrongness of me, and made warding signs or hurried indoors. A few brave souls whisp

old woman say. "I saw it in my tea leave

't entir

remembered from my brief time there. But the details had changed. New wings had been added. Old

. The same marble floors. The same high ceilings. The sa

ike a magnetic pull even after all these centuries. The bond, severed and broken, still echoed between us. It would never ful

y back. I couldn't show weakness now. Couldn't let

mistakable. Kael. He'd aged, probably in his sixties now, but sti

y face intently. "I've heard stories about you.

carefully. Did he recognize me? Co

arning you, whatever game you're playing, whatever magic

ood. That would make my reve

mes," I lied. "I'm here

rone room opened before me, full of courtiers and nobles and guards. All e

y had eye

hest. He looked exactly the same as I remembered. The curse had frozen him at twenty-eight, keeping him young wh

still. His hands gripped the throne arms. His breath caught. For

ality. But I'd seen it. Some part of him kn

speak my new name sent shivers down my spine. "You

me like I carried plague. "I know exactly why your lands are dying, Your Majesty. I know w

ened. "And yo

se of the platform, the same spot where I'd stood for my rejection. "Tell me, do

r place beside the throne. She'd aged too, her face heavily lined, h

issed. "You speak dange

e mate. Your goddess-given bond. You severed something that was m

w his fingers dig into the throne. "M

n doing so, you brought destruction on yourself. Your crown burns slowly instead of quickly. Your doom arrived

uted accusations. Seraphine called for my immediate executi

t," he comma

with this creature," Seraphine pro

e thunder. "All of you. I wi

whispered concerns. Kael was the last to go, and he gave m

room where everything had ended and, pe

e were face to face, close enough that I could see the silver flecks in his eyes, close e

etly. "Because my wolf is going in

I said I am. Lyra. Shadow-walker. Death-to

ke my mate. The one I killed. But that

come something else? Something that waited

ity through both of us. The bond fragments tried to reconnect

he demanded. "Are y

. "Eira died in a forest, shot full of arrows, alone and abandoned. What I am now is wh

ed him. "No. That's not possible. You're lyi

ntil one of us is truly dead. That's the price of your choice. You a

'd planted the seed. Now I needed to let it grow, le

e really her, prove it. Tell me

e and broken, nothing like the powerful king who'd rejected me.

ldn't. I

goddess chose wrong. Sorry that I was born into a prophecy. Sorry that y

his hea

chose fear over you." I opened the door. "Sleep well, Your Majesty. I'll

ing there, and I