ett

was losin

only logica

along my ribs throbbing w

athing softly, her quill scratchi

light on clover and

ing scent, settling

e was she pl

Sterling's o

enough Glowgolds in the vaults of Gold Dome Bank to b

Avian elite, casting soft glances at Colin Reynolds

er spare a glance for a

ir wrists in front of fifty peers

it a

e trying

inside my sleeve, rough wool scrapi

would tear her pride t

ght, she

ement out of the

ckled girl, Collette Hayes, wh

archment bird fluttered back and

her blue eyes suddenly glowing with brill

that

hunger, labor and bruises, fought

year

scholarship, before I enter

of lung-rot, and our father had gambled away the

g floors and hauling crates at the Su

uring autum

stumbled inside to escape the downpour, her hair soaked, la

was

dn't s

unter, wiping sticky glass jars with a rag,

prise Candies, her laughter ringing l

rom her leather purse, rolling across the

up and hande

truly looked at me-wit

, and it w

hen held out a yello

rawberry rain. It tastes

etest candy I

t the wrapp

vanced potion treatise, tucked inside the hidd

r of a world I c

eal Giana reache

gers pulled out

the shell

rry aroma filled the c

w Surpri

eath

inch to the right, u

losing her eyes in pure satisfaction a

weight of my gaze, her

eyes

d, suddenl

her cheeks flus

ulled out a second candy wrapped in gleam

pain pierc

nternally. She is poison. H

aze away fr

room, my features hardeni

ffering nothing but

of my eye, I saw

from her lips, replac

o

er ha

ungrateful savage who c

better

only way

rom the high tower, a sh

d even closed her ledger, I stuffed my inkwell into my

not lo

terr