lle

o

onstrous Alpha strength. The heavy wooden door behind it split down the middle

eyes burning with frantic gold, and his drawn broadsword dripped wi

ined hall, locking instantly onto the

s armored hand caught the back of my tunic, hauli

d, whipping my golden da

nd my wrist, twisting just enough to force the blade fr

hest heaving against mine. His breath was ragged, hot

g them?" he growled, his voice trem

. "Away from your executioners! Did you think I would si

harp points, his jaw working as i

go

in the East Keep, staring at the

ished, breathtaking, nothing like the ruined, hollow-eyed creature I'd exiled five years ago. And thos

d been absolute. But the thought had already pla

but she would only say

; whenever I tried to recall why I'd been so certain of Ca

mind always se

ntrol of my life, and I'd suppressed the une

uglass Park stumbled in, bowing low as

carrier raven from the east tower. It

seal and unfurled

oned Tower is unguarded. Cut th

kwave detonate

ng to slaughter Camille and the child

ss on my authority. That I rode to prot

et them die. Not the woman. Not the girls. If those children carried my blo

e courtyard, tearing through m

fierce, wild beat of her heart beneath my fingers, th

tonight-it burned in my blood, demanding I keep her clos

ingle hair on your head," I r

ing laugh, shoving against my

s, Byrd. You threw me into

alf a step, my gaze shifting to the two trembl

The dark hair. The stubborn set of their jaws. The

ghtened unt

ifting my greatsword and driving the steel bla

" I ordered, my voice dropping into an unyield