Chapter: Chapter 6: Blood on the StairsCassianBram's voice cracks through my door at first light. "Alpha. The blade. You need to see this now."I'm already moving.Lyra meets me at the top of the tower stairs, pale, hair wild, pointing at the pillow like it's a snake."Nobody came in," she says. "The door was locked. Your men were outside all night."I pick it up before she can stop me."Don't," she starts.Too late. The moment my fingers close around the hilt, cold shoots up my arm.Click.I'm on my knees. Blood everywhere. Lanterns burning overhead. My own hand, reaching for a wound that hasn't happened yet, and somewhere close, too close, a blade catching the firelight.It lasts less than a second. It feels like a year.I drop the knife like it's burned me, and in a way, it has."You felt it," Lyra says. "Didn't you?""Everyone. Out." My voice comes out low and hard. The two guards at the door snap straight. "Nobody touches this blade. Nobody speaks of it. Bram, with me."Lyra grabs my sleeve. "Cassian, someone got pas
Last Updated: 2026-09-28
Chapter: Chapter 5: The Second FutureLyra"Do it again."I look up from the bed. Cassian is standing in the tower doorway, alone. No Bram. No guards. His coat is wrinkled, his hair is a mess, and there's dried blood on his knuckles that I really hope isn't Corin's."Do what again?" I ask."Read me." He steps inside and shuts the door behind him. "Properly. Deliberately. Skin to skin."I stare at him. "You said no. You said it like a threat.""I changed my mind.""That's a big change in twelve hours.""Yes, I noticed." He drags a hand down his face. He looks about a hundred years old. "Corin's in the infirmary. The healer says there's nothing wrong with his body, but his mind is like a house someone broke into and rearranged. He keeps describing my murder. Every detail. The lantern colors. The sound of the knife.""Whose knife?""He says it's yours." He holds my gaze. "Silver. Long blade."My stomach flips. That's the knife in my vision. I never told anyone it was silver. "So he saw the same thing I did.""That's the prob
Last Updated: 2026-09-21
Chapter: Chapter 4: The First LieCassianSomebody is lying to me. I just don't know if it's the woman I'm supposed to trust or the woman I'm supposed to kill.I stand outside the North Tower door with my hand on the wood and don't go in. Bram is waiting behind me. He hasn't said a word in ten minutes, which is how I know he's worried."She won't tell you what she saw," Bram says finally."No.""She went white as a ghost, Alpha. She grabbed the doorframe. I thought she was going to be sick.""I know. I was there.""Then why not just order her to tell you?"Because she'd tell me. That's the problem. And I'm not sure I want to hear it.I push the door open.Lyra is sitting on the windowsill with her knees pulled up, watching the sun climb over Ashgate. She's changed into the plain gray dress the maids left. Her hair is braided. She doesn't turn around."Two days," she says. "Did you sleep?""No.""Me neither. Isn't it funny? The two of us, wide awake, both waiting to be murdered.""Only one of us is being murdered.""Ri
Last Updated: 2026-09-21
Chapter: Chapter 3: Three DaysLyraThey drag the Alpha of the North out of my cell like a man carrying a corpse.I watch it happen with one wrist still chained to the wall. Cassian's boots scrape the stone. His head lolls. Right before the door slams, his eyes find mine, and they're still gold, and they're terrified.Then the lock clicks, and I'm alone with the dripping water and my own thoughts.If she dies, so do we.I didn't hear it. Nobody did. But I saw his face when it happened, and I've watched two hundred and six people die. I know what it looks like when a mind goes to war with itself.Cassian Draven ordered my execution, and his own wolf nearly killed him for it."Great," I tell the ceiling. "Fantastic. I'm the most wanted woman in the north, and the man who wants me dead can't stand up."The ceiling doesn't answer.Hours crawl. I try to sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I see myself standing in that burning city with a silver blade in my hand.That's the part I can't shake. Not that he died. That I did
Last Updated: 2026-09-21
Chapter: Chapter 2: The Execution OrderCassianThe woman who is going to kill me is sleeping in my dungeon, and I can't stop my hands from shaking.I hide them behind my back. Captain Bram is watching, and so are the two guards at the cell door. Ten years of ruling the north have taught me one lesson above all others: never let anyone see you bleed.Except I'm bleeding now. Not in my body. Somewhere deeper.Mate.My wolf has said that one word a thousand times since midnight. He won't say anything else. He doesn't argue, and he doesn't listen. He just repeats it, over and over, like a man pounding on a locked door."Alpha," Bram says quietly. "She's awake.""Did she say anything?""Only that the blood isn't hers." He hesitates. "The healer confirms it. Wolf blood, fresh, no more than a few hours old. But there's no wound on her. And no body.""Whose?""We don't know yet."Of course we don't.I take a slow breath. In through the nose. Out through the teeth. The calm settles over me like armor, and I hold it there with every
Last Updated: 2026-09-21
Chapter: Chapter1: The MurderLyraDead men make terrible liars.That's why I'm standing in the ice cellar under Blackspire Keep at midnight, bare-handed, with my palm flat against a corpse's chest and a very good chance of being hanged for it.Tomas Reed. Twenty-four. Draven Guard. Found dead in his bunk yesterday morning. Cause of death: sudden heart failure.Healthy wolves don't get heart failure. His sister told me that yesterday, crying so hard she couldn't finish the sentence. Then she handed me eight silver crowns.I don't do this for free. But I would have done it for nothing."Come on, Tomas," I whisper. "Tell me who."Death Seers are illegal in all five territories. People think we don't just see death, we cause it. Touching a corpse is a hanging offense. So is being what I am.So officially, I'm a temple mortician's assistant. Three shifts a week.Unofficially, I'm the best murder investigator nobody has ever heard of.The cellar is freezing. My breath fogs. My fingertips go numb against his cold skin,
Last Updated: 2026-09-21
Chapter: Chapter 44: Elena and Her MotherIsang buwan matapos ang hatol, sinamahan ko si Elena sa bilangguan.Noong gabi bago kami umalis, hindi ako makatulog. Nakahiga ako sa tabi ni Alessandro, nakatingin sa kisame, at maya maya, narinig ko siyang magsalita sa dilim."Iniisip mo si Elena.""Paano mo nalaman?" tanong ko."Dahil ganyan ka kapag may inaalala ka sa ibang tao," sabi niya, humarap sa akin. "Mas inuuna mo ang pakiramdam nila kaysa sa sarili mo.""Natatakot ako para sa kanya," aminado ko. "Hindi ko alam kung ano ang aasahan niya, o kung ano ang mararamdaman niya pagkatapos.""Hindi mo hawak ang resulta," sabi niya, hinaplos ang aking buhok. "Ang kaya mo lang, samahan siya. Iyon na ang pinakamalaking tulong."Tumango ako, at sa wakas, pumikit.Maaga kaming umalis. Hindi gaanong nagsalita si Elena sa biyahe, nakatingin lang sa labas ng bintana, paminsan minsang humihinga nang malalim na parang may inaayos sa loob ng kanyang dibdib. Hawak niya sa kandungan ang isang maliit na sobre."Ano 'yan?" tanong ko, nang makalam
Last Updated: 2026-11-05
Chapter: Chapter 43: The HearingIlang beses na ipinagpaliban ang pagdinig kay Camila, kaya akala namin, hindi na ito matutuloy sa taong iyon. Ngunit isang umaga, dumating ang tawag mula sa abogado ni Alessandro."Itinakda na po sa susunod na Lunes," sabi niya. "Pangwakas na pagdinig po ito, kasama ang pagbasa ng hatol."Tahimik naming pinakinggan ang balita sa hapag-kainan. Si Anna lang ang hindi nakakaintindi, abala sa paghahati ng kanyang tinapay sa maliliit na piraso."Pupunta ako," sabi ni Elena, bago pa man may makapagtanong.Napatingin kami sa kanya."Hindi para humingi ng awa para sa kanya," dagdag niya, nakatingin sa kanyang tasa. "At hindi rin para humingi ng mas mabigat na parusa. Gusto ko lang naroon ako. Gusto kong marinig ng hukom, mula sa akin, kung ano ang naging epekto ng lahat ng ito.""Sasamahan ka namin," sabi ko."Salamat," sabi niya, at sa unang pagkakataon sa loob ng ilang linggo, nakita kong bahagya siyang ngumiti. "Pero gusto ko sanang ako ang magsalita, kahit nanginginig ang tuhod ko."Lunes
Last Updated: 2026-10-22
Chapter: Chapter 42: The First DeliveryPagkalipas ng limang buwan, natapos din ang health center sa Batangas.Maliit lang ito, isang puting gusaling may dalawang silid pagamutan, isang maliit na botika, at ang bagong dagdag na silid para sa mga manganganak, ang silid na iminungkahi ng mga residente mismo. Sa harap, may karatulang gawa sa kahoy na pininturahan ng mga bata sa baryo: "BARANGAY HEALTH CENTER, PARA SA LAHAT."Maaga pa lang, puno na ang bakuran. May mga nagdala ng pagkain, may mga nagdala ng bulaklak, at may isang bandang gawa sa mga kapitbahay na tumutugtog ng sirang trumpeta at tamburin."Mama, ang saya po!" sigaw ni Anna, hawak ang isang maliit na watawat, tumatalon sa tabi ko."Oo, anak," sabi ko, natatawa. "Pero huwag kang lalayo, ha.""Opo!" sabi niya, at agad na tumakbo papunta sa mga batang naglalaro sa may puno ng akasya.Lumapit sa akin si Mang Tonyo, nakasuot ng barong na malinaw na ngayon lang niya inilabas mula sa aparador."Handa na po ba ang lahat?" tanong ko."Handa na," sabi niya, may bahid ng p
Last Updated: 2026-10-22
Chapter: Chapter 41: The Woman Behind the GlassHindi kami agad sumagot sa sulat ni Camila. Isang linggo naming pinag-usapan ito sa hapag-kainan, sa sala, at sa balkonahe, hanggang sa dumating ang gabing nagkasundo kaming lahat."Pupunta ako," sabi ni Isabela, hawak ang kanyang tasa ng tsaa, hindi inaalis ang tingin sa mesa. "Hindi dahil gusto ko siyang patawarin. Hindi ko pa alam kung kaya ko. Pupunta ako dahil ayokong dalhin habang buhay ang mga tanong ko.""Ako rin," sabi ni Alessandro. "Gusto kong marinig kung ano ang gusto niyang sabihin, at gusto kong sabihin sa kanya na hindi na niya kayang saktan ang pamilyang ito."Tumingin sila sa akin."Sasama ako," sabi ko. "Hindi para sa kanya. Para sa inyo."Si Elena ang huling nagsalita. Tahimik siyang nakaupo sa dulo ng sofa, hawak ang isang unan sa kanyang dibdib."Hindi muna ako sasama," sabi niya, mahina ang boses. "Pero kung may ipapasabi siya sa akin, gusto kong malaman. Hindi ko pa kayang makita siya ngayon.""Naiintindihan namin," sabi ko, hinawakan ang kanyang kamay. "Hindi
Last Updated: 2026-10-18
Chapter: Chapter 40: The Health CenterTatlong buwan matapos ang pagbisita ni Mang Tonyo, sinimulan na ang pagtatayo ng health center sa baryo sa Batangas, ang unang proyektong pinamunuan hindi lang ng pamilya namin, kundi ng mismong mga residente.Tuwing Sabado, sumasama ako kay Alessandro sa lugar, minsan kasama si Anna, minsan si Isabela at ang kanyang pamilya. Hindi namin trabaho ang magbuhat ng semento o magpako ng kahoy, ngunit gusto naming makita ang pag-usad ng proyekto, at higit sa lahat, gusto naming makilala ang mga taong magiging bahagi ng bagong komunidad na ito."Magandang umaga po, Doktora," bati ng isang batang lalaki kay Isabela, isang Sabado, nang dumating kami sa lugar."Hindi pa po ako doktora," natatawang sagot ni Isabela, kahit halatang kinikilig sa tawag. "Si Dr. Santos ang doktor. Ako ay isa lang pong nars na tumutulong.""Pareho lang po 'yon," sabi ng bata, kumindat. "Mukha po kayong doktora."Natawa kaming lahat, at lalo pang lumakas ang tawa nang lumapit si Dr. Santos, dala ang kanyang bag."Ano'
Last Updated: 2026-10-09
Chapter: Chapter 39: The VisitDalawang linggo matapos ang pulong sa Batangas, dumating si Mang Tonyo sa Nueva Ecija, kasama ang limang residente mula sa kanilang baryo, dala ang mga katanungang matagal na nilang kinikimkim.Hinintay namin sila sa harap ng Rafael Villareal Memorial School, kasama sina Alessandro, Marco, at si Aling Rosa, na kusang loob na nag alok maging tagapagsalita para sa komunidad ng Nueva Ecija."Sila na ba 'yon?" tanong ni Anna, hawak ang aking kamay, nakatingin sa maliit na grupong bumababa mula sa isang lumang van."Oo, anak," sabi ko. "Maging magalang ka, ha.""Opo, Mama," sabi niya, itinuwid ang kanyang tindig, tila isang maliit na opisyal na handang tumanggap ng mga bisita.Lumapit si Mang Tonyo, matigas pa rin ang tingin, ngunit hindi na kasing talim ng sa unang pagkikita namin."Maganda ang gusali," sabi niya, tumingin sa paligid. "Hindi ko inaasahan.""Salamat po," sabi ni Alessandro, ngumiti. "Gusto po naming ipakita ang lahat. Kung may tanong po kayo, kahit ano, huwag po kayong mag
Last Updated: 2026-10-08
LOGIN
