MasukNatashaI step out of my tent, fully dressed for the day, and nearly run smack into Sebastian. We both pull back at the last second, and I feel highly aware of close we came to touching.“Sorry,” I mutter.“My fault,” he mutters back. “I was just coming to find you.”I raise my eyebrows in surprise.
Owen“What the…” Diego sputters out as I slam the door behind us. I’ve brought us into the music room which is empty save for a smattering of instruments.I stare Diego down more intensely than I mean to. “What of Natasha?”My brother seems immediately on his guard. “What of her?”“Did they believe
Owen“Isaiah,” I call from the threshold to the library. The first shelf has been completely redone, and its sisters line the walls in various forms of completion.One of my most trusted guards, the one who befriended Amelia, the one who I struggle to be near for the way he reminds me of her, approa
NatashaI don’t stay at the campfire for long after Carolina and Missy are dragged off to bed by the man I found out is their uncle.I didn’t have the heart to ask where their parents are.“I think I’ll get some sleep,” I say as I stand. I’m surprised when people I’ve just newly met through Carolina
Sebastian’s smile grows impossibly wider. “Of course. You don’t have to ask my permission to talk to her.”“That’s what I said!” a male adult a few seats away says. He must be their dad or otherwise guardian.“Yeah, but,” Carolina says, glancing nervously at me again. She lowers her voice as she ret
NatashaDante was brought back to the kingdom this morning. He spent one night in the First Quarter, and warriors took shifts watching over him as he slept.Sebastian and another Sun Warrior I don’t know bagged him at dawn and walked him back to the Red Forest to find his way home. I wanted to go wi
Natasha“You’re sure?” a hushed voice pulls at the edge of my consciousness.“Irrefutably.” Marion’s voice has me rushing to wake up, though I know better than to open my eyes. Whoever is speaking might say something they don’t want me to hear if they think I’m asleep still.“And you can’t tell us w
NatashaI’m already in my training gear, so I use the time that Marion and Sebastian take to argue over whether or not I’m joining him to braid back my hair in a French braid. It takes much less time than it used to since it’s so short now.It’s Sebastian saying, “Please don’t make her prove she can
AmeliaAfter that, Sebastian tells the other three warriors who accompanied us from the palace to go rest up from the journey. Then he leads me after Marion toward a large tent with Erin following closely behind.The crowd around us resumes its merriment, and it looks like they’re just finishing din
AmeliaI am in a darkness so complete I could convince myself I was dead. Except I’ve been in this darkness before.Though this is my first time traveling it alone.I think I’m nearly to the end of the secret tunnel. Isaiah’s screams stopped a long time ago, urging me to turn back, to help him, even







