ANMELDENThe silence after the door slammed was heavy.I stayed on the floor, my fingers tracing the rug where Eilís had been standing. My skin still felt hot. That rush of his emotions had left me hollow, like a fire had blown through me and left only ash.He was blocking it.Every time I thought he was being cold or distant, he was actually straining to give me space. He was fighting his own nature just so I wouldn't be scared.And I had called him ashamed.I dragged myself up and looked in the mirror. Lady Raven looked back—red lips, pale skin, a delicate thing in a gold dress. I looked at the silk padding hiding my chest and felt sick. I reached back and started ripping at the tiny buttons. Each one I popped felt like a stitch being pulled from a wound. The dress fell to my feet in a gold heap. I stripped off the padding and the corset until I was just me. I grabbed a plain linen shirt from my trunk. The rough fabric felt better than the silk.I walked to the balcony and pushed the doors
RAVEN The music shifted again, but I didn't hear it. All I could see was the way they moved together. They didn't stumble, they didn't even struggle. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, moving with a predatory elegance that made everyone else on the floor look like an amateur. I could see it in the eyes of the nobles—the silent approval. They looked right. They looked like they belonged to each other.I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly feeling tight, like the corset was finally cutting off my air.Denis took my hand and squeezed. I turned to look at him, my jaw tightening when I saw the pity in his eyes.“I don't mean to pry, but I need you to be completely honest with me,” he said, his voice dropping below the noise of the crowd.My heart thudded against the binder. He was staring at me too intently, his usual boyish grin gone. “Did you and Eilís mate? I mean... Did he actually mark you?”“Of course,” I snapped, forcing a frown. “I bear his mark, don't I?”“Right.” De
EILIS “See?” I said. “You aren't a brick.” I had expected a sharp comeback. Instead, he looked up and smiled. Not a practiced, "Lady Raven" tilt of the lips, but a real, messy smile that reached his eyes. The air left my lungs as if I’d been kicked. Gods, he looked so beautiful. The thought hit me like a physical blow. It was dangerous. It was wrong. I almost tripped over my own feet. “Sorry,” I choked out, the word feeling like ash. I looked away immediately, staring at a random candle on the wall until my eyes burned. My hands went cold. I locked my jaw so hard it ached, forcing the distance back between us. I couldn't let him see that. I couldn't let myself feel that. The second the music died, I let go. The warmth of his hand felt like a brand on my skin. "Stay with Denis," I said, my voice coming out broken. I didn't wait for a response. I turned and walked away, my heart hammering a rhythm that was far too frantic for a prince who was supposed to be in control. I pus
The ballroom was way too much. I stood at the entrance, just staring at the hundreds of candles and the crowds of people. It was loud, hot, and smelled like heavy perfume.I smiled when I saw Denis standing with one of the nobles. He saw me and waved, excusing himself from the conversation so he could come to me.“Are you doing alright?” He asked, his signature grin on his face.I shrugged. “I'm okay.” I looked around again, my eyes automatically searching for Eilis.“He's not back yet.” Denis said like he could read my mind. “He's in a meeting with Kiya and the council.”“Oh.” I forced a laugh. “I wasn't looking for him anyway.”“Right.” He chuckled. “You fascinate me.”I frowned. “What?”“You fascinate me.” He repeated. “With how you manage to look gorgeous in every dress.”I blushed, I couldn't help it. “Thank you.” never thought I'd see the day I'd feel a rush because I was called gorgeous.He smiled back. “You're welcome, I just thought you needed to hear it.”“Oh, thank you, you
The walk back from the library felt longer than it should have. I was nearly at the turn for my quarters when I saw Kiya. She was standing by one of the narrow windows, her hands folded in front of her. She looked peaceful, just watching the sun.I tried to keep my pace steady, but she turned and offered a small, warm smile before I could pass."Oh, you were still at the library?" she said. Her voice was soft, almost kind. I stopped a few feet away, keeping my hands hidden in my skirts."It’s a beautiful room, isn't it?" she asked, stepping away from the window. She moved toward me with a slow, easy grace. I nodded, not sure where she was going with this."Eilís belongs to these mountains, you know," she said, her tone still light, like she was sharing a fond memory. "He’s part of the pack, part of the cold. It’s in his blood. That’s why we worry about him so much."She reached out then. The movement was so natural I didn't have time to pull back. She ran her fingers through a stray l
I pushed away from the table and walked towards the back of the library. The air got colder the further I went, smelling of dust and damp stone. This was the section Devon told me to avoid. He’d said the guards got jumpy around the old records, but the guards weren't in here right now so technically, I was free to do what I wanted.I ran my hand along the spines of the books. Most were thick ledgers with years stamped on them in fading gold ink. My fingers stopped on a book that was smaller than the others, wedged between two massive volumes. It had no title, just a piece of grey parchment stuck to the spine with a single word written in cramped script: Bonds.I pulled it out and sat on the floor between the stacks. The stone was cold, but I was hidden in the shadows. I opened the cover. The first few pages were filled with diagrams of the neck, showing exactly where the teeth were supposed to sink in. There were sketches of the "Mark"—the jagged scar that was supposed to be a badge
Sometime later I woke up slowly, my mind foggy until a rhythmic, blunt friction against my leg pulled me fully into consciousness. I didn't move, I didn't even breathe. I was pressed against something solid and radiating heat, my body angled in a way that told me I was no longer on my side of the
Two days had passed without any issues, or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.The routine was starting to feel normal, which was the most dangerous thing of all. I woke up, let Calani paint dress me up, and sat through meals where Eilis and I played the part of the devoted couple. But th
The memory of my brothers laughing about the "beast’s snack" and Calani’s crude remarks about the Prince’s size flashed through my mind. Back then, it had been a terrifying joke. Now, it was a question about my dignity."He bit me to save my life," I said, the lie tasting like copper. "The King want
I pushed the door open and shut it quickly behind me, my heart hammering a rhythm against my ribs that I couldn't slow down. I had told Eilis to let me see Mirabel alone and I was glad he agreed. How could she even be here when I received her letter this morning?I didn't even look toward the bed be







