로그인Sera"Aren't you afraid to anger them, Luna?" Vane asked, brushing past me as I opened the door. "The gate is no barrier. It's only a courtesy."Amara moved before I could answer, stepping between us, close to me, and stayed there, watching him.Vane stopped. For the first time, he really looked at Amara.He kept his hands still and in plain sight, and took no step closer.Vane smiled. "I see you're getting active."Amara remained motionless, eyes fixed on Vane. I didn't move her aside. I was used to her being my constant companion, but I'd never seen her step between me and another pack member. The fact that she had chosen to do so now, with Vane, sent a drop of ice down my spine."You're asking me to let him in?" I could barely keep the incredulity from my voice.Vane blinked slowly. "I'm telling you that refusing him would be a grave mistake, Luna.""A mistake?" I quoted, voice icy. "You told me an enemy inside the walls does more harm in an hour than an army in a season." I jabbed
SeraI stared at Mina, barely seeing her. The smoke of the woods still filled my nose. She was saying something, her lips moving, but I couldn't quite bring it into focus. Amara sat silently beside me, unmoving."What...?" I whispered. "Who?" I blinked, trying to clear the haze from my mind.Mina's hands clenched, shaking. "Vidar Sarn, Sera, he's here. With men, armed men, dozens of them. They're waiting at the gate, waiting for us to let them in." Her voice cracked. "We need to know what to do, now."I shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut. When I opened them again, Mina was still there, her face pale and scared. Still not real. "Vidar..." I breathed.Mina gripped my shoulders, shaking me. "Sera, listen to me, please. We don't have time. Vidar Sarn and his men, they're here. We can't let them in, we can't... You have to do something, Sera..."Time stopped as it finally hit me, gutting me with its weight. My body went stone still, hands halting mid-motion, skin clammy and bloodless."
TayaStrong fingers closed around my collar, squeezing tight, choking off my air. He yanked me up off the floor with one arm, my legs kicking and scrambling for purchase. The rough fabric bit into my throat, my jaw jolted sideways with the force of it. I choked and gasped, blood rising to my face. He dragged me close, until his face was inches from mine, until I could feel his hot breath on my skin.He spat at me. It landed on my cheek, searing and wet. It dripped down my face, the taste bitter in the corner of my mouth. I kept my eyes closed, my face twisted, but his voice cut through the ringing in my ears.I opened my eyes to glimpse the man's face, inches from my own. The smell of his breath was foreign, but every other detail could've been plucked straight from my memories of a thousand breakfasts. The curve of his upper lip, the frazzle of stubble at the corner of his mouth, the gap between his front teeth."You're an idiot," said those familiar lips. "The only reason you're no
TayaThe force of his punch carried me off the heavy oak chair and sent me crashing to the stone floor. My chair shattered around me. Fragments of crockery and a mug exploded in a burst of shards. The platter of food clattered and spilled. I lay there stunned, pain pulsing in my face.When I finally tried to speak, agony lanced down my spine. Only then did I understand my jaw had been knocked from its socket. Tears sprang to my eyes, and I blinked them away. Despite the pain, I forced myself to look up at him.He rolled his shoulders. His back straightened. He cracked his neck, the sound sharp and painful in the quiet kitchen. His hands curled and uncurled, knuckles streaked with red.He took a deep breath, the exhale a low rumble, and looked down at me sprawled on the floor. "Fool," he muttered, shaking his head. "You really thought you were that clever." His voice was rough, contemptuous, so easy to use now. So different from the quiet way he spoke, the way he enunciated each word.
TayaHe shook his head, cutting me off. "Enough questions, Taya. Eat your food.""But...""EAT." His voice boomed across the table, the first time he had raised it to me since we made peace.I went quiet, rolling the now tasteless food around my plate. These mornings had always been the best part of my day, and now it was just...I swallowed hard, the sour taste of the spoiled food coating my tongue. "I sent a message to him," I said simply, unable to keep my voice from trembling.Instantly, the room went cold. Goosebumps rose on my arms as a physical chill crept over my body. I shivered, my heart pounding nervously in my chest.Father's head snapped up, his gaze locking with mine across the table. My throat went dry. The urge to back away from my own father overwhelmed me. I gripped the edge of the table, fighting the instinct to flee from the sudden, palpable menace radiating from him. His eyes narrowed, darkening into an abyss that threatened to swallow me whole.He laughed, a nerv
TayaEarlier that morning."Damn it, Taya," I muttered, flipping the salt pork with a spatula. Grease hissed and popped in the hot pan. "You call that cooking?"I slid the crispy, slightly burnt meat onto a platter, then cracked eggs into the pan. Scents of pork, char, and simmering milk filled the warm kitchen. I hummed quietly, a song echoing in my mind, as I stirred the eggs.The door creaked and I glanced over my shoulder. Father was coming in, his left foot dragging across the stone floor. I smiled, watching him lower himself into a chair at the table."I'll have this ready in a minute," I said, sliding the eggs onto the platter. "Bread's just out of the oven. And I brought the strawberries I picked yesterday. Still warm from the sun."Father smiled back, his dark eyes crinkling. I brought the platter to the table, then poured him a full mug of milk. Our mugs were mismatched... mine had a small chip, his a slight crack. I liked that they each had a story.I sat across from him, t
LyraShe ignored me. She dropped to her knees, her hands sliding down to the waistband of my trousers. She shoved her fingers inside the fabric, gripping my hips tight. With one sharp pull, she dragged the pants and my underwear down to my ankles. I stepped out of them, kicking my boots off in the
Lyra"Tell the girl to step into the room," he said."Leave her out of this," I said. My voice came out as a pathetic, raspy whisper. I cleared my throat, trying to find some spine. "She didn't do anything. It was my idea to come in here.""Tell her to step into the room," he said, his eyes going d
LyraThe voice didn't belong to Nadia. It didn't belong to me. It came from the metallic object resting directly behind my hip.Nadia froze. She pulled her mouth away from me and yanked her fingers out of my body. She stood up quickly, wiping her wet mouth with the back of her hand, her chest heavi
SeraNight fell fast, and with it, the temperature plummeted. We had three fires going, but the heat didn't seem to travel more than six inches past the flames. I sat on a log by the middle fire, pulling the wagon fur around my shoulders, shivering so hard my teeth were literally clicking together.







