LOGINThe tunnel sloped upward until it opened into a wide cave hidden beneath the roots of the Black Marsh. A shallow pool reflected the moonlight filtering through cracks overhead. Kael raised a hand. "We stop here." Everyone slowed to a halt. For a few moments, the only sound that was heard was that of their heavy breathing. Rynese bent over, resting his hands on his knees. "I've decided..." he gasped. "Running from murderous soldiers is much worse than fighting them." Valkyrie gave him a sideways look. "You say that after every battle." "And I'm right every time." To everyone's surprise, Wisteria laughed. Rynese always had a way to make things look simpler in difficult situations. "I missed that." Rynese looked at her. "My complaining?" "It reminded me that some things haven't changed." His grin softened. "We're glad you're back." The smile on Wisteria's face faded. "So am I." But Zara noticed the sadness behind those words. * * * * * * * Kael searched the tunnel entrance
The chamber trembled. A faint crack spread across the stone floor beneath the altar then another one followed. The glowing lines carved into the sanctuary began to pulse like veins beneath the rock.Valkyrie looked down in alarm. "The seal is reacting.""To what?" Zara asked."To the page.""No." Valkyrie's eyes widened, "to Kael."The glowing lines stretched outward until they reached his boots, they stopped there as though waiting for permission.Kael instinctively stepped back but the light followed him."No..." Wisteria whispered. "It's choosing him."* * * * * *Without warning, one of the Belmar soldiers lunged toward the floating page. "If he won't take it," the man shouted, "I will!"He never reached it.The instant his fingers brushed the edge of the parchment, a blast of silver light exploded through the chamber. The soldier cried out, his body was thrown backward as though struck by an invisible force. He hit one of the pillars with a sickening crack before collapsing to th
Eveline seemed to enjoy her confusion. "Wisteria knows.""Wisteria..." Zara whispered.Wisteria looked away but for only a second, Zara could see the guilt in her eyes. "You know something," Zara said quietly.Wisteria swallowed. "I was trying to tell you but the horns interrupted us."Eveline folded her hands behind her back. "I'll save you the trouble.""No," Wisteria snapped. "You'll do no such thing."For the first time, Eveline's smile disappeared. "So that's where your courage went, I was beginning to think I'd frightened it out of you."Wisteria took a step toward the altar. "I won't let you twist the truth.""The truth?" Eveline said. "My dear, the truth has always been on my side."Kael's voice cut through the chamber. "Stop speaking in riddles, if you know something, say it."Eveline studied him for a long moment. "I wonder... Do you still remember your eighth birthday?"Kael's expression changed slightly. "What does that have to do with anything?""You don't remember, do y
For a second, Wisteria froze. Then she hugged her back."I thought..." Zara whispered."I know.""I thought I'd lost you." "Yah, but you didn't."There was no teasing in Wisteria's voice, just pure honesty. She knew she would have lost Westeria.When they finally pulled apart, Zara noticed the bruises circling Wisteria's wrists.Anger tightened her chest. "Eveline?"Wisteria nodded once. "She underestimated me.""And you escaped.""I barely escaped."Kael stepped closer, his relief hidden behind his usual calm expression. "You've been leaving the clues.""I had to.""And you knew we'd follow them." Kael sighed in relief."I was counting on it."Rynese folded his arms. "You know, next time you disappear, maybe leave one big note instead of fifteen tiny ones."For the first time since they had entered the tunnels, Wisteria laughed. Her laughter was soft and only for a brief moment."I'll keep that in mind."The moment didn't last, her expression turned serious as she looked toward the
The horn echoed again but this time, it sounded closer. Its sharp cry bounced off the walls until it seemed to come from every direction at once.Kael turned toward the tunnel they'd come through. "They're moving faster than I expected."Rynese looked over his shoulder. "How long do we have?"Kael listened for a moment. "Just a few minutes... Maybe even less."Valkyrie had already extinguished the lantern. The only light left came from thin shafts of moonlight filtering through the roots above them."We need to leave," she said. "If we're still here when they arrive, we'll be trapped."Kael nodded. "Take the map, I'll cover the rear."Everyone started moving except for Zara, she looked down at the note in her hands.*Don't let Kael read it.*She folded it carefully and slipped it into the inside pocket of her cloak before anyone noticed."Zara?" Kael's voice pulled her back. "You coming?"She forced a smile. "Yeah."Deep down, guilt settled heavily in her chest, she had never hidden a
The tunnel was barely wide enough to breathe.Cold river water rushed around Zara's knees as she crawled after Kael, one hand pressed against the damp stone to keep herself steady. The ceiling hung so low that she had to duck her head, and every now and then loose gravel rained down from above."This is officially the worst idea we've had," Rynese muttered somewhere behind her."You've said that about almost everything we've done," Valkyrie replied."And I've been right every time." Despite everything, Zara smiled but It lasted only a second.The current grew stronger. Kael stopped so suddenly that she almost ran into him."What is it?" she whispered.He didn't answer. Instead, he raised one hand, signaling everyone to stay quiet. The only sounds were the river... And something else.A metallic clink, it was soft and Rhythmic as though a chain had been dragged across stone.Zara felt every muscle in her body tense."Did you hear that?" she breathed.Kael nodded."It came from ahead."
"Have you lost your damn mind, Zara?!" Denice screamed at the top of her lungs. She had been awakened rudely that morning by low groans that seemed to be coming from Zara. The deep graons didn't sound lady like and Denice had to quit her sleep to find the source of the endless groans that kept her
Zara closed the book abruptly when she couldn't take it any more. She struggled to keep her emotions in check but her frail heart betrayed her. She kept the book back in place, knowing it was fate that had made her to come across the book. She stormed back into the chamber beneath the Moonstone Pa
Zara's world began to spin. King Draven had just called her by her name; how in earth did he know her name. Scratch that, what was it he had said last before her ears began to ring and her heart began to race faster in her chest?!She didn't think she had heard him right, her wolf was growling so l
The scent of pine and rain clung to the evening air as Zara stood at the edge of the Moonstone Pack’s gathering grounds with her hands clenched into fists. Her heart pounded, though not with fear—no, she had long since stopped fearing rejection. She already knew how this night would end. Before







