LOGINAvery’s POVMy mother was being held in the Rogue King’s prison, and I had no power, no ability to rescue her. I hadn’t grown up close to my mother- my father had seen to that. From the time I was weaned, I had been removed from her care. He had hated my mother, claimed she seduced him, and she was
Avery’s POVI walked all over the village that day. I couldn’t say why, for sure. My body needed to do something to keep me from staring at the wall and waiting for the worst to happen. I was still too weak to actively train on the training grounds, my injuries too severe to use the weights or the
Dierdra’s POVMy footsteps rang hollow on the stairs leading down from Avery’s apartment. If I’d had my choice, I would have put her in a basement unit. She deserved to be in the ground. Anyone watching our interaction would have known that I had scored a mark when I had told her about the Culling.
Avery’s POVAnd then he was gone. The one person I thought might be able to intervene, who might have been able to throw me a lifeline, instead turned and walked out my bedroom door. He held all the cards, and instead of playing the hand that could have saved me, he had done the equivalent of polit
Gideon’s POVDierdra crumpled on the floor at my feet, her doll-like figure tragic and despondent as her waifish form was wracked with silent sobs. In front of me, Avery stood, pale and silent as a ghost. She was swaying slightly, as though shaken by an invisible breeze. My arms still felt the slig
Funny, she was the one who had been trying to force me out…I shook my head, feeling the weakness in my body quickly advancing as this altercation continued. Dealing with Dierdra was wearying on the best of days, but with my body still healing, and the continued harm I’d received at her hands, I was







