LOGINYvaine's POV The same brown ceiling stared back at me as my eyes ooened. For a second I thought I heard my grandma’s soft, familiar calling of my name the way she used to when the sun barely touched the farm. ‘Wake up, Yvaine.’ My chest lifted with something close to hope before the rest of the room came into focus. My throat tightened until it hurt. Tears burned at the corners of my eyes before I could stop them. I should have died in that forest, instead I was still here. An IV needle sat in the back of my hand, taped down neatly. A thin tube ran up to a half-empty bag. My body felt, weak, heavy, and drained of strength. And I was feeling so hungry. I couldn’t remember the last time I ate anything. The worst of the pain was gone. The deep tear in my thigh no longer ache as badly as before, and the cut at my neck was only a dull ache. But why keep me alive after putting a blade to my throat? Kill-Save-Kill technique. The moment I tried to pull myself to sit, the door opene
Zayden's POV Heat exploded across my chest. It was sudden, violent, and far worse than anything it had ever done to me before. It wasn’t the usual low pulse or unwanted warmth. It felt like someone had pressed a heated brand straight into my heart and held it there. My knees almost gave out. The pain tore through my ribs, quick and consuming. One of my hands started shaking, then the other one. Why the hell is the Veilbrand acting up? A rough sound tore from my throat as pressure built behind my teeth and under my nails. My fangs forced themselves down without permission. My claws pushed through my fingertips in an insanely painful, uncontrolled shift. My vision blurred. For a moment it felt like my heart was actually on fire, like the mark was trying to burn its way out of my chest. I staggered back a step from the bed, my breath coming harshly. This had never happened before. It was burning as if the Veilbrand was punishing me from what I did to the girl. By the time I reach
I walked to the foot of the bed. She didn’ t even flinch when my shadow fell across her. Up close, the smell of her blood was more stronger, mixed with her sweat and the fading trace of whatever perfume had once clung to that ruined dress she was wearing. Something in my chest… the Veilbrand pulsed, accompanied with a brief hot sensation. It was unfamiliar and quick, but for now, I ignored it.I reached down and untied the last cord around her ankle. The skin around her ankle was red and bruised.“This is the last mercy I’ll give you,” I said. My voice stayed even. “You will answer my questions carefully. If I decide you dare to lie , or you prove you're more useful dead than alive, I will grant the death you asked for, slowly.”After her loosened the rest of the cord, she pushed herself a little higher against the headboard, even though the movement clearly hurt. Instead of looking away, she leaned forward slightly, pushing my gaze.“I asked a question first. Are you another one of
Zayden's POV Her hand trembled as she tried to force herself upright again. Every small movement pulled a heavy tired breath out of her. The sheet was stained with blood running down her leg. Still, she managed to sit straight and look straight at me, as if pain was something she could simply refuse to acknowledge.“What did Nikolai promise you in exchange for me?” Her voice was still raspy, but steady. Her neck looked barely strong enough to hold her head up, yet she kept it lifted, her eyes locked dead on me.The name still rang no bell. No memory or association. But when she mentioned the name, her voice was laced with fear and hatred, though it was tightly controlled.When I didn’t answer, her shoulders dropped a bit, but definitely not in defeat.Stubborn.“Just kill me,” she said, quieter now “I won’t go back to him.”The door opened.Kael returned with a cup of water in his hand. He held it out to her without a word. The look on his face wasn't very assuring that he hadn't poi
Zayden’s POV The human girl was no longer on the bed. She stood near the far wall, one foot of her foot was planted on the wooden floor, her white dress hanging off one shoulder where Rhett had cut parts of it away while cleaning her up. Red rings had formed around both wrists probably from fighting the ropes. That's because Kael had not been gentle when he tied her. The other ankle was still partially bound to the bedframe by a frayed length of cord she hadn’t managed to finish loosen. Maybe that was when Rhett walked in on her. She held a pistol in both hands, the barrel pointed straight at my chest. Where the hell did she get that? Her hands were trembling, but everything else about her grip was very steady. Her stance was balanced and her shoulders aligned even with the obvious pain. She held herself like someone who had done this before. Like a professional. Rhett stood just inside the doorway to my left, his hands still raised. He looked more amused than concerned. If it w
Zayden’s POVSteam rose around me as I sank lower into the wooden tub. The water was still hot enough to sting the half-healed bite on my shoulder. I welcomed the burn. Pain was simple. It asked nothing and explained nothing.Three days.The human girl had not opened her eyes in three days.I rested my head against the rim of the tub and stared at the low ceiling. Kael and Rhett had taken turns watching her. They had cleaned her wounds, forced water between her lips when they could, and finally bound her wrists and ankles to the bedframe. It was Kael’s decision. He refused to take chances. For all he knew, she had been working with the rogues.I had not disagreed.A human this deep in the forest made no sense. The paths leading here were deliberately broken and misleading. I closed my eyes.Someone still wanted me dead. That much was clear. The rogues had not stumbled into my territory by accident. They had come prepared, and in numbers. Even after everything, after all the years awa







