LOGINBianca’s POV“I was attending a car show.” Callum casually slipped his jacket off and threw it on the back of his desk chair. His face was expressionless, but I knew he was lying.“Liar.” I stood, planting my hands on my hips. “I’ve already seen the pictures.”“Pictures?” Callum turned toward me, br
Callum’s POVI didn’t expect to lose that race.I knew that sounded arrogant, maybe, but it was just the truth. I had been into racing since I was seventeen, and I hadn’t lost a race in over a year. Coming in second tonight, to the same person I had lost to on the street a few nights before, wasn’t
I was scanning the crowd when I caught sight of someone near the far edge of the pit area. Tall, dark hair, broad shoulders. Something about the way he stood made my stomach do a small, stupid flip that was all too familiar.Callum?I squinted. The distance was too much to make out his features. Bef
Liora’s POVBy the fifth night of sneaking out, I’d stopped counting how close I came to getting caught.Marcus had nearly spotted me on the third night, forcing me to duck behind a hedge for ten minutes in the cold while he did his rounds. Zane had thought that was hilarious when I told him. I did
Liora’s POVI wasted no time changing into something dark and sneaking out. The palace was mostly quiet at that hour aside from the guards, but I knew their patrol schedules like the back of my hand, and all of the best routes to slip out without being noticed. By the time I made it out the back gat
“Mother.” I came to stand a few feet away, waiting for her to acknowledge me.My mother jerked her head up and gasped. She waved the servant away with one hand, then tried to stand, but quickly fell back into her chair with a small cry. I rushed over, placing my hand under her elbow to steady her, a
LioraBy the time I made it back to the dorms, the hallway was empty. Just the low hum of the building’s old heating system, a thin buzz in the vents, and my own steps on the polished floors.The smell of smoke clung to me. It had followed me all the way from the ruined dance, up the long streets,
Liora They were smiling at me. All of them.Dozens of faces I hadn’t been allowed to look in the eye a month ago were now turned toward me with something like admiration. Or awe. Or relief.“Congratulations.”“You showed them.”“You give the rest of us hope!”Each of them, wolfless from around the
CallumI pushed through the bodies around, trying to nod and remain polite as I did, but there stares were like waking through knives. I told Bianca Iwas headed to the bathroom, but I need more, just a momment.I pushed out into the quiet halls of the grand room, the ceilings low and dark, only the
“I—” She huffed, looking just as trash smacked as me. Hair a mess, feet bare, dress in near shreds. “You will not believe,” she said, pulling her coat off and throwing it over the chair, “what an absolute nightmare that was.”Her tone was light. Casual.I blinked, unsure how to answer. “You… made it







