ClaraI saw all that I wanted to see. As quietly as I dared, I crawled back through the passageway. Once I was sure I was far enough from the room, I scrambled as fast as I could to the exit. I felt the tile with my hands, slid it open, and I leaped out of the exit. I bumped directly into another werewolf.“Sorry,” I gasped. My heart still pounded from what I had just heard. I stared at the werewolf who eyed me critically.It was the werewolf who called me a country bumpkin from Bragne. He was younger and shorter than me, but I could see that he had a lean strength in his body. His silver hair matched the color of his pale eyes, and he dressed in simple violet leather. A black cloak covered his head. I noticed the color of his darker skin, and I wondered if he was a Northerner.He glanced at me and the passageway I just came out of. “How did you know about this place?” he asked. His voice was surprisingly steady, and I wondered if he was angry or not.I didn’t know if I was supposed t

ClaraFelix pulled up his hood at the sound of my gasp and narrowed his eyes. He looked to the prince for guidance. Prince Legiere only smiled through his teeth at me and continued to smoke, as if it were just another day dealing with a sorcerer.“He has the Stigma and the Mark,” I said. Suddenly, I was unsure of myself. In the Moonstone Pack, or anywhere in Lycaneum, Felix would have been hunted, questioned, and burned alive. Sorcerers were burned, so that the Stigma would not spread to any other werewolf.I remembered Prince Legiere’s young betrothed. She too had the Stigma. Had there been an outbreak here in Khordon? Why hadn’t word gotten out about this in nearly every corner of Lycaneum? Is this why the Alpha of the Moonstone Pack wanted nothing to do with the Dark Shade? Did he hear about the sorcerers – werewolves who defied all reason and sought the arts of magic, at great risk to themselves and to everyone around them?“I’ve got the Mark,” Felix said coolly. “What of it?” Onc

ClaraI tried not to hiss as I dipped into the steaming hot water. The bath was boiling – much hotter than I was used to. Back when I still lived with the Moonstone Pack, I took quick, utilitarian baths. I often used the leftover water from Sisley’s bath or even Gerald’s when he wasn’t a lieutenant yet in the Allied Hunters. I would pour the water into a tiny wooden basin and squeeze my body inside. The water would be dirty and lukewarm, though I was grateful for any hot water at all. It was that or bathing in the river. Many other werewolves on the low end of the caste had to do this; it was just another thing to be ashamed of.Here the bath water gleamed with pale milky pink, green, and purple colors. It was like someone had stolen the aurora borealis in the night sky and deposited it into the bath. The scent was incredible – sea salts, subtle florals, citrus, and spice. They mixed into a fragrance that healed my anxious mind.I closed my eyes but kept the towel close to my breasts.

ClaraWhen the three of us finished breakfast, we headed out of my room onto the veranda overlooking the entirety of the city of Khordon. Khordon was built on several sloping hills, and the Quarters lay on one of those hills.Piper pointed out several buildings to me. “That’s my home,” she said, as she picked out a yellow brick building with several pavilions and gardens to the west. “It’s the House of Yultis. My father lives there.”She pointed to an intimidating castle surrounded by other square buildings. Black banners covered the battlements, and I could pick out the silver emblem of the Dark Shade: claws ripping through the fabric. “That’s the Seat of the Alpha, where Dean is supposed to live. But he likes living in the Quarters more.”“He’s not supposed to live there yet,” Felix said. “Even though everyone knows that he’s the chosen Emperor, Dean still has to pay lip service to Prince Bruess.”I remembered how Prince Legiere had spoken of his half-brother as living in a gilded c

ClaraWe spent the long, uncomfortable meal in complete silence. I could barely taste my food, and even the novelty of the iced drink Piper called coffee did not distract me from Prince Bruess’s domineering presence. He did not eat. I’m not sure why he would sit in this restaurant just to admire the colorful peaks of Terran, but I guessed that there was an unspoken rule that he could not remove his muzzle. This sort of punishment was common enough in garrisons and prison cells, but I had never seen it implemented for such a high-ranking member of the pack. It struck me as incredibly cruel and debasing, but seeing such a powerful werewolf in this state sent a clear message – there was only one heir to the throne, and it would be Deanneth.There were other things that I began to notice. A light golden chain was tied across his wrists. He shifted his position in his chair, and I saw that his feet were bare. Heavy golden cuffs encircled his ankles, and they were connected by a chain. Ther