“All it takes is a little faith–and recognition, my Little Raven.” I open my mouth to say more, but I hear a jingle in the door. “Someone’s here,” I whisper. Mr. Blake laughs in my head. “You can just think it. If you’re thinking of me when you have a message to send, I’ll hear you. I’ll always he
*Kieran* “Oh, my. That is a bright shade of pink.” My mother blinks her eyes a few times before sipping her wine again. She’s commented on Nessa’s dress at least five times since dinner started only a few moments ago. Every time she does, Nessa giggles and squeezes my hand beneath the table, as if
I’d still like an answer to our question, though. “Why didn’t you kill Blake then?” I take a sip of my wine, trying to sound unbothered. “Because… the old coward begged me not to kill him. I dragged him back here and locked him up in silver chains, hoping perhaps one day he’d use his powers to he
*Blanca* After Candace left, I’d sat there immoble for quite some time. Her statement about Nessa being the worst match for Kieran had made me nauseated. But I’d managed to eat the food she’d brought me, and now, I’m pacing in the small area of my room. I can mind-link with Mr. Blake but no one in
I’m thin enough in my human form I can probably slide between the bars, but how I can get all the guards in front of the gate to look away for a moment is beyond me. “Unless….” A thought occurs to me, and as I pick up speed running toward the nearest gate, I use my mind to call together any birds t
*Kieran* I’d seen her rush past while I was sitting in the rose garden, thinking about everything. My first instinct was to shout at her and tell her to get her ass back inside. But I can’t do that, and I know it. She has to leave. Not just because she doesn’t really belong here but because it’s
“Am I?” She tips her head to the side and looks at me like I’m an idiot. “Kieran, we look nothing alike.” “I know but–” “We act nothing alike. I have these weird powers. I can hear a man we both know is from Escuro in my head.” A nervous laugh erupts from her mouth. “I’m starting to think someone
*Blanca* “Hand me the key, Kieran,” I tell him as I see guards coming closer to where he’s standing on the other side of the gate I just squeezed through. Right now, the guards are preoccupied, fighting the birds I’m sending to distract them. But it won’t take long before the birds get scared and f
My quill flows across the page, writing down every word of the story. Mother’s voice rings in my ears, soft over familiar phrases. When I’m done, I don’t read it over. I’ll just crumple it up if I do. But I scribble one last thing at the end.Even if the tower never falls….Seconds tick away as I st
HollisI’m a moron. Worse than that, I’m insane. That’s what Mother said when she found out I’d stuck my tongue to the frozen pole outside of the kitchen three times in a week and basically skinned the damn thing every time. But every time, I thought it would be like in a story Eva and I read, where
“I want something more active,” I say. “Like you. I want to… I don’t know… make something?”“Easy.” Ingrid claps her hands together. “Have you ever done any fine arts? Drawing, painting, sculpting?”I shake my head. Yet another class Mother thought was filling my head up with nonsense.“Okay. I know
CandaceI’m sitting at the dressing table, fixing my hair for the first time in days, when a bird starts singing right outside my tent. An ash warbler. For the third time since sunset yesterday. I almost smile.When it first happened, I made Ingrid go check. We were way outside of where the warbler
‘Catch me if you can!’ she calls through the mind-link.In wolf form, I can’t give her the necklace if I want to. I stuff her clothes and mine in her sewing bag, then shift and give chase.Escuro flies by. I barely notice it. My attention remains locked on Eva’s bright-red tail disappearing between
HollisMy plan to act like I actually believe Eva is going to be my wife is going great—except for the fact that I basically haven’t slept since I started it because my mark hurts so Goddess-damned bad. That’ll fade. I know it will. Because I do believe Eva’s going to be my wife. It’s what everyone
Outside the tent, someone makes the tiniest whimper I’ve ever heard. My heart squeezes.“They can come in, but no lights.” I sit up. “And don’t ask, please.”Ingrid nods and starts to turn away, but her gaze locks on mine. She’s noticed. Of course. Every muscle in my body tenses.She turns back for
CandaceFor the third morning in a row, I pull my covers over my head as lunch approaches and rub eyes gritty from crying.Well, not exactly the third morning in a row. The very next day, I tried. I got up, made myself beautiful even as Ingrid fluttered around me, saying I didn’t have to go out if I
Not that I’m keeping track. I, in fact, am doing the exact opposite. I’ve been so caught up in her that I’ve been neglecting my responsibilities. Even if she’s not the person I’m going to spend my life with, I still believe in her dream. There’s just no reason for her to lie, or to seem so scared if