*Kieran*The sun is high in the sky when we finally reach the castle. After days of travel, my home should be a welcome sight, but I can only think of the lives that were lost to build this place. This is not a home, I realize for the first time in my life. It’s a monument to my father’s ego. This c
They barely respond at all. Mother looks at her nails in boredom, and my father’s face doesn’t change at all. He’s still just looking at me with a stoic expression. “Yes, well,” he says, clearing his throat. “That is, of course, terrible news.” “Terrible,” my mother echoes in a monotone. “Terrible
There’s a loud knock on my front door, and I’m so exhausted I have to actually take a moment to remember where I am. Thankfully, my eyes have gotten very used to the dark, and I manage to make it to the door without turning on any of the lights. Mother is on the other side with a steaming mug of tea
It’s all a bit overwhelming, knowing that I’ve done this, yet the pride swells in my chest nonetheless. When the animals have all dispersed, Mother smiles brightly at me and pulls me into a long embrace. “You’ve done so well, my love,” she whispers into my ear. She pulls back slightly and I see a m
*Kieran*The walk to the dungeon is colder and darker than I remember. It’s always been dingy, sure. Truthfully, I’ve only ever come down to chastise Raven for being here when she shouldn’t or yell at her father. How did she stand it, I wonder. The stench alone is enough to send people running in th
“And tell me, should I be calling you son, now?” he asks in barely more than a whisper. I nod curtly. “We were wed before I left. Perhaps we’ll celebrate again when you can join us,” I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I remember my wedding. I can’t wait to get this over with so I
*Raven* The sky is bright and cloudless when we emerge the next morning. The storm from yesterday left the ground soaked through, and mud squishes under my shoes as we make our way back to the center of the field. Mother’s been strangely quiet all morning as if she’s lost in thought. I can’t seem
“And your parents allowed it?” Her face is like a mask to me now. It must be as hard for her to ask me these questions as it is for me to answer. “The king never really paid me much mind unless I was in serious trouble,” I explain, no longer needing to refer to King Gavin as my father. “The queen d
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