Chapter 3

The smile freezes on Mira's face.

She grips Zelrun's hand. Tight.

He doesn't move.

She shoots me a glare. Then her hand flies to her mouth. Eyes wide.

"Wait— you?" She's staring at Brann. Voice trembling. "You're— you're the husk! I thought you were dead! No wonder she wouldn't come with us!"

She's lying through her teeth.

Brann isn't the husk. Brann is the man who saved me from the husk. Eight years ago. Snow up to my knees. Blood running down my hands.

But Mira just put his face on the dead man.

And Zelrun believes her.

His eyes go dark.

Cold. Wrong.

"Brann. Get out of here. Go find Margrave Igris. Or Marshal Toregga. Whichever's closer. Bring them."

Both of them bear the Dragon King's Mark. His own father carved it into their skin. Zelrun would know it on sight.

Brann nods. Spins for his horse.

Then Zelrun snaps.

Before anyone can blink, he's half-shifting. Black scales surge up his arms. Drake claws unsheathe. He flashes forward — knocks Brann off his horse with one swipe. Claws aimed straight at his heart.

"Zelrun, stop! He's pack! He saved me!"

My chest squeezes. I'm screaming.

He doesn't hear me.

Brann rolls. Half-shifts mid-air. Gray wolf form bursting out of his shoulders. He twists past the killing strike.

But he's outnumbered.

Mira's guards close in. They half-shift too. Claws and teeth. They tear into him.

Blood sprays across my face.

I freeze. Mouth open. My head's empty.

"Don't hurt him— please— he saved my life—"

Nobody listens.

They pull back. Let the holes pour blood.

Brann drops to one knee. Holding himself up.

One of Mira's guards stomps on his neck. Forces his head into the dirt.

Zelrun lets his claws fade. Looks at him like he's an insect.

"What officer? He drew on the Crown Heir. He's an assassin."

Mira's smile gets bigger.

Beside me, long curved claws slide out of one of her guard's hands. Cold light running down them.

"So, Vey. The eight little ones. You saving them or not?"

"I save them."

Eight cuts won't kill me.

Eight years. Their parents kept me alive. I owe them.

The first rake goes in. Then the second. Third. Fourth.

The smell of blood thickens. I can't breathe through it.

Valen rips the guard back. His own claws come out. Wolf claws. Silver fur up to his elbow.

"Vey! You still want to save them?!"

A small, broken sob behind me. One of them.

I'm soaked in cold sweat. My body keeps jerking from the pain.

"I save them. I'm not going back to the Keep."

Valen explodes.

Four more rakes. Hard. Vicious.

"You don't get to decide. You still owe Mira. You still owe the house. Not even close to paid."

I swallow the scream.

Hands on the dirt.

I push myself up. Slowly. Spine straight.

Mira watches me struggle to breathe. She looks thrilled.

"Valen— look at her. There's so much blood. She — she's not pregnant, is she? Coming home pregnant — we can't hide that. I shouldn't have pushed her so hard."

I look down. Dazed.

It's Rion's blood. From his arm. Pooling at my feet.

Zelrun's head snaps around. His voice grinds through his teeth.

"Get rid of it."

The guards move.

They yank my arms back. Force my stomach forward. Expose it.

A boot drives into me. Hard.

I choke out a sound. My insides feel like they've moved.

I can't speak. Not a word.

"You're lying!" Brann's mouth is full of blood. He's still here. Still fighting. "She's never even been with a man! Where would a kid come from?!"

Mira sets her hand on the little unicorn girl's neck. Her fingers curl. Slowly tightening.

"I'm lying?" Mira watches Brann's face. Watches him panic. She sighs.

"If they aren't her kids, why do you care so much?"