Chapter 2

I stared at my brother's face and felt the ground tilt beneath me.

But not here. Not yet. Not in this life.

"What are you talking about?" I kept my voice light.

"Elder Orin's grandson chose Sera. They're inside celebrating right now. You should go in. Be happy for her." I gestured back toward the hall.

He froze.

For a long second I watched him try to read my face, looking for the lie.

Then, without another word, he shoved past me and disappeared into the hall.

The cold wind hit me the moment I was alone.

I started trembling. Not from the chill—but from the weight of everything I'd just walked away from.

. . .

The next few days passed like a dream I wasn't fully in.

Mother and Father bustled around Sera. Measuring her for ceremony robes. Negotiating bonding gifts with Elder Orin's emissaries.

The whole Territory talked of nothing but the upcoming union. My elder sister, Sera, would become the mate of a lion prince.

Everyone smiled.

Except Darius.

He watched me constantly. Whenever I crossed the courtyard, his eyes followed.

Like he expected me to strike at any moment.

One evening, Mother called me into her quarters. She took my hands in hers—warm and calloused.

"Once Sera's settled into the Kane household, your father and I will find you a match too. Don't you worry. We won't pick anyone less than what your sister is getting."

She squeezed my fingers and sighed. "I just worry about that girl. She's so headstrong. What if she wears poor Silas out with her wildfire temper?"

Her words hit me like a fist to the ribs.

I smiled anyway.

"I don't want to marry, Mother. I'll stay here. Take care of you and Father for the rest of my days."

The words had barely left my mouth when a cold laugh cut through the doorway.

"Bonding ceremony's days away. Everything is set." Darius leaned against the frame, arms crossed.

"Or are you still dreaming about the male who was never meant for you?"

Mother's face darkened. "Darius! Don't speak to your sister like that."

He pushed off the door and walked inside, his golden eyes locked on me.

"I know exactly what you're doing, Elara. And it's not happening. Tomorrow I'm finding you a male. Any male. A denscavenger, if that's what it takes."

His voice dropped.

"You'll bond with whoever I pick. And you'll stay away from Sera's mate."

I stared at him.

The hatred in his voice was real. Raw.

It wasn't suspicion born of nothing—it was the frantic terror of someone who had seen the future and was trying to claw it into a different shape.

He had no way of knowing I had already made the same choice.

Sera appeared behind him, a bowl of fruit in her hands. She shoved it into my arms and glared at her brother.

"Stop being so mean! Elara's done nothing wrong. And she's still young—there's no rush."

She picked up a slice of something sweet and held it to my lips.

"Here. Try this. It's really good."

Darius knocked the bowl from my hands.

Fruit scattered across the floor.

"You don't know what's in her head, Sera." His voice was a snarl.

"What happens when she takes your mate? What then? You gonna smile and wave?"

Even Mother looked horrified at that.

Sera burst out laughing. She linked her arm through mine and leaned her head on my shoulder.

"Don't be ridiculous, brother. If it weren't for Elara's silver clasp, Silas might have walked right out of the Choosing. He even asked me where I got it. He said it was… special. That it suited me."

Her cheeks went pink as she said it.

Darius went still.

Then he turned and walked out without another word.

. . .

The next morning, Silas came to the Territory bearing gifts.

I hadn't expected it. None of us had.

I'd been in the back garden, planting moonflowers along the border wall the way Mother had asked. My hands were caked with soil up to my wrists, my hair half-falling out of its tie.

I heard footsteps. Too heavy for a leopard.

I looked up.

Silas stood over me, his amber eyes fixed on my face.

For a long, suspended second, neither of us moved.

"You," he said slowly. "I didn't see you at the Choosing. Who are you?"