*Kieran*After a tearful reunion with her mother, Blanca–I mean Raven–is taken outside to meet the rest of the pack. I tag along in awe of everything I’m seeing. Unlike my mate, I’ve known my parents my whole life, and I’ve always felt like they loved me. But after seeing this, I’m beginning to realize I’m not sure I know what parental love looks like. At least, not until now.Delaney doesn’t stop crying the entire time she is speaking to her people. She calls them all to gather in a central area that is a little larger than the other tunnels, and when a great mass of them has congregated, she tells them all what she has discovered. The girl who climbed down the ladder a bit ago is her daughter–Princess Raven–the girl that disappeared twenty-one years ago.At first, a hush falls over everyone. They’re obviously surprised, and I have to think they also wonder if Delaney has lost her mind. How does she know this? What if this girl is lying? But then, the woman from earlier, whom I’ve no
*Raven*I have an Aunt.Nola takes me to her home, and together we begin to bake a traditional dessert that is eaten during celebrations. She tells me all about how the dish is prepared and why it means so much to our people.I am listening the best I can, but I am distracted. I keep thinking about my mother–I actually have one that loves me–and how she asked to speak to Kieran. I’m nervous that he will say something he shouldn’t say, but I have to trust him. He is my mate, after all.As we bake, Nola asks me all sorts of questions about my life. I am slicing apples, something I’ve never done before, and am slightly afraid I’ll cut off my finger if I don’t pay attention. I tell her the truth. “I was raised in the castle, mostly cared for by nursemaids. It’s not been too interesting, honestly. Your life here seems far more intriguing. I’d love to know how you have apples underground.”Nola, who looks a lot like my mother, laughs and wipes the back of her hand across her face. “We grow
*Kieran*When Delaney first asked me to come with her, I was nervous, but as we walked along, she told me about what it was like giving birth to Raven, how she’d been asking the Moon Goddess to bless her with a child for many years and hadn’t been lucky enough to have one until finally she found out she was pregnant. When it had turned out she was having a daughter, she’d been overjoyed.Raven had only been a few months old when everything had happened with my kingdom. As she spoke, I got the impression she knew who I was, that I am the Crown Prince of Dun’s Crossing, but I never told her the truth, and she didn’t ask.Now, here we are about to go through with the handfasting ceremony, something Delaney also explained to me. I figured it was like a wedding but not as complicated. As we walked, my mind went over all the planning my mother and Nessa had been discussing since the Haze and think about what a waste of time that’s going to turn out to be. There’s no way in hell I’m going for
RavenMy legs ache from dancing. At one point, I took my shoes off and let Kieran spin me in circles across the rough cobblestone in the square. Now, I’m barefoot and hobbling beside my mate–my husband–along a trail through the tunnels lit by the same lanterns the villagers had hung in the square before our surprise handfasting ceremony. My brain is still unable to process how fast this happened, but it's done. Kieran and I are husband and wife. I curse under my breath when I step on a root jutting from the trail and stub my toe. Kieran sighs heavily before swooping me into his arms. “My first order of business as your husband is buying you a new pair of shoes, my dear.”My dear. I giggle, wiggling in his arms as we continue our walk through the lantern lit darkness. “Is that your new name for me now that you can never get rid of me?”He rolls his eyes. It’s nice seeing him relaxed and enjoying himself. I’m not sure I ever have, to be honest. “Would you prefer sweetheart? Darling?
KieranI wake to lamplight streaming through the curtains. It’s early morning. Though I can’t see it down here in the tunnels, I imagine the sun is still hiding beneath the horizon. I should still be asleep, but my mind and body are at odds with my heart, and rest hasn’t come easy. Raven and I made the most of the soft bed and total privacy we were awarded last night after our wedding and didn’t fall asleep until well past the middle of the night. But I reach over to her side of the bed and find it empty, and cool to the touch. I sit up and fumble for my clothes. She has to know that this moment was coming. That I have to leave, and it may be a while before I can return. The idea of storming into my own kingdom, deposing my father, and putting his crown on top of my own head is appealing, but it can’t happen that way. I have to play the long game. I have to take out the enemies in his inner circle. I have to work my way to the top. King Cole must help me, but I can’t bring his da
*Blanca*I trail my fingertips along the rough stone wall of the dungeon as I walk briskly along, keeping my shoulders hunched and my head down. In my other hand, I carry a bucket of water and a ladle. Down here, I should be safe from the ridicule I face on the upper levels of the castle, but occasionally, a guard or two will mess with me. It’s easier to avoid them if I’m invisible. When I was a little girl, I got it into my head that not looking at people somehow made them unable to see me. Now, I know better. Yet, I still find myself staring at my holey boots most of the time.When I reach the first cell, I pause. “Water?” I offer the man caged inside of the small space the ladle. This cell has no windows, and it’s hard to see because the light from the few lanterns on the walls only reaches so far. But I know his face. I know his name. I know his story.I know all of their stories.He comes over and takes the ladle, drinking thirstily before I refill it, and he empties it again. “
*Kieran*My cheek stings where that blasted bird pecked away my skin, but at least it didn’t get my eyeball. Because of my wolf shifter abilities, I feel it healing already. When I draw my hand away again, there’s no fresh blood.I hear my twin sisters’ footsteps lightly following me up the stairs and can feel her glaring at me. It’s nothing new. We’ve been at each other’s throats since we were old enough to walk.Well, that’s not exactly true.I’ve been at her throat. She’s mostly passive, just stares at me. Sometimes she cries. I used to laugh hysterically when she’d cry. It made me want to hurt her more. Now that I’m older and more mature, it just makes me want to tell her to grow a pair.We are finally out of the dungeon stairwell. I hurry along to my father’s office where the rest of the family is waiting. I know he will be displeased, especially when he sees my eye. Mother will likely start having a conniption. Perhaps I shall lie and say something else happened to me.“There he
*Blanca*I almost made it to my room.When Nessa Winters steps out of the shadows near the last turn that takes me to my chambers, I leap backward, not out of fear but out of surprise. I hate it when she does that. Recently, she’s been doing it more and more. I’m not sure why. Maybe the fact that we are all twenty-one now and our wolves are more active has something to do with it. I don’t know, but I don’t like it.“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the nasty bitch who calls herself a princess,” Nessa says, stepping closer to me. Out of other nearby shadows two of her friends appear. I’m outnumbered. That’s not unusual. Not that I ever fight back anyway. If I did, I’d get it worse from my parents. Nessa’s father is an ambassador from an allied pack. They’ve been staying in the castle for years now, negotiating treaties or something like that. I don’t know why she’s here. I just know that she hates me.“Leave me alone, please,” I say. “I’m just trying to go to my room.”“Oh, is that what