“Where are we going?” I ask anxiously as Jossie leads Hendrik and I deeper into the forest. “Where are you taking us?” “Just follow me,” she replies curtly, which doesn’t help my nerves at all. “That’s not reassuring,” Hendrik mutters, still with his sword drawn. “I’m telling you, one wrong step and I will—” “Poke me with that sword? I’m telling you, I can break that shit in half. Now shut up.” Hendrik looks at me with a “let’s get out of here” expression, but I’m too in my head to take notice. The forest of Corrin is not much different from those I’ve seen, but the beginning of fall is already making a mark on the leaves, turning their edges orange and yellow. The glow of the afternoon is setting them ablaze, but I can’t see any kind of beauty. I’m nervous. My heartbeat is a wreck and so is my head, even though there’s only one thing that’s been inside my mind since I saw Jossie. “Will I. . . .” I falter, taking a deep breath. “Will I

⇼ E L O R A ⇼“No way!” Hendrik yells, stepping back and toppling his chair in the process. He pats around his hip for his sword, but it was confiscated from him. Instead he picks up one of the knives and points it at Jossie as well. “You are not touching us! Come on, Elora, we’re leaving!”He tries to take my hand, but I don’t move from my seat. I just watch as Jossie’s lips twitch. “Hendrik, I don’t think she’s serious.”At that, Jossie lets out a huge cackle. “Relax, I’m not going to slice your faces open. Jeez. I’ll just give you both a trim and a little bit of face dirt to make you truly one of us. Also, those clothes have to go. They kind of give away that you’re not from around here.”I look at Hendrik, who is sporting an expression of a mixture of relief, anger, and grudging respect, and tell him, “See?”He goes back

⇼ A L I S T A I R ⇼“No,” I manage to croak at last. Dread is flowing through my veins like a deadly poison, corroding my veins with each passing second. “Don’t tell me she really thought that. I don’t know why I said it. My wolf just took over and I—”“Cut the excuses, will you?” Jossie interjects. “What happened happened. It’s done. It’s over.”“No,” I say again, this time with more conviction. I cross the room and stand in front of her, taking her shoulders. “You have to convince her not to go.”She scoffs and swats my hands off of her. “You don’t think I didn’t do that? Of course I tried to talk her out of it! She’s determined to leave.”“But if so. . . .” I trail off, deeply pained about the things I’m about to say. “Why can’t she just go with Hendrik peacefully? Why does she need to

⇼ A L I S T A I R ⇼ “Elora!” Jossie screams, limping towards Elora with a scared look on her face. She tries to reach Elora, but she’s still wrapped in this small tornado of lightning that’s making the air hum with energy. I hold my hand up for Jossie. “Don’t!” Gynith appears from nowhere with blood streaked across her face. I can see from a distance that she just detached herself from a dead man and is now looking at Elora too. “But she’s in danger! Briar did this—” “No,” I say, loud enough over the crackle of energy. “She’s not in danger.” As soon as I say these words, I immediately know that they’re no lies. Elora really isn’t in danger right now. Hendrik tries to protest and just marches up to Elora, but thankfully I manage to stop him in his tracks and push him back in his place. “Let her be,” I tell him, then I turn to everyone. “Let her be!” I know what I saw. I know what I’m seeing. All this lighting and the danger hang

⇼ E L O R A ⇼ I’m frozen in my spot. I had no idea that we arrived in the camp and we’re surrounded by all the allies. I try to unstick myself from the wall to see what exactly is going on, but Alistair motions me to stay in my spot.  “No,” he whispers before turning back to Candor.  “Show her now!” the old man is yelling. “We will not tolerate this any longer.”  The anger in his voice causes a wave of shame to overwhelm my body. It’s cutting through the thick layer of confusion wrapped around my head. I don’t know if it’s the kiss or what happened in the watchtower, but warmth is still simmering on my skin. I also have no idea if it’s just my imagination or not, but the inexplicable warmth seems to be getting worse.  “Why