*Kieran*“Man, do I have a few things to tell you.” I can barely see Blanca in the darkness of the cave. Her eyes are like polished onyx, and even the whites of them are difficult to make out. It’s probably for the best. I don’t really want to see her at the moment, not when I’m so fucking confused about everythig.“What’s going on?” She sinks down across from me. I wish I would’ve had time to pack something–anything–before we left the castle because my stomach is killing me. Another hunger pang flashes through me as I pull a knee up to my chest. “Did you hear anything through the mind-link?”“Oh yes,” I tell her. “I heard plenty. That’s what I wanted to tell you about.” I take a deep breath and consider how best to spew this all out to her. On our way here, the chatter in my mind was almost overwhelming. I could tell when we crossed out of range of the castle because my father’s booming voice stopped rattling my brain.“I’m listening.” Her tone is calm on the surface, but underneath

*Kieran*If I was smart, I’d rest during the day and run at night. But I guess I’m not that smart because the sun is hanging overhead, and Blanca and I have been running for hours. We hug the base of the mountains for shelter to exclude anyone coming up on that side. So far, despite the messages from the warriors in my range that my father is absolutely pissed, none of them have been able to find us. They still trust what I’m telling them and are fanning further away from us. No one is even questioning me.It’s a good thing, too, because there’s no way in hell we’d be able to fight off a group of my father’s warriors. They are the best trained fighters in the world, and there are just two of us. Not even an entire flock of birds would help us with that.Blanca is keeping pace with me, though the narrow, rocky path has her a few steps behind me and not righ next to me. Earlier, we killed a rabbit and ate it in our wolf forms. I could tell by her eyes that it made her sad to do so, but

*Kieran*It makes me uncomfortable to admit that she makes me feel comfortable.It seems ironic, but it’s true.She’s not supposed to make me feel this way because, in the crevices of my mind, the ones that haven’t adjusted to the new reality yet, she’s my sister.Even though I know she’s not, and even when I thought she was, I never once treated Blanca like she was a member of my family.Most of the time, I didn’t even treat her like she was a person.Still, with her head on my shoulder like this, I start to think of her in a different light. She is my mate, after all. We are not related. We have never been related. Nothing about her being my mate or what we did during the Haze was wrong, and yet, whenever she touches me, it creates a war in my mind, a chaotic jumble of mixed emotions where I don’t know what’s up and what’s down.I don’t know if I should smile and enjoy the tingling warmth spreading throughout my body and gathering in my groin or push her away and swallow down the fi

*Kieran*Blanca stares at me as if she can’t comprehend what I’ve just said. I don’t blame her; I’m not sure I can comprehend it myself. But then, I’ve said it, and I mean it.“Kill your father?” she repeats.I nod. “That’s right. We need to kill him. Of course, it would be nice to hear him confess to all of his crimes first, but that can come after.”Blanca, who is still sitting on my lap, both of us naked, binks a few times. It’s hard to see her in the darkness. The sun has completely gone down, and very little moonlight reaches us through the cave entryway, even though there are no bushes there this time. I’m not sure what I expect her to say, but since she’s saying nothing, I continue.“Everything he’s ever taught me is a lie. He’s mentioned time and again how he defeated all of these kingdoms around us where people were being mistreated by the royals, but none of that is true. It’s just what he told himself and others in order to get his leaders on board with all of the horrible

*Kieran*The moment Blanca starts naming names, I know we’re in for it. I want to tell her to be more vague, but I also don’t think it’s a wise decision to be secretive right now, and we still don’t have the mind-link. I was an idiot for not believing she was my mate and going ahead with the ceremonial shit before. Now, it might cost our lives.She says my last name, and everyone in the whole damn–whatever the hell this is–freezes. She says Blake’s name, and the Luna almost passes out.Still, I stay back, right next to Blanca, and wait.After Luna Delaney recovers from her near swoon, she continues to question Blanca. “You’ve seen him? With your own eyes?”Blanca’s head rocks back and forth. “Yes. King Gavin keeps him in a cell in the dungeon, but I used to go there often to bring the prisoners water.”“Why would you do that?” The woman who caught the Luna looks to be about the same age as Delaney, and their facial features make me wonder if maybe they are related. Sisters, perhaps?“