Prologue
I ran through the forest as fast as I could, breaking branches against my arms as I went. I could see the blood moon glaring overhead. It was an ominous sign, it was cruel and red and far too high for luck.
I hugged my baby close to me, she screamed against my shoulder, her scent was dangerously strong. I knew, that if the hunters caught us now, they wouldn’t hesitate. They’d do what they did to her father. What I knew they would do to me if they caught me.
Every breath I took was like a knife, and every heartbeat warned me I was running out of time.
Behind me, I heard them: wolves. They were coming.
I stumbled through the thorns toward the old stones, I kept running until they came into view. I knew getting her here was my only chance to keep her safe.
I laid her on the mossy earth inside the ring. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, my tears wetting her cheek. “You don’t deserve any of this.”
Magic flickered briefly in the air and my baby shuddered once, before becoming calm and quiet again, the moonlight softening her cries.
I placed a letter into a gap between the stones, hopeful that one day, maybe, Elara will find the truth I was too much a coward to tell her face to face.
I pressed my bloody palm to the biggest stone. “Hide her. Please,” I choked. “Let her live long enough to get free.”
I could hear shouting and knew they were almost here. I felt the magic fight back at me, angry at being called on and also furious at being forgotten.
I gave her one last look. My sweet baby girl, brave without knowing and already so alone.
I turned and faced the pack as they crashed into the clearing. There wasn’t anything soft left in me, not for them. If I had to burn for this, fine. I’d always known I would.
Then there was a flash of light. The storm split the sky, and I let the old power take me, claws out, teeth bared, heart breaking.
Hoping it would be enough.
