Montgo

behind, I headed down the free

ws across the scarred stone walls. Adjusting the ragge

had taken a heavy toll on my strength, and my shoulder b

n the first floor to gather ice-lotus leaves for tomor

toward the grand hall, I heard the low murmur o

minor pack stewards were still gathered around the long oak tables in the grand hall,

crimson carpet at the bottom of the stai

illed with shock, disgust, and malice raked o

ter of the hall near the

ned burgundy nightgown, clutching it tightly across her fr

nt she saw me coming down the stairs alone without Andra

Dominion, she had been forced to kneel o

had pampered her for ten years, she was determi

side archway, Vivian dabbed at the corners of her eyes w

ivian said, pitching her voice just high enough for every guard

a tray over me when I came in to help you. Even though my skin was scalded, I don't blame y

rage immediately rip

and that ugly wolfless freak dumped scaldi

ly peasant from the Mercer house doesn't ev

. She had twisted her humiliation upstairs into a story about me being a c

me me, get out of my

on an expression of deep, selfle

ver, as someone who cares about you, I can't just stand by and let the Council of E

eyebrow. "

ght you our traditions," Vivian said, her chin lifting sli

t a public wedding ceremony must undergo a Contraband Inspection and Purificati

f freezing gray water sitting besi

u the Luna seal tomorrow, I'm still in charge of t

astle law, the enforcers must strip off your cloak and search you from head to toe in front of t

ers brushed the leather p

ew my pouch was full of mo

n front of twenty loyal Carlisle guards who viewed silver as treason, if my pouch was ripp

an asked innocently, a cruel smile tugging at

t foul border mud off your skin with cold salt water. Unless... you

ed, their hands dropping to the hilts of th

stepping forward and cracking her thick knuckles. "If you didn't do

of hostile faces, then fixe

ou, Lady Vivian?" I asked, my voice calm and cl

was clumsy. If that's true, why don't you open that white velvet cape you're

vely on the collar of her cape. "Wh

across your chest and sleeves," I cut her off coldly, pointing a finger str

s bone dry, while both of your knees are soaked brown w

l instinctively drop

frayed with tiny white splinters of broken china-the unmistakable

opped instantly, replaced b

rd Vivian, watching the b

low-cut nightgown, and Lord Andrae forced you onto your knees on the broken

Vivian, or did you think that making up fake house la

hut your fi

s shattered Vivian's gentle, noble mask completely. Her feature

our lies!" Vivian screeched, abandoning all pretense. "You're

tone pillar and yanked down a three-foot leathe

her eyes. "In front of all these witnesses, you won't dare use your dirty tricks! Stri

ed in to cut off my retre

h in public, she swung her left claw straight for the collar of my cloak to rip my cl

histled viciously throug

r arms, waiting to see the arrogant substitute bride get he

rowed to fr

s an easy target? To someone who had crawled out of the deadliest assassin pits

step back

my collar and the whip came screaming down towar

oak like a striking viper, bypassing the lash en