Annie's POV:
"Three."
Alexander's voice carried over the square, flat and final. He stood at the front of the platform with his arms crossed, and the whole pack held its breath with him.
"I will count down from three. When I reach one, the offer is closed. The healer dies at dawn, and the testing begins."
"Two."
Jasper's hand tightened on my arm. His palm was cold. "Annie. Don't."
I pulled free.
The crowd made way for me. I walked out, head up, past staring women and stepping-back men, the whole square turning to watch.
"One."
I was at the foot of the platform when he said it. The count died in his throat. For a moment, nobody moved.
Alexander looked at me.
I saw him recognize me—the maid in black, the one who scrubbed floors. His eyes went over me, and his expression shifted—fi
