Valerie's POV
The Warden sat on a throne made of wolf skulls.
I had expected a monster—something twisted and ancient, a creature of nightmares. Instead, he was young, handsome, almost gentle-looking. His features were fine, his hair dark, his skin smooth. He wore robes of black silk, and his hands were folded in his lap like a scholar at rest.
It was his eyes that terrified me.
They were ancient, knowing, amused. They held centuries of cruelty, centuries of watching wolves break and die. And they were fixed on me.
"I knew the bond would bring you back, Knox," the Warden said, his voice smooth as silk. "I was counting on it."
Knox stepped forward, his hand pressed against his chest where the shard pulsed. "You wanted me to come back."
"Of course." The Warden smiled. "You were never t
