CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Moonlight bathes the sleeping Iron Will village in silver, casting long shadows that slither and shift like silent serpents. My heart hammers against my ribs as I creep along the edges of the thatched-roof huts. The air is crisp; it tastes like freedom and fear intermingled, a flavor I'm becoming too familiar with.
I reach into the pocket of my tattered cloak, feeling the soft fabric of the handkerchief and the coarse strands of hair within. A shiver runs down my spine—not from the night's chill, but from the knowledge that Alpha Finnic's unwitting contribution is now my greatest treasure. And possibly our only hope.
I travel deeper in the woods, headed for the appointed spot where Ford and I are to meet.
"Skye?"
The voice startles me, a whisper barely louder than t
