Lyra's POV I was informed that Elder Mordecai wanted to see me, but does that warrant why I'm being escorted by two hefty men, armed to the teeth? And they won't even speak to me. “Where are you taking me?" I asked again, looking up at both men, from one to the other. They remained silent, none of them spoke to me. The only sounds were just from the echoes of their boots off the stone floor. Something about the atmosphere felt off like it was ice cold—bad omens. They pushed the heavy wooden doors apart, and I could see the top members of the council and for the umpteenth time today, I shuddered. A certain shame washed over me—the shame of knowing that I'd been marked by Alpha Kieran. Lady Saraphina's presence made it worse because she had seen the lack of decency when she caught

