The wind howled across the frozen ridge like a wounded animal, carrying the sharp scent of pine and coming snow. Inside the lodge the fire roared in the great hall, but its warmth could not reach the cold place that had settled in my chest. I sat on the thick rug before the hearth, knees drawn to my chin, staring into the flames until my eyes burned. The silver scars on my neck and collarbone glowed faintly, pulsing with every heartbeat, a constant reminder of the power I now carried and the price I had paid to claim it.
Victor paced behind me, his bare feet silent on the fur, his massive frame casting long shadows that danced with the firelight. He had not spoken since we returned from the border, since Damien's broken form disappeared into the night. The silence between us was heavy, fi
