The Next Day Aleck clung to her, his arms tight around her waist, his head resting against her. “Do you really have to leave?” Carissa feathered her fingers through his hair. “Yes, Aleck. And when I come back—” if she came back “—you’ll have to show me how fast you can do the obstacle course.”…

A chill cloaked Carissa’s skin at Elon’s words. “I think… I think you have this handled, Elon.” Akasha, she could quite easily kill, but Tervalyn? When she was sitting in her bed, not even defending herself? Elon shook his head. “This is for you to do, Carissa.” He extended her dagger towards her. Carissa took…

Carissa closed her eyes, muting the fiercely bright light. Even so, it glowed orange against her lids, making pain shoot to the back of her skull. And then it was gone. Carissa opened her eyes and squinted against the relative darkness. Everything was silent. “Elon?” Someone sniffled. Judging from the high, soft pitch of the…

As requested, the room was dark, the velvet curtains drawn. Candlelight danced against the walls, shadows slithering just out of its reach. Carissa drummed her fingers against the arm of her chair, the tapping the only sound within the room. Beyond, there was the muffled sound of bustling servants. Elon stood behind her, his hip…

Five Days Later Carissa brushed her fingers against the rosebushes as they walked by, feeling the oncoming darkness like a physical pressure bearing down on her shoulders. She and Elon had only bonded once, Aleck had yet to appear, and she was to leave for Esmeray on the morrow. “What was it like?” Cylia skipped…