His Silenced Luna

s instincts beat sense. He shoved his shoulder into the man's chest. Metal rang. There was a sharp curse, a grunt, and then they were

"Show us how soft you are

d stood over him while the man spat and wiped blood from his lip. Around them, faces wat

licked to the crowd and then to Brian, steady like the point of a spear. He read something in

had that way of making the air itself s

funeral who can't help but clap. "A little sp

e wiped his hands on his trousers like he'd been up to something questionable.

?" he said, to the crowd. "We kee

e thread in his chest like a second pulse. Lyra's eyes were on him like someone tak

ce low so only Asher and the nearest men co

s on its way. "So you lecture me now? Good God, brother, have w

lder with a soft slap. The sound was small, but the reaction was not. Lyra's hand moved fast with

o fear. People stepped back like they had smelled rain. Ash

le, make a show, make his brother look soft, and then step in to save the

"We'll take her to the stocks for the lesso

. "You will not touch her," he said. He d

heir," a guard said,

tched into his heart. He thought about the single syllable Lyra had mouthed-Sera-and how it had opened up something he coul

ere men circled them. Hands gripped leather and hilts, and the sound of metal was lik

Lyra

ooping it, flicking it, tangling a man's wrist with a clean, cold move. The first guard tripped on his own boots like a fool. The seco

him up. He felt a light touch-Lyra's hand on his arm-more to steady th

a picture: a circle of stones, a woman bending under a moon, a hand lifted with blood. For a second he saw it clear a

ed. "Give me two of you and I'll sho

voice a cold wet blanket. "Th

clever as any man's trick. She had a rhythm that matched the yard's heartbeat. Brian felt the old thrill-he'd be

g for bad news. Then the flame shivered and licked a nearby banner. Men made a small noise and l

ning a gift. "Perfect," he

n screamed and shouted and suddenly the yard was chaos. Some pushed toward the flames; others stamped

e wire. He wanted to grab her, to pull her to safety, but he also saw what Asher had done-used the c

en ran; a boy stumbled and a torch hit a pile o

. It made bile rise in his throat. The yard was turning into the kind of mess his fathe

t have been harmed rather than on her own danger. She reached a small group of servants and shoved them clear, her hands sure and fast. A child tucked

r, steaming. For a breath, the smoke curled upward and away. Then a new flare took hold wher

an who'd set a bird trap and now waited to see which ones wou

ss water buckets. The soldiers moved like trained beasts, and slowly th

ith a face like thunder cloud. "We have cause to punish traitors," he said loud enough for the crowd to h

deciding where to land. He felt the thread hum one last time-a small, bitter

His voice was a rope that had grown

, sly and sweet as sour wine. "Or you will be made to look like

lame and the panting of men. Then someone laughed-low and ugly. The lau

en who liked a clean demonstration. He felt the eyes of the crowd weigh him like scales. He

marked with soot. Her mouth-silent by force-was set like a thing that had

read said, like a bel

on hers. He made a choic

nd the words landed like a stone. "We will find w

ed," he said, and walked away toward his father, who watche

ed a torch back under the pile of straw, unseen. Smoke curled again,

did. Only the fire and the