VAR
the soun
bleeding through the curtains. The air smelled faintly of ashes and t
ot everything that had happened. Th
ony. The
oice sayin
iation..
there. I pulled the blanket over my head and
ing. My mind wouldn't stop replaying the way everyone had looked at me... the
, another h
e a thing of gos
ealized I'd been crying again. I wiped my cheeks w
ere children. My friend. My p
wn me away like
silence. Three steady
ng. No one had come near my room si
me again, a
My voice ca
voice I knew bet
me. Ae
inside me
, pulled a robe over my thin nightdress, and walked to
golden hair, proud jaw, pale blue eyes. He looked like he always ha
ome in?"
self to speak, so
amiliar. His gaze landed on the folded white dress from yest
oin us last n
ter laugh. "Did
ous gesture he hadn't grown out of. "I
on my tongue. "You humiliated me in front of eve
you," he said softly. "You k
arp breath. "You rejected
e council decided. The Frostmoon alliance will strengt
our choice," I said quie
er. The faint scent of pine and smoke
e, Syl. You were my first friend.
t deeper tha
d nothi
," I whispered. "I wanted to be
le
a stray strand of my hair. "You're
said, pul
jaw tightening. "Th
nfused. "Why are yo
u to be ther
sense. "You want me to
fix it if he said it fast enough. "It would show the pack
und like laughter at all. "You don't
ce was th
really don't see what
"Please, Sylvara. I wa
aking my head. "Friends d
xpression that had once melted me. And before I could step back,
oft. Bri
e. I didn't
e special to me, and I'm sorry again, I didn't mean to hurt
closing echoed throug
e where he'd been. Then I lifted a hand to my fore
the tears come. Quiet, bitter ones that
as g
reall
omeone else...another woman,
here, the forgotten g
ever felt like home and whispered to th
mbled out of
ime since yeste
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