A searing pain ripped through my chest, sharper than any claw. My wolf whimpered, curling into herself, her anguish mirroring my own as though we shared the same shredded heart. My hands trembled, but I forced them still, swallowing back the storm clawing to break free. I could not show weakness here, not before them.
“I need some air,” I muttered, barely holding my voice steady, before slipping away into the crowd.
The garden beyond was cloaked in shadows, the pool at its center shimmering with pale moonlight. The crisp night air bit into my skin, but compared to the suffocating weight of the hall, it was a relief. I leaned against the railing, staring into the dark water. My reflection wavered there, unrecognizable, a stranger, haunted, broken, utterly alone.
I hadn’t expected Nyra to follow.
When she appeared, her expression had shed the sweetness of the banquet hall. Gone was the radiant smile, the innocent tilt of her head. In its place was a sneer sharp enough to draw blood, her delicate features twisted with disdain.