Chapter 60 AURORA The shadows surrounded me , drowning me .


    They burned away at my skin , at my soul .


    I couldnt see .


    I couldnt breathe .


    Thest thing I remembered seeing was Danes face , terrified but determined .


    And I was cold .


    So , so cold .


    Cold to my bones and my heart and the core of my spirit .


    I felt the ice spreading through me , turning me brittle and numb .


    Like trees ofce , the ice spread from the ces the shadows touched me , reaching for my chest .


    If it touched my heart , I knew , it would stop .


    Then something whispered through the night , No , this one must be preserved .


    She is the key to the cage .


    She is the flesh that frees .


    As fearful as I was , that voice terrified me more than anything I had ever heard before .


    Then something warm touched my chest .


    Light shed silver hot behind my lids , and even though I didnt move , I felt … lifted .


    Up , away from the voice .


    Chapter 60 Out of the terrible ce with the voice and the cold to a ce of nothing .


    No fear , but no safety .


    Ho difort , but nofort , For long time , the nothing stayed .


    Ihadde of , or movement , or anything .


    And then there was something .


    I was no longer cold , I was warm .


    I was in a bed , in a room .


    But I will couldnt wake .


    I tried reaching my hands in front of me , stumbling around until I found a wall , a door , a hatch .


    Some way to escape .


    There was nothing .


    The dark went on forever .


    This wasnt the same as the terrifying voice from before .


    This was softer , Marmer .


    Feminine .


    Out of thirtinct , I moved toward it .


    Hello ? I called .


    I cant see you ! I am here .


    No longer in my head , the voice sounded more solid .


    It came from a ce in front of me , not far off .


    I stumbled forward .


    My foot caught .


    I tripped .


    Fell .


    My hands 2 Chapter 60 crashed to the ground .


    3/5 And where the hit , there was light .


    It ripped out in waves , silver and blue and violet .


    The darkness was eaten away , and I stood .


    I was in a quiet ce filled with natural standing stones .


    Trees were thick all around .


    Above , the night sky was crusted with stars .


    Before me was a woman .


    She looked young one moment , old the next .


    Then , she was ageless .


    Who are you ? I asked .


    Where am I ? The woman smiled , and it was kind .


    You know me , she said .


    And I did .


    Of course , I did .


    Every wolf knew the moon goddess .


    For a moment , the dream … glitched .


    Terror overwhelmed me , and I saw the clearing for what it was .


    These werent trees .


    They were the same shadows of ck , ropey ooze .


    This was no woman , but a specter of death .


    Do not be deceived ! someone cried from far , far away .


    I opened my mouth to scream … And then the dream glitched again .


    Back to the clearing .


    The fear disappeared .


    My memories went fuzzy .


    Id been afraid , but … that was back below .


    Where the shadows were .


    Chapter 60 Not here , with this woman .


    Who was … 4/5 Moon goddess ! I stumbled forward again and this time I fell to my knees .


    The coldness came back , and fear gripped my chest .


    Am I dead ? My children … ! Sheughed softly and came to stand before me .


    She bent and took my chin in her hand .


    Her fingers were so , so cold .


    You are walking the borders between , but a mistake was made .


    For a moment , her eyes shed like hard ice .


    You must not die , for you belong to me .


    You always have .


    There was something ominous about her statement .


    Something that made my stomach churn with unease .


    I need to go back , I whispered .


    My children … She nodded .


    You will go back .


    You will trante the book .


    You will unlock the prison .


    She smiled , and for half a second , her teeth were row after row of fangs .


    Fear returned , sharp and hard .


    I tried to pull away .


    No ! I- Her thumb passed over my cheek , and I calmed .


    How silly , to think Id seen something evil in this woman .


    Chapter 60 5/5 You will serve me , she said .


    Just like you were raised to do .


    Of course , goddess , I whispered .


    She reached down her free hand and ced it over my chest .


    Tendrils off oil seemed to seep from my chest into her hand .


    She tucked it behind her back .


    There .


    The mistake is fixed .


    Always remember … Her face shed into a skull with ck mes dancing in its eyes , and her voice turned to the sound of a thousand broken shards of ss screeching against each other .


    … you are mine .


    ***** I woke , screaming .


    A strong hand grabbed mine .


    I was pulled against a warm hard chest , cradled close .


    He whispered , Aurora ! Its all right .


    Im here .