An enormous forest spread beneath the cliff and, around it, snow-capped mountains jutted out of the horizon beyond.
The Eastern Pines, five miles east of the palace, home to the silver reindeer the humans loved to hunt.
A forest soaked in blood, a witness to many violent moments.
“This is familiar,” I said.
“What are you doing here?” the woman demanded, not looking at me.
She sounded unhappy.
“I—”
A different version of my voice answered, a past version of me stepping through my body. Slightly longer hair, messier than I usually wore it. A happier Silvanus before sorrow sank its claws into him.
I shivered, staggering backward. My mind ached, and so did the Heart of All.
Soon,I told those souls pleading for my return.
“Did you come alone?” the woman asked.
Past Silvanus’s response came muffled, indecipherable.
The woman didn’t look at him. “You weren’t followed?”
More muffled speech from me.
The woman kept her eyes on the vista. “We have to be careful, little brother.”
I gasped, the action involuntary and laced with pain.
Little brother?
“I have something to tell you,” she continued.
The scene collapsed, heat blooming in my left palm.
A mini-Paris appeared, twirling in a dance until the memory faded.
This woman was my sister?
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
PARIS
Ifinished singing, the song a gentle hum swirling around the clearing as if maintaining its existence.
So weird.
Clearing my throat, I watched the rose petals fall around Silvanus.
Silvanus had a sister? I’d seen it, heard her speak, but not the vampire king. His answers were muted.
Ugh. Of course they were.
I tried calling out to him, but only a tangle of sounds sputtered off my tongue.
What the hell?
