Page 64 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

“What have you done?” Graham asked, his voice cracking.

Anna was settledin a bed beside my own. She was smiling, her voice lighter than it had been in a long time. I had to shove back tears. Her fingers still shook with exertion; she couldn’t walk herself to the chamber pot, so she needed it directly at her bedside; and her eyes and cheeks were still sunken—but she was alive. And she was talking.

For months, it was hard for her to speak as her energy ran out even just attempting to pass words from her lips.

Now she was smiling.

A bittersweet joy filled my heart as I watched her, even as I knew what was coming today.

Graham had turned me in for letting Hood get away. He spun it a bit better than what happened, but it was still a terrible failure for the Second Blade. It would bring a public reckoning. I tried not to let what was coming affect this time I had with my sister. My sister who was doingwell.

"What’re you thinking so hard on, sis?" she asked, looking up from darning my Red hood from where it'd snagged on a rock going down that dratted river.

No heckin' way was I telling her what I was actually thinking, so I just said the first thing that came to mind. "There's a werewolf—" I slapped my hands over my mouth.

Anna stared at me."What?"

I stared back, my cheeks growing warm.

"You... met a werewolf... and youlikehim?"

I groaned, falling back on my straw bed, picking at a mole on my arm with the black-and-silver swirled blade.Hisblade. "No... yes... I don't know!"

"Is he good to you?”

I rolled my head over to stare at her. "Have you lost your ever-loving mind?"

She shrugged, her eyes darting between me and the hood. "Can't say all the killing ever fully set right with me. I wanted to do more to bring honor... but killing..."

I sat up, crossing my legs. "What do you mean, do more?" This was my sister we were talking about. She had first married her childhood crush, built an empire by darning red cloaks—her employees were still making money, but she had to sell out when her sickness came—and she was so strong that a ravaging sickness didn't steal her kindness nor her love. It had changed her, yes, but she was still strong. No other person I knew could've survived what she's come through, and she wanted to domore?

"I have done so little for our family's honor. I'm sick. You take care of everyone's needs. Mom and Dad were run ragged trying to support us through this sickness. Jacob babysits and misses Red training to help look after Jess and Fin. What do I do? Sit around and darn dragon's breathcloaks." She slapped my Red hood, her breath coming in sharp gasps.

I walked over and sat beside her. "I feel the same way," I said, twirling a thread from my tunic.

She side-eyed me. "You?"

I chuckled. “You don't have to sound so dratted doubtful. I feel like if I were better, Grandma would’ve already chosen me as heir. Instead, I'm being called before the Reds today to see if I’m to be punished for not bringing back Hood's head."

"There’s no reason to stab an already dead werewolf," she said.

Part of me agreed with her. It was a saying that meant let the past lay where it would. I shrugged. "But still. You created an empire. You gave birth to two adorable little baby girls and raised themwhileyou were unwell. You have survived something horrendous. What have I done? I can kill things really well."

Anna snorted a laugh. "Maybe everyone's pains and fears are just that... pains and fears."

I shrugged. "Maybe. But I get it. Seriously. I have a feeling you’ll find your purpose. For now, know that it’s coming and sometimes breaking out of a cocoon takes time. But you’ll find your wings, sis. I know it. I can feel it, in here," I whispered, patting my heart.

Anna's eyes grew misty. She put her forehead to mine. "We both will, little sis. We both will."

CHAPTER 22

The Mark

ALIA & SHEN

Alia

“Go on patrol, Red. Keep your hands outta trouble, Red,” I mocked under my breath. Nothing out here, from the soft sigh of wind brushing her fingers through the leaves to the piercing cry of ravens and crows, could hear me. I kept my voice down, anyway. Grandma had eyes and ears everywhere.

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