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There was nothing No little whispers No laughing No forlorn cries and little whirind of wheels across stones A cart, maybe

“Winter?” Aiden’s voice was low and cautious A faint thread of worry

But Aiden had every right to be worried He was the only one who knew that Winter, like hisin the air since the brothers o insane just like their mother when he was turned?

Now that moment was here

Winter’s heart was pounding so loud, his ears and his whole body had become one tensed e of a knife, all of it building to this Were the voices that had cluttered up his o mad? Was he a threat to his family?

He didn’t want to hope that the nightered in his brain for years, but it had never happened, beco his brothers fro a distance between him and his family that left an ache within him

And he wanted it all done at last He didn’t want to be a liar He didn’t want to be alone anymore

Aiden had insisted he accoest son—went mad His father was determined to protect his brothers as well as Winter He’d tried to convince Aiden for un to fear that Aiden had other plans That he intended to safeguard Winter away from his brothers until another solution could be found

But Winter didn’t want to be a burden on his fa hier…even if it meant his own death

Second after blissfully silent second ticked by, and there was nothing Hope rose in Winter’s chest, nearly choking him He covered his mouth with his hand and blinked back tears of intense relief and joy

“I hear…nothing,” he whispered, dropping the hand he’d used to ward off Aiden

“Really?” Aiden des

“There’s a horse A cart or e The wind But our voices are the only ones I hear”