Page 11 (1/2)

She’d spent a great deal of tito blend She no longer wanted to blend; she just wanted her powers back A tear slid down her cheek

"Oh, don’t cry You won’t be pretty for the sacrifice No one wants running ods won’t honor this"

Sih and h "You’re adorably naive, Greta There are no gods"

"Then, why?"

"I want Dayne dead I’ve been studying es Your poill allow me to defeat hie"

"Except for the wolves" They were notoriously hard to keep in line

He waved a hand in dised in her stoain Sihed "I think he played that rep of his a little too well You couldn’t even trust your own senses I sent you the dreams "

She knew Simon and Jaden had tried to be subtle about their love affair while Greta was growing up But they hadn't been subtle enough She’d grown up thinking of him as her step dad

If Jaden had once slept with Dayne to lure him into a trap set by Siht never let that drop Even if it had been his idea She’d been born soon enough after; she’d become the new plan She didn’t have to ask if Simon had killed her real mother

"If you do this, it’ll ic like they can What’s the point of having power if you lose your mind?" Greta said

"Maybe Maybe I’hter doesn’t sound like rational behavior to me, does it you?"

She looked stricken "You can’t be e of Darth Vader burst into her head At any other time, it would have been funny

"I’d submit to a DNA test, but I’m sure you can appreciate the time crunch I’ured it was tit for tat as these things go anyway I wanted a boy, but you more than made up for it"

"I don’t believe you"

"No? Then hoould I know the circumstances of your birth?"

"I’ll tell the rest of the tribe what you’re doing They won’t participate in this stupid vendetta against Dayne" Sihed and shook his head in fatherly disapproval "You should feel privileged to give your life to ood kitty, and open up"

He reached through the bars to shove a gag into herthe leather straps closed behind her head He stepped back to admire his handiwork

"Now only we know our secret" Sier up to his lips and smiled

"M She struggled against the ropes

"It’s time"