KIERYGAN'S POV
I thought I’d be closer to understanding the girl by now, but the more time passes, the deeper the mystery grows. Each answer only births more questions.
I used to think she was some kind of witch. A rare breed, maybe. And yet, they remained tethered to the rule every supernatural being knew by heart: witches burn.
But she doesn’t.
She didn't burn when the forge blazed. Not when molten steel kissed her palm. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t blister. As if the fire knew her, claimed her as its own.
That alone should’ve made me wary. Maybe it did. But I couldn’t tear my eyes away. Not even as we walked back to the palace. Not even at dinner, where she sat quietly, forcing herself to eat just enough to be dismissed.
She looked like she wanted to vanish again, to drown out the no
