Reign's breath came hard, each inhale dragging fire through her lungs. The marks on her chest pulsed in rhythm with a heartbeat that wasn't hers, mocking her with every beat.
She stood before the ice wall, staring at her reflection. Pale skin. Silver eyes burning brighter than before. Shoulders squared despite the exhaustion weighing them down. She looked like someone who'd survived too much to ever break again.
"He thinks he owns me."
The direwolf prowled behind her, massive paws silent on frozen stone. Its fur bristled with barely contained rage. "He's a fool. Fire always thinks it can consume everything. It forgets that ice endures."
"He didn't just brand me." Her voice steadied as fury overtook pain. "He tried to claim me. Like I'm property to be taken. Like my choice doesn't matte
