The dark shadows of night concealed Nicu’s presence as he moved silently around the exterior of the castle. His ears were pricked, drawing on the hearing of his wolf, listening for any sound of conversation. As he came around the corner just below where he knew the library to be, he heard voices. He stopped and looked up at the small balcony that extended out from the room. The drapes were drawn closed so he could not see in, which meant they could not see out. Nicu leapt effortlessly to the ledge and pulled himself up and over, never making so much as a whisper of sound.
“So you killed her parents, and you might have killed her as well?” Emilian’s enraged voice carried through the balcony doors.
“She had markings, and since no male in the village had claimed her, there was only one expl
