Back inside the palace living room, Kira paced back and forth, past the window, pausing to look out into the black, then turning and starting again.
She could hear the howls of lycans from a distance. She caught her reflection on the window, looking back at her, pale and worried, the knife still gripped in one hand.
Declan stood near the wall with his arms folded across his chest, watching her in silence.
Nana and the other women were gathered by the corner of the room, speaking in low, careful voices, the children pressed close against them.
Kira walked her circuit again, and again, pretending not to see that Declan was watching her every move.
When she couldn't take it any longer, she finally stopped and turned around to face him directly.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Declan did not pretend not to understand. He straightened up. "Like what?"
