The Lady of the Night – Chapter 3
Chapter 3 The Stranger and the Bargain The forest was alive. Every tree exhaled a damp, ancient breath. Every branch snapped like the bones of something long dead. I ran through the shadows, yet I no longer knew whether I was running from something—or toward it. The cold bit into my skin. Tears froze upon my cheeks. Then I felt him. First came the sound: soft footsteps, nearly inaudible, as though the leaves themselves bowed to welcome his arrival. Then came the scent. Not sweat. Not earth. Spices and iron. And finally, I saw him. A tall figure emerged from the darkness, carrying himself with the bearing of an exiled prince. His eyes were an impossible shade of blue, so deep they seemed capable of swallowing the soul. The pale light of the full moon shimmered within them. “Emma Valcourt…” His voice was low and powerful. How did he know my name? “Death has taken everything from you,” he said. “But I can give it back.” I stepped backward, instinctively tightening my grip around the...