Victory faced the crowd. “Drop your weapons!” she called. Her eyes narrowed at their hesitation. “Now!”

Hatred bubbled in Twelve’s chest at the sight of her. Without thinking, she swung the axe in her right hand back and flung it as hard as she could. It cartwheeled straight at Victory, but the weaponsmaster’s sword came up at the last moment to send it clattering to the ground. Her eyes met Twelve’s and the girl saw hurt and surprise there.

“Nice try,” Six muttered sympathetically.

“She said ‘drop’ them,” Morgren shouted. “Not ‘throw.’ Do you want to get everyone killed, little girl?”

Across the training ground, Hoarfrost caught her eye and nodded once. Her blood pounding, Twelve let her remaining axe fall to the ground as the Hunters set down their daggers. Behind her, Five, Seven, and Six did the same.

Morgren smiled as his eyes locked on to Seven. “Seer, come to me of your own free will and the rest of the Hunters may leave the lodge unharmed.” Twelve shivered at the cold glint in his eyes. The net writhed, crackling malevolently.

Seven’s breath caught.

“I don’t know why, but I have the strangest feeling he’s not telling the truth,” Five whispered, stepping closer to Seven.

Six caught her hand and pulled her back as she made to move toward Morgren. “No,” he hissed, “I’ve only just found you!”

From the ground, Dog’s voice rose in a howl of fury. “Leave now, mage! Remember I cannot die. I will hunt you to the ends of Ember.”

Morgren raised an eyebrow, his eyes darkly triumphant. “You were made by magic and you can be unmade by it as well. I will find out how, you can be sure of it.” Raising his voice, he turned to the Hunters. “Give me the girl and the lodge and I will let every one of you live. Resist me and you will all die.” The net hissed above them, alive with murderous intent. “What choice do you have? You have no weapons, no Guardian, no hope.”

Twelve gazed around, despair and disbelief flooding her. It was over; they had lost.

But then a lone voice rang out from where the fighting had been the most intense, quavering with exhaustion.

“I pledge my life to the Hunting Lodge.”

For an instant, it seemed the night held its breath, and then, as one, hundreds of voices joined in.

“I vow to serve all seven clans as my own,

To protect them from what lies beyond.”

Twelve reached behind her to squeeze Six’s hand, hearing her own voice rising with the others’. The words echoed off the walls, growing in volume and power until Twelve’s heart sang with them. It was the first time she’d ever spoken the Pledge and truly meant it.

“I forsake all blood ties and blood feuds,

To offer up my name and my past.”