Her entire life Ranka had faced danger head-on. She was always the strongest one in the room, the fastest, the deadliest. But the sight of winalin destroying that witch sent terror thrashing inside her, as if a thousand caged birds whirled in a panicked spiral in her heart, wings beating against her skin, talons scraping bone, all of them willing to tear her apart if it meant they could get out and away.

Because for the first time in her life, Ranka was not the predator.

She was the prey.

“At least it works faster now. That Skra bitch took forever to turn.”

The colors vanished.

For the briefest flicker Ranka was home, standing on the frigid snows of the Northlands, bloody handprints on each cheek. The world had made more sense then. Vengeance was give and take, a constant exchange of blood, and her enemies almost always wore a human face.

A cool hand locked around Ranka’s wrist. “Don’t you dare.”

“They killed my sisters,” Ranka hissed. “My family.”

Aramis grabbed her face with both hands and shook her. “Listen to me, witch girl. You don’t get to be just a Skra anymore. You are the Bloodwinn, which means all the covens are yours to protect. I know you lost family, and I’m sorry, but they’re gone. And that Kerth? She’s your family now too. She’s still alive. Honor them by saving her.”

Ranka’s throat bobbed, pain and rage and confusion tearing through her. The woman was so close. It’d be so easy—and it was what she had always done. If Ongrum were here, she’d have already slit the woman’s jugular. “You don’t understand.”

“How dare you. I don’t understand? You think I don’t know how unfair it feels to be burdened with protecting them all? How the weight of it all makes it feel like every time you breathe, you suck in water instead of air?” Aramis’s voice broke. “You think I don’t want to go down there and kill her with my bare hands?”

Ranka had never seen her so furious before. Aramis’s hands were trembling, yet in her was a glimpse of the queen she might have been—steady and coolheaded when necessary, sharp minded and quick, with an iron will to keep her grounded. She was everything Galen was not. But there was no magic in her veins, and so they’d taken her crown all the same.

“You’re a leader now, Ranka.” Aramis’s eyes blazed. “Start acting like it.”