Maelis POV

The pain was gone.

In its place was a fire so consuming, that it felt like I was being reborn in the heart of a star. My vision sharpened, shifting from the blurry gray of tear-filled human eyes to a crystalline, predatory red.

The world slowed around me. I could see the individual snowflakes drifting through the air. I could smell the metallic tang of the silver bullet on Ronan’s belt. I could hear the frantic, rabbit-fast heartbeat of the guard standing ten feet away.

A howl tore from my throat, but it wasn't a scream of agony anymore. It was a declaration.

My clothes shredded, unable to...