The Moon Rift looked smaller in daylight. That offended me. For three years it had lived in my head as the edge of the world. In sunlight, it was stone. Snowmelt. Black pines.

A white river far below. Still dangerous. Still deep. Not infinite. We stopped at the old over

Lucian waited three weeks before asking again. I noticed. I did not reward him for waiting. That would have made patience another currency. But I noticed. By then I was back at White Moon court.

Winter had broken. The mountain roads were mud instead of ice. Leo had comp

Four months passed before I asked Isolde about bonding law. Not Lucian. Isolde. That mattered.

We were in the White Moon records room arguing over north-bridge repairs when I closed the trade ledger and said, "What happens if someone wants a new mate bond after a Severing?" Is