JASPER

I don’t sleep. I don’t breathe right. The scent of her still clings to the back of my throat like smoke that doesn’t want to leave. Zaria’s absence is loud, louder than the wolves sharpening blades outside, louder than the rogues sniffing at our borders. She didn’t look back when she left. Again. And this time I didn’t chase. Maybe I should’ve. Maybe I should’ve ripped the world in half and dragged her back to me. But I didn’t. I let her go. I let her walk into the ...