The moon had already slipped behind a veil of clouds by the time Bella stirred from her restless sleep. She sat up slowly, her body aching in ways she had never thought possible. Every muscle screamed, her ribs felt bruised, and her knuckles were raw. Yet, despite the pain, she felt strangely... alive.

The air inside her chamber was cool and sharp, carrying the faint smell of pine smoke from the courtyard below. She rubbed her arms and shivered, but deep down, she knew the chill wasn’t from ...