Red Winter (Red Winter Trilogy, #1)

by Annette Marie

glance. “Not all in the world follow strict rules and regimens, little miko.

looking at his face. “How

The crowd of spectating crows grew denser, until over a hundred birds crowded the treetops. Countless beady black eyes watched them. Emi walked beside Shiro, bumping his arm with every step, her gaze moving from one tree to the next to the next, unconsciously trying to count the birds that surveyed her so intently. Shiro stopped. She took a half a step farther before catching herself and jerking her attention from the forest canopy to the path ahead of them. A large oak had long ago fallen across the meandering trail. Most of its branches had broken off or rotted away, but a handful of thick limbs remained. Each

from the trunk to form a perfect, level perch, sat the largest bird she’d ever seen. It looked like a black-beaked raven, if ravens could grow to the size of young children. The bird stood three feet tall, and she couldn’t begin to imagine its wingspan. Its glossy obsidian feathers shone in the moonlight and it was just as still as its much smaller cousins. Eyes as pale as the moon above watched them. She stared back at those solid silver eyes, unsure whether the bird was blind. Could it see them? Shiro dipped into a shallow, overly casual bow of greeting. “Would it have killed you to fly a few miles to meet me? Don’t pretend you didn’t know I was looking for you.”

isn’t what I thought I was committing to, I can’t turn my back on my responsibility.”

tightened around the beads as power licked at her skin. She met his ruby eyes and pulled.