"I know something."
Heads swivel to find a girl who looks twenty -two—maybe a year older than Heidi, steps forward from the huddled crowd. Her braid swings down her back, and though her voice stutters, there's determination in her eyes. She clasps her hands together like she's holding them steady by force.
"I met my mate last night," she says quickly, before nerves can drag her back into silence. "During the mate bond ceremony."
That earns her a ripple of gasps and a few "Lucky!" whispers from the crowd. Even now, with doom looming, Moon Blessed can't resist the gossip of who found their mate.
The girl swallows, straightens her shoulders, and pushes on. "He told me some things about the labyrinth. Things that weren't in the school's speeches."
The hush deepens. Even Alpha Boy tilts his head curiously.
