Darian's POV
Watching them lead Raven toward the center of the courtyard made my jaw tighten. She looked so small, her eyes darting between me and Valen as the workers guided her toward that ridiculous contraption. It was a cage made of thick, pulsating vines that looked like they had a life of their own. Below it was a pool filled with water so cold that frost was already forming on the stone rim.
I felt a surge of fury. My wolf, Sage, was pacing in the back of my mind, his fur bristling. They shouldn't touch her, Sage growled. They shouldn't put her in danger for a show.
Sage was always like this—logical, protective, and incredibly demanding of order. He didn't like chaos, and right now, my life was a mess of it. I was months away from being forced to marry a woman I didn't want, and
