Zev glanced around the secluded garden, then sighed deeply. He reached for my hand again, but this time his touch was gentler, almost hesitant. “Come on,” he said, pulling me toward a small, hidden gate at the edge of the garden wall.
“Where are we going now?” I asked, slightly out of breath, still trying to process everything he had just said. But instead of answering, Zev just gave me a sly smile, a hint of the mischievous side I hadn’t seen in a while.
“Out,” he replied simply.
“Out?” I repeated, confusion lacing my voice. “You’re not supposed to leave the palace grounds. Your father—”
“Forget my father,” Zev interrupted, his voice sharp for a moment before softening again. “I need to get out of here. You need it too.”
Before I could protest further, we were outside, slipping throu
