I felt the pulse of the invisible chain on my wrist, a reminder that I was bound by the magic that held me captive. I pushed through the courtyard, determined to make an escape plan. If Darren couldn’t come to me, then I would go to him. The air was full of unfamiliar scents, both sweet and fiery, and it wrapped around me like a challenge. I would go as far as I could, test every limit, defy every chain. Even if the risk was great, even if I knew it could end in capture, I had to try. For Darren. For me. For our child.
As I neared the castle’s outer gate, a shape moved in my peripheral vision, and I knew I hadn’t escaped unnoticed. “Do you need a guide?” Magnus’s voice came from behind, gentle and playful. His green eyes locked onto me, full of confidence and, of course, maddening arrogan
