The car hummed softly as it cruised through the moonlit forest road. Meredith sat between Magnus and Damien in the back seat, her hands fidgeting nervously in her lap. Xavier was in the driver's seat, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.
They couldn't afford to hire a driver now, and they couldn't trust anyone but themselves.
Finally, Meredith broke the silence. “Magnus,” she began softly. “Tell me, what happened back there?”
Magnus exhaled, his jaw tightening as he stared out the window. The moonlight caught the edges of his bruises, and the sight made Meredith's heart ache.
“They weren't playing the game,” Magnus said softly. “Three of them came after me. At first, I thought it was just part of the challenge, but it wasn't.”
Damien's eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
