Chapter 58
Another week flew by after the meeting at Whispering Peaks, and with every sunset, the situation grew more fragile. Just as the men in her life had predicted, Douglas’s provocations resumed—only this time, they were far more insidious. He had traded overt insults for subtle, calculated jabs and sending others to do his dirty work, while simultaneously testing her boundaries.
Magnus was the first one to notice the cracks. Arden was becoming a live wire, her attitude toward the other guards turning so hostile that it felt like she might snap if someone even breathed in her direction. But he still couldn’t figure out why. She refused to tell him.
In a desperate move to keep her from losing it, Magnus started shuffling her duties around. He moved her inside and tethered her to Du
