MAEVE POV
My hands tremble as I clutch the black cloak wrapped around my body. Alaric’s stare pins down every last piece of my sanity. The pressure of his presence crushes against my chest until I can barely breathe.
He cages me between his massive body and the cold stone wall. His scent surrounds me completely, and his dominant aura overwhelms every inch of me.
Alaric growls again, shaking with restrained anger and desperation.
“Answer me. Right now.”
I have nothing left to defend myself with anymore, because everything is already ruined. Dorian’s alchemical illusion isn’t the only thing that melted apart in the arena.
This time, every wall of lies I built collapsed completely in front of the Sword Bearer.
There’s no point denying it anymore.
“Maeve,” I whisper brokenly, my voi
