The Forced Bride

and restless after Alista

palm. Every sound seemed louder-the whisper of wind through the olive trees, the faint creak of the gates,

safety that cam

anym

The corridors glowed with the dim light of sconces, and somewhere in th

-gone. The silence was unnatural, as if

staircase, she heard someth

pa

ame

walls grew darker and colder. A draft slipped through a c

like a cellar. Old crates were stacked in one corner, covered in dust.

rge

could hold som

omach

bars-thick, reinforced with silver.

art slammed ag

one of t

be...

gouged into the steel. Whatever had been

ath cam

enti

d she hadn't seen before. He was young, maybe mid-twenties, w

ng here?" he aske

g," she said quic

"Second in comm

ght in her chest.

eyes flicking to the cage. "Y

afraid,"

rless smile. "

he bloodstained floor.

didn't answer. Th

e. "Alis

on rises too high, he locks hi

ghtened. "Saf

ough the answer were o

ack, the air suddenly c

then said, "He

in his tone

ge again. "You mean he c

"You should go befor

at would

dn't

"Tell me, Luca.

like being reminded

that last word, and before she c

r a long moment, then l

nster

just begun to

sky. Pale gold light filtered through the curtains. She sank onto the b

necklace. The oth

ointed back

wanted her dea

y sleep, haunted by flashes of

he door jolt

e called, v

reakfast on the table. "The master wishes

the sleep from her

nora. Sin

lse qu

ple black dress and followed t

eeves rolled up, the faint trace of bandages visible on his forearm. He looke

eep," he said

er did

, gaze heavy on her face. "

ou would've left me to

h it wasn't a smile. "You shou

an the

k. "You think you want answe

y m

y, "That creature wasn't random. Someone inside th

?" she

e said. "M

en

ll findi

the bandage on his a

ed. "It's

en often? Los

rs, sharp as glass. "B

gaze. "I fo

nce

move. Di

you see?" he

oug

tening. "That's where I stay when the ful

she demanded. "Wh

look at me like I'm dangerous. I didn't

ered. "You thi

understand what y

she could smell the faint musk of smoke and cedar clinging to his s

e said quietly

ng fierce flashing through

ered. "You'll lock m

k cracked-just a flicker of

back. "Yo

tated. "

G

carried

th her pulse racing a

blood had been cleaned, but the air still smelled faintly metalli

lf-expecting another ghost from her past. But it was

ce behind her said, "That be

ca stood in th

her?" sh

ear to protect both worlds-the human and the be

led

ca said flatly. "They

h twisted.

The closer he gets to you, the more human he be

wn at the ring. "So

his head sli

hat about you, Luca?

yes. "That depends on whethe

ould reply,

e mansion made her flinch. She sat by the window, the moonlig

Luca said-the closer he gets to

hen maybe she was t

st another sacrific

r water, she noticed the study door sli

d it open

lder, standing before the mirror. His reflection shimmered strang

his desk drawer and pulled o

and Valentina's

er, gleaming i

itials were car

art st

war with himself. Then he murmured something she bare

ldn't hav

dagger again an

herself against

hat he owned a weapon marked with her mot

slipped silently back into the sha

bolted the door and st

ursed savior who saved her life-or th