a P

nd resting on the hilt of his sword. I was treated l

dy were pushed open, the suffocating ten

steward, stood by the walls. In the center of the room, Fleming

shattered innocence. Her white dre

estament to my "cruelty." She was trembling vio

asped in pure terror and shrank behind Flemi

e..." she whimpered,

said fiercely, wrapping his coat around her shiv

delivered his report in

om the cliff edge and managed to pull her up. Lady Carlisle was standing directly

silence descend

er head, tears streami

rner of the room, her voice tr

ady Carlisle," Audrey cried out, a flaw

o push me! She just loves you so much, Gideon. She felt threatened by my

ce in her hands, her

on't want to be the reason your new wife becomes a murdere

ass in psychologi

She painted me as an insane, violently jealous shrew

room was instantan

away with this!" Fleming roared,

ch's life! Look at Audrey's face! Look at the burns on her hands

eous anger. "We saw it at breakfast! Lady Carlisle bullied poor Miss Audrey int

single person in the room looked at me with undisguised

r behind a massive oak desk, completely shrouded in darkness. Th

im was pure, unadulterate

see my own breath. The immense pressure of a pureblood apex pred

eat slid down the

I realized I had made a fat

egotiate with using my medical skills. But looking at the brutal, s

nocence right here, right now, he wouldn't hesitate to appea

pitch-black dungeon, and keeping me barely alive just to drain my blood and extract my

Beaumont would turn to dust, and my fate here would be a

finally leaned forward, the faint ligh

rumble that vibrated through the stone floor. He loo

s beneath your fingernails. Do you have any undeniable

ry. "I did not push

ith lethal mockery. "Then prove it. Because in

, his golden eye d

e. "Strip her of her title. Throw her into the abyssal dunge

ping forward, his heavy gauntle

eming's back, I saw her lips curl i

aura, my draconic blood boiled over. I violently

ut like a shattered crystal, echoi

f the South, my hand slipping in

Carlisle? Then open your eyes. I