SP

rd shoved me towa

t him. "Do you always treat women like

y arm and pushed me into the back se

beside the driver. The windows were tinted, the doors re

ckage. "Where are we going?" I asked, nobody answered. "Is c

ard glanced at

silence makes me nerv

nervous

tains, I watched the city disappear behind us. Mira's face flashed

t her, I had to focus

the man beside me was alert. His ri

ing the restraint the guards had fastene

p mo

ncomfortable."

, but I had already wriggled my hands free and I use

twisted his wrist, pulled the pistol from his

emain calm!

"Put the gun down!

and he released me with a curse. I lunged for the door handle but the SUV su

d my face against the seat, I kicked backward, catching his shin,

o my ear. "Try that again, and

s sleeve. "Start wit

tically beside a dark vehicle with its bonnet raise

houted. "Please!

ed for his weapon. "Stay here,"

ed, leaving the youngest t

d man was pacing beside his vehicle, re

e man shouted. "Plea

d hesitated. "Sho

k his head. "Or

mployer would rather let

ed toward the stranded vehi

feet hit the wet asphalt, I stumbled, caught the

" I heard one o

let struck the road ahead of me. I stopped so

irectly at my chest. "Take another step," he shoute

hands. "You're goin

shoot you if you run

n the vehicle was no longer moving. The guard approached

he grabbed my arm and twisted it behind

xt time, remember to aim highe

e fastened a restraint around my wrist and se

I understood, the roadside emergency had been staged. They wanted t

rees, and towering stone walls. Security cameras appeared at reg

lion gates. Beyond the gates stood an enormous estate, armed guards patrolled

olled inside then stopped benea

my door

teps in a black silk dress. Lady Isolde Bryt. Her gaze move

empted t

fresh air.

uarely across my face. The guards looke

ou welcome all

s. "Remember why you are here, Vespera. You

r. "Then I suggest you

words as nothing. "You will become Seraphine Bryt. You will marr

if I

n. "Your sister w

er cold expression would disappear. Instead, I lo

s, the wedding is

ide a man whose bloodline was feared across the

corridor lined with portraits. I kept my head lo

and carried a tablet beneath one arm. His gaze moved over

he bride?"

rd replied. "S

"She's supposed to be deli

"Excuse me, I'm st

medical report said she was frail,

erate," One g

were furrowed

h he was comparing it with an image stored i

fabric had slipped farther than I realized, exp

ened there

thud and I quickly pull

t." I mumbled in t

raphine was never supposed

gnize me, he had simply noticed that the woman standing before h

e examination ro

hesitate

cause I want to know what else the brid

le my heart has thundered so loudly w