vast study, his tall figure silhouetted by the towering bookcases, each one filled with knowledge and secrets, both of which he appea

binds you to me for one year." There are no attachments,

Though the words were piercing and sliced her like ice, her mind would not understand their meaning in actual

s voice strong but lacking sympathy. You will

ject, she opened her mouth but found the words stuck in her throa

Lucian's tone changed; under the f

r eyes. Finally, she inquired, "What if I don't agree to

ld. His eyes unblinking, he replied, "You have no opti

there was something more, something that pulled her in despite her reluctance. His dangerous appeal, which clung t

r, his presence overpowering. Not yet could she r

r room. With each passing stride, she felt more weight. The air in the palace was suffocating, rich w

faint sliver in the sky throwing sweeping shadows across

he guards were stationed at the entryway, she knew a little side door buried under thick plants that we

-on-metal scraping noise. The door opened gently with a groan, letting i

her cold in her tracks be

g once

till, her blood

nd kind, his eyes were now icy, and analytical. The man who had previously mean

I told you not to attempt it." Though his posture was rela

ng. I'm gone. Tyler, I won't remain here

e fixed on hers. Running, you believe, will fix

was not incorrect. But she had to go. Nor

o him, she remarked, "

tretched as if to halt her. Op

ict. Her mind was a jumbled wreck, she sat by the window gazing out at the starry courtyard. She was trapped. Bound to Lucian, the k

ouldn't disregard it. Lucian had a power over her that was beyond her understanding. He was more tha

to enquire about its identity. She could feel him in the air,

ently from behind the doo

cting to the sound of his voice. She did not, however,

still dominating. "Please, Ophelia," he said

is aura oozing through the fissures. Her he

e forceful and insistent:

t her skin contrasted sharply with the warmth rising in her chest. She understood his desires. He wanted

hether she could. She wasn't c

slightly. Lucian's voice, now quieter

ify this for you. I

the want to fight and the od

him? Could she hav

witness to the tension between them, the frigid stone walls appeared to shut in on her. Lucian's gaze was fierce, hi

nace as he remarked, "You're getting restless." His gaze was l

lia folded her arms. Her voice more stable than she felt, she r

resence surrounding her let her feel his breath warm across her skin as he stopped inches from he

in just enough for her to sense the sheer force radiating from him. You believe you are f

eady sacrificed too much: her freedom, her choice, her very will. The thought that she in any

e, his gaze narrowing. He murmured gently, nearly pityingly, "You will soon kno

ening her throat was either fear or rage; she remained silent. What could she possib

ice became softer, as though the steel of his power had

yet strong, "Don

till pounding, a combination of rage and something else, something she couldn't exactl

walked back and forth. Bound by a contract she could not escape, she was chained to him. Every m

mstances, the shelves were stocked with books about history, politics, and military techniques. The leather-bo

im, the guy she could not flee. Luca. His Majesty. The frigid, austere

d to l

ssively tall. There were too many guards. She would always be caught no matter how quickly she ra

out the window at the great courtyard below. Though all she saw was darkness, the moonlig

the slightest corri

t leaped

is presence still hung like a shadow in the back of her mind;

on the stone floor as she walked towards the entrance. She opened it just enough to see h

onfident, but his eyes revealed something dif

ooked at her, his

identify, he said, "You're not as strong as you think, Ophe

him again made her months of effort to bury the memories of their past all

, she said vehemently, "Stay away from m

wavered. Ophelia, I never meant to h

urned away and forced herself not to let him kn

made her heart stumble, but she knew one thing for certain: Tyler Wolfe was still