Chapter 16

Lena leaned her head against the frame of the carriage. She stared absently at the fabric of the carriage's interior in front of her eyes, but it was too close for her to focus any detail. It was a blur of meaningless color.

Anything to avoid looking at Renz.

She sighed heavily, not wanting to let her thoughts go in the direction they were destined to go. She had been avoiding it for days...or maybe it had been weeks? It could have very well been years, for Lena had lost track of time in their travel.

She had slipped into a trance-like state following her banishment from Sterling Manor. She was half-awake during the day, and nearly dead when asleep at night. Lena could not recall much about what she had been doing, what Renz had been doing, where they had gone. She had simply existed, without memory, awareness, or forethought.

"Goddamnit, Lena!"

Lena jumped in alarm, shocked to hear Renz's voice, but more shocked to hear that he was yelling at her. She looked up at him fearfully, and