Se connecterSeeing Gavin's face first thing in the morning was a sure way to make my stomach churn with disgust.Just looking at him sitting there like he owned the table, which he probably did, made me want to flip it over and watch all the food spill onto his perfect doublet.Then I'd laugh in his face and flip him off.It would be glorious.Alas, I had to settle for imagining it instead as Cain and I approached the table, which was covered with bread, fruit, and an assortment of drinks. Some I recognized. Others I didn't.Gavin's golden eyes followed me as I approached. For a moment, his gaze dropped to my chest, making my skin crawl. I instinctively folded my arms across myself, glaring at him.His eyes returned to my face, his expression as cold and indifferent as ever, as though he hadn't just been caught staring."So, I trust you managed to contact your sisters?""I did."He picked up a piece of bread and tore it in half."Good."Then he glanced at Cain."Leave us."Cain bowed his head bef
The loud squawk of a bird jolted me awake the next morning. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as a sliver of light filtered through the cracks around the door.For a moment, I lay still, hoping against all reason that this was nothing more than a terrible dream. Maybe I'd wake up in my own bed, with my cat curled beside me and my laptop waiting on the nightstand.But as I glanced around the unfamiliar room, that fragile hope crumbled.I wasn't home. I was trapped in a world that wasn't supposed to exist, wearing the body of a witch who'd used me for her own selfish motives.My gaze fell to my hands. The fingers were long and slender, their pale skin still unfamiliar to me.“Catherine Wells,” I whispered, flexing my fingers as if that might somehow make them feel like my own.Then I remembered.The materials.I'd almost forgotten about them, but the memory came rushing back. Catherine had given me everything I needed to cure the Luna.A small wave of relief washed over me.At le
I stood frozen for what felt like an eternity, staring into the violet eyes of the woman before me. I wanted to say something to her, but my mouth simply opened and closed like that pufferfish meme of it being force-fed a carrot.I couldn't freaking believe it.This was her. The woman who had all the answers I'd been desperately searching for, and I couldn't even manage to string a single sentence together.“Oh my,” she cooed. “Cat got your tongue?”Just like that, the fight in me came rushing back.“You!” I shouted, a tidal wave of emotions crashing over me. Confusion, relief, anger, annoyance. They all fought for dominance inside my chest until one finally won.Anger.My blood simmered beneath my skin as I took a step toward her.“What the hell did you do to me? Why am I here? Why can't I go back to my world?”The questions tumbled out of me so quickly that even I was taken aback by the sheer force behind them.The woman before me, or should I say the real Catherine, merely studied
I was back in the prison hellhole, and although Asher hadn't locked the door after he left, courtesy of the little moment we'd shared, which I'd decided to shove as far into the back of my mind as possible, I couldn't exactly go anywhere.The moment I stepped into the hallway, I moved like a stealthy ninja, creeping around the corners like one of those cartoon characters I used to watch as a kid.For a whole three seconds, I actually thought I was getting away with it.Then Mika appeared from the shadows.“And what do you think you’re doing?” he barked, striding toward me like a man on a mission before stopping just a few feet away. “Go back inside.”He gestured toward my room.I bit my lip.Of course escaping wasn't going to be that easy.Why did every spy movie I'd ever seen make sneaking around look so damn easy?“I wasn't planning on it,” I said with a shrug, trying to look completely indifferent, as though I hadn't just been caught red-handed. “I was simply stretching my legs.”M
I followed Asher through the narrow halls for the second time that day, feeling like a lost duckling as we made our way through the grand palace.A few moments later, we stopped outside my room. He turned to face me, and his silver eyes caught my violet ones in a look that nearly stole my breath."This door will remain locked," he said, twisting it open. "A servant will bring you food and whatever else you may need.""How generous of you." I raked a hand through my hair. "Do all your guests get a lock on the outside, or am I special?"Asher paused, clearly caught off guard by the snark. Then the corner of his mouth lifted into a faint, wicked smile."You may not believe it, but you are a guest here. You'll be kept safe, so long as you do your part."It almost sounded reassuring, though I knew exactly what would happen if I failed to save the Luna.I bit my lip, more out of habit than anything else. His gaze dropped to my mouth for half a heartbeat, and my stomach flipped.What was thi
The room was so silent that the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat, pounding so fast I thought I might have a heart attack.With every passing second they remained silent, my confidence began to waver. Perhaps they didn't believe me. Perhaps they knew I was bluffing. Panic began to bubble in my throat, threatening to choke me, before Asher finally cleared his throat.His silver eyes stared straight into mine, his expression completely unreadable."Because the Luna is in severe condition, we cannot allow you to leave the estate." He paused, his gaze boring into mine. "Though you may contact your sisters through your own means.""My own means?" I echoed.Gavin's glare turned icy. "Don't pretend you can't just cast a spell to communicate with them. We are well aware of your vile magical abilities." His expression hardened. "We won't let you leave the estate and risk having you slip away."I bit my lip.Damn it, that was totally going to be my plan. I'd hoped they'd let me leav







