Morning light crept in through the torn seams of the tent, a thin, dusty gold that made everything look softer than it was. For the first time since being dragged here, I woke up unbound. My wrists still burned from the ropes, raw and tender, but at least now I could move.Mattias was gone. The blankets where he'd sat were flattened, still faintly warm, though his iron-smoke still lingered. I heard muffled voices coming from outside, the scrape of metal, and boots on dirt.A man I didn't recognise appeared at the tent flap, his hair was cropped short, and he had a scr across his chin. He wasn't holding a weapon, but his hand never strayed far from the knife at his belt."You're allowed outside," he said. "Under supervision.""Oh, how generous. Do I get a leash too, or just the bodyguard?"He didn't answer, just motioned toward the opening. I sighed and pushed to my feet, tugging at my torn dress to make it sit right. Everything looked smaller and sadder now that the sun was up; the
Last Updated : 2025-10-06 Read more