Chapter 24

Strong arms wrapped around Ayla's torso, her back pressed against a man's chest. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and she tried to slam the heel of her boot on top of the man's foot —Drax taught her how to do it when she told him her dream of being free and traveling around the world—but he hit the back of her thigh with his knee, making her hiss in pain. He covered her mouth and nose with a gloved hand, muffling her screams, and something sharp dug into her ribs.

“If you don’t want to end up as food for the ice wolf, I suggest you stop struggling,” the man snarled in her left ear.

The ice wolf stopped close to where they were standing, sniffing the air, and Ayla stilled. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure the beast would hear it.

Ayla had few regrets in life, but she wished she had told King Rhobart that she did not hate him when she had the chance. Sure, she had been angry at him and might have thought she hated him, but he managed to gain her respect when sh