… The narrow path sloped downward at a steep incline, the rocky walls slowly closing in around us. I maneuvered carefully, trying to keep my breathing steady and calm as the hot, oppressive air grew thicker and harder to draw into my lungs. We continued on like this for what felt like an eternit
Nina When Enzo and I finally pulled our lips apart with a wet smack, both of us just stared at each other, too dumbfounded to speak. Then, much to my surprise, Enzo… chuckled. “This uniform is huge on you,” he teased, tugging at the loose black armor and cloth. I blushed. “When in Rome,” I mut
When he was finished, my heart was in my throat. “So you’re going into the arena anyway,” I breathed. Enzo nodded. “While the panther and I create a distraction, you, Luke, and Tyler can join the crowd. Start spreading the word: that Mila is planning to kill everyone after the ceremony. Those wh
Nina As soon as Enzo was led away by the guard, I felt a surge of urgency ripple through me. Quickly, I motioned for Luke and Tyler to follow me around a corner and out of sight. “That was too close,” I muttered, ripping off the stifling guard helmet with shaking hands. “We need to regroup and f
Enzo The groan of the iron gates sent a shudder through my body as they ground open, revealing the vast expanse of the arena. The deafening roar of the crowd washed over me in waves, their excitement palpable in the air. Here I was again. In the arena. I had hoped that I would never have to co
Exchanging a quick glance, the panther and I weaved through the mayhem, our eyes locked on our ultimate target—Mila. She rose from her throne, her expression twisted into a mask of fury as she witnessed her carefully constructed facade crumbling around her. “Fools!” she screeched, her shrill voi
Nina The deafening roar of the crowd was replaced by agonized screams as chaos erupted around us. Bodies surged forward in a frenzied stampede, trampling over one another as they fled the arena in terror. Overhead, the sound of a flurry of beating wings filled my ears. Mila had shifted into her
Nina Darkness enveloped me, replacing the inferno of flames and smoke that had taken over the lush jungle. The last thing I saw before everything went black was the swirling array of portals, out of which poured a plethora of armored troops. My father’s reinforcements had arrived. But were they
Nina The warm summer breeze brushed across my skin as I stood on the patio, clutching my robe tightly around my body. Laughter and splashes echoed up from the pool below, where our friends were already gathered for our big end-of-summer party. I should have been down there too, soaking up the ve
“What... what do you mean?” He braced his hands on the doorframe, leaning in closer with a heavy sigh. “I mean, by the time I caught up to them this morning, I only saw them long enough to get that photo before they were boarding a speedboat and taking off. Hell, I’m still not even totally sure wh
Nina My breath caught in my throat as I pulled open the front door expecting to see excited party guests, only to be immediately met with the sight of Luke’s grim expression. His brow was furrowed in a deep frown, his lips pressed into a tight line—clear signs that something was very wrong. “Luk
Nina I huffed out a breath as I hoisted the oversized cardboard box higher in my arms, carefully navigating my way through the living room. Strings of fairy lights poked out haphazardly from the top, and I could feel the weight of glass jars and other assorted decor inside shifting precariously wi
Then, at the last possible second, the scout seemed to find an extra burst of speed. He surged forward, hurtling between two towering oak trees and vanishing into the cover of the forest beyond. “Dammit!” I slammed my palms against the rough bark of the nearest trunk, powerless to do anything but
Enzo The crunch of leaves and snap of twigs echoed through the trees as Matt and I tore after the Schreiber scout. Our breaths came in ragged gasps, the hot summer air burning our lungs. Overhead, a little red bird chirped and flitted through the green canopy of trees; Daphne. But even she wasn’
Shaking my head, I turned without another word and stormed out of the fitting room. I took the two strides across the hall to Jessica’s fitting room and knocked on the door, folding my arms across my chest. “Jess? You in there?” There was a muffled thump in the fitting room, followed by the soun
Nina “How’s it looking in there?” I called out, rapping lightly on the wooden door of Jessica’s fitting room. “Um… decent, I guess?” her muffled voice floated back a moment later, although I could sense the uncertainty in her tone. “Decent? That’s it? Come on, Jess, this is your wedding gown w
Had I really known him at all, I wondered? Or had I merely been too self-absorbed and naive to see past the facade of unshakable command he projected? After a long silence, I found my voice. “Why didn’t he ever tell me that?” “He didn’t want you to see his weakness, I suppose,” Angelica replied