1. Zena

“How long have you got?” Maddox urged, clamping my wrists against the grey castle walls of White Forest. “Don’t leave so soon, not again,” his fingers gripped me tighter, just enough to make me shiver despite the hot summer sun.

As always, Maddox was an open book. Every emotion on display all the time. It was part of what drew me to him.

That and the huge muscles, tattoos, ashy-brown hair and stormy-grey eyes to die for. Several things. Our set-up suits me. I rock up, lose my mind with him for a few hours somewhere in the wilderness, then get back to normality.

It’s meant to be easy for us both, no strings attached.

He’s a White Forest Warrior, I’m a pack-less curiosity. No ties, no loyalty.

Shaking out my messy long black hair, wincing at the fresh scrapes up my back from the more jagged bricks I keep my tone light. “I have to go, I need to get to Shadowlands before the storm.”

“What storm?” looking up at the blue sky with a squint.

“Trust me, there’s one coming tonight, a big