SP
rd shoved me towa
t him. "Do you always treat women like
y arm and pushed me into the back se
beside the driver. The windows were tinted, the doors re
ckage. "Where are we going?" I asked, nobody answered. "Is c
ard glanced at
silence makes me nerv
nervous
tains, I watched the city disappear behind us. Mira's face flashed
t her, I had to focus
the man beside me was alert. His ri
ing the restraint the guards had fastene
p mo
ncomfortable."
, but I had already wriggled my hands free and I use
twisted his wrist, pulled the pistol from his
emain calm!
"Put the gun down!
and he released me with a curse. I lunged for the door handle but the SUV su
d my face against the seat, I kicked backward, catching his shin,
o my ear. "Try that again, and
s sleeve. "Start wit
tically beside a dark vehicle with its bonnet raise
houted. "Please!
ed for his weapon. "Stay here,"
ed, leaving the youngest t
d man was pacing beside his vehicle, re
e man shouted. "Plea
d hesitated. "Sho
k his head. "Or
mployer would rather let
ed toward the stranded vehi
feet hit the wet asphalt, I stumbled, caught the
" I heard one o
let struck the road ahead of me. I stopped so
irectly at my chest. "Take another step," he shoute
hands. "You're goin
shoot you if you run
n the vehicle was no longer moving. The guard approached
he grabbed my arm and twisted it behind
xt time, remember to aim highe
e fastened a restraint around my wrist and seI understood, the roadside emergency had been staged. They wanted t
rees, and towering stone walls. Security cameras appeared at reg
lion gates. Beyond the gates stood an enormous estate, armed guards patrolled
olled inside then stopped benea
my door
teps in a black silk dress. Lady Isolde Bryt. Her gaze move
empted t
fresh air.
uarely across my face. The guards looke
ou welcome all
s. "Remember why you are here, Vespera. You
r. "Then I suggest you
words as nothing. "You will become Seraphine Bryt. You will marr
if I
n. "Your sister w
er cold expression would disappear. Instead, I lo
s, the wedding is
ide a man whose bloodline was feared across the
corridor lined with portraits. I kept my head lo
and carried a tablet beneath one arm. His gaze moved over
he bride?"
rd replied. "S
"She's supposed to be deli
"Excuse me, I'm st
medical report said she was frail,
erate," One g
were furrowed
h he was comparing it with an image stored i
fabric had slipped farther than I realized, exp
ened there
thud and I quickly pull
t." I mumbled in t
raphine was never supposed
gnize me, he had simply noticed that the woman standing before h
e examination ro
hesitate
cause I want to know what else the brid
le my heart has thundered so loudly w
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