“I won’t let him hurt you again,” I said. “You’re mine, Vivian. And no one—especially not him—gets to take you from me.”
I hadn’t meant to say that, but it was the truth. Somehow, without my realizing it, she had become everything. She wasn’t a pawn or tool for political gain any longer. She was herself—fierce, stubborn, maddeningly defiant—and she was mine.
Vivian shifted in the backseat, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. “You really mean that, don’t you?” she asked softly.
I clenched my jaw, my grip on the wheel tightening. “More than anything.”
Something other than fear came through the bond now. It was faint and fragile, but undoubtedly there. A tentative thread of trust.
The winding road gave way to a steep incline, the SUV’s tires crunching against gravel as we ascended into the mountains. The cabin wasn’t far now, tucked away in a secluded clearingthat bordered the fae kingdom. It was remote, almost impossible to find unless you knew exactly where to look.
As the dense forest opened up to reveal the dark outline of the cabin, relief washed over me. The wards surrounding the property shimmered in the moonlight. I’d paid a fortune to secure the magic for them. They were strong enough to keep out even the most determined threats—including my father.
I pulled the SUV to a stop in front of the cabin and killed the engine. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sound of Vivian’s uneven breathing.
I got out of the SUV and opened the back door. I wrapped the blanket around her more securely before gingerly picking her up again.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s get you inside.”
“You don’t have to carry me,” she murmured weakly.
“Yes, I do,” I said firmly.
The cabin’s wards shimmered in response to my magic as I approached the heavy oak door. The snarling wolf’s head knocker glared at us like a silent sentinel.
The door creaked open, and the shadows inside shifted subtly, welcoming us with a flicker of movement. The air inside was cool and still, but as I stepped over the threshold, the hearth roared to life. The scent of cedarwood and spices filled the space as the cabin warmed up.
Vivian shivered in my arms. “It’s warm,” she whispered, her voice tinged with wonder.
“It adjusts to whoever enters,” I explained as I carried her to the sofa near the fire. “The cabin’s magic is designed to respond to my needs—and yours, for as long as you’re here.”
I set her down gently, and she glanced around the room with wide eyes.
“It’s beautiful,” she said softly as she gazed around at the dark wood furnishings and bookshelves.
“It’s safe.” I brushed her hair out of her face. “That’s all that matters.”
Her gaze met mine, and through the bond, I felt her gratitude. It was enough to steady me, to remind me of what I had to do.
“Do you want to rest, or…” I hesitated, searching her face. “Would you like me to help you clean up first?”
Vivian looked down at herself, at the blood and dirt staining her skin and the blanket. Shame rippled through the bond. “A bath,” she whispered. “I can’t… I don’t want to be like this anymore.”
I nodded. “Come with me.”
The bathroom was small but functional, the dark stone walls imbued with subtle enchantments to keep the space warm and inviting. A deep, clawfoot tub rested beneath a small, enchanted window that overlooked the forest.
I turned on the water, and steam curled into the air, carrying the soft, calming scent of lavender from the enchanted herbs stored on the shelf.
Vivian stood in the doorway, barely more than a shadow of the defiant woman she had been. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection, her gaze distant and unfocused. The bond trembled with her unease, pressing against my chest like a weight I couldn’t lift.
She shouldn’t be here like this. She shouldn’t have gone through this at all.
The rage I’d been suppressing since I found her surged to the surface, white-hot and blistering. It threatened to drown me, to consume me, but I shoved it down. I couldn’t afford to give in to it now. She needed me calm. Steady. In control.
“You don’t have to do this alone,” I said, keeping my voice low and gentle as I stepped closer. “Let me help you.”
Her gaze flicked briefly to me, before she looked down at the floor. “Okay,” she whispered.
