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Kylian stands silently, taking the clothes from Eagan and dumping them on the bed next to me. “Get dressed.”

I rip one aching arm from my blankets and reach for the sweater dress on top. The fabric feels thick and warm in my hand. I don’t move to get dressed until Kylian gives me his back and the door closes behind Eagan.

The dress slides on easily over my head, and I pull on a pair of thick socks, but there are no shoes, probably to ensure I don’t run. When I stand, my sweater dress only falls to mid-thigh, and it’s painfully obvious that a pair of underwear was not in the offered clothing.

As if sensing when I’m dressed, Kylian turns to me and grips my chin, forcing my gaze to his. “Stay close and keep your head down. If you try to run, you’ll regret it.” His voice drops to a whisper. “You don’t want me hunting you.”

I nod, my throat dry. He indicates the door. “Move.”

In socked feet, I follow Eagan out into the castle halls, the windows showing no signs of morning yet.

The air takes my breath away as we step out of the castle doors into the night, but Kylian’s hands urge me forward. We pass rows of guards lining the castle grounds until Eagan comes to a stop in front of me, looking down a set of steep stairs that run alongside a cliff.

I gulp, peering down at them as well. One slip, and I’m done for.

Eagan descends, and I keep my head down as my shaking hands find the wooden railing. These stairs aren’t safe at all, but I’ve always been petrified of heights.

My wet socks seem to grow roots, and no matter how hard I try to take that first step, I just can’t. Every time I look over the railing, I imagine falling to my death. A sharp jab to the ribs makes my whole body jolt, and I step back with a horrified shriek.

“Move! What are you doing?” King Kylian nudges me forward. I shake my head wildly. There has to be over two hundred steps.

When I look back over the edge, Eagan is tromping down the rickety stairs at a terrifying pace, then he leaps over the rail without warning, vanishing into the night.

A shriek leaves me, and I crane my neck toward the pier below. He’s landed, boots first, on some jagged rocks. Kylian doesn’t seem fazed, and he grabs my arm, yanking me down the first three steps. I cling to the rail, making him stop.

He seems annoyed as he spins to face me. “You agreed to come. Don’t make me drag you down by your hair. Now keep up,” he snaps, stomping down the rickety staircase while I cling to the railing in fear.

“Little mortal, now!” he snarls, moving back toward me.

“I don’t like heights!” I blurt like an idiot. He sighs heavily and moves toward me, shaking his head.

“You are being ridiculous. It’s not even that high.” My mind instantly flashes to the wall and Arlo’s face peering up at me.

It’s not that far. Please, trust me.

I trusted Arlo to catch me, but this stranger? Not so much.

“We need to leave if you want to find your sister,” he says impatiently.

I curse, moving down a step. My heart feels like it’s about to burst inside my chest from how hard it’s pounding. His men stomp past me, hauling huge hessian bags of cargo like they weigh nothing.

“Mortal, now!” he snarls, his fangs slipping free, and I take another careful step. He shakes his head and moves down the stairs, leaving me to fall and die.

Another man is coming down the steps with a trunk over one shoulder, and I panic, trying to press my body against the rock wall so he can pass. Without waiting for me to make space, he steps onto the railing and jumps. I gasp in horror and move to the edge. Somehow, he didn’t splatter against the rocks; he landed on his feet like a cat.

Shaking my head, I stumble down the steps to catch up with the king, latching onto his arm when I do.

He seems stunned. “What are you doing, mortal?” he asks, trying to shake off the death grip I have on his cloak. “Such bizarre creatures you mortals are, and of course my curse is to be stuck with one who is petrified of a few stairs.” He moves with blinding speed and tosses me over his shoulder.

I shriek. In this position, it feels like I am dangling headfirst off a cliff face. “Please don’t drop me,” I cry, scrambling upright.

He chuckles. My body stills, and I clench my eyes shut. I need solid ground, and if I open my eyes again, I may pass out.

King Kylian moves down the steps, yet the motion of dangling over his shoulder makes me queasy. “I’m going to puke,” I warn him.

If I weren’t so scared of being tossed off the cliff, I wouldn’t have warned him. He drags me to the front of his body, and I instantly latch my legs around him, hands gripping his shoulders. He seems amused but doesn’t say anything as he hoists me higher with one arm under my naked ass. He continues moving down the stairs.

When we reach a small landing, he leans his face closer to mine. “If I were you, I’d close my eyes again,” he whispers, and I jerk back to look at him.