Page 4 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

I hate how, even now, when the Shadow Prince’s dark eyes shift to me, the urge to get lost in their depths gnaws at me. My body begs me to succumb to the attraction between us.

But I can’t. I won’t.

The dark marks on my forearms stretch.

I don’t look at the floral and vine design. If I do, I’ll remember the way they tore into my skin. How they shredded my flesh like ribbons when I dared to object to coming with the Fae on their unknown journey.

Once, I found the shadows that confirmed my deal with the Fae beautiful. Intriguing. Now, they are a stark reminder that I’m a prisoner. They won’t hesitate to hurt me if I go against their master. The same master whose heavy stare burns into my face.

My eyes remain on Jaxon who now faces forward. Darius, too, faces ahead, but his attempt to portray a dutiful soldier is diminished by the quick rise and fall of his shoulders as he struggles to mask his chuckle.

Rian’s exhale puffs into the air.

“Idiots,” he mumbles then turns around.

My lungs release the breath I’d been holding.

The quiet stretches. My thoughts unravel in it, and I piece together fragments from the Fae’s banter.

Draven and Darius are brothers.

Jaxon has a sister.

I’ve gathered that the Fae are close. Rian once told me he considers them his true brothers. But it is strange to hear them laugh, argue, and tease like this… It’s disarming.

It makes them almost seem human.

But I can’t forget what they are. What I am to them.

The Fae need me to heal Darius.

That’s it.

I’m a useful human…a means to an end.

I grip the saddle tightly.

Once Darius is healed, once the curse is gone, I’ll be free. The marks on my arms will disappear, just like the ones from my first deal.

Once I fulfill my debt, I’ll find Ferria. We’ll start a new life, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.

That I never met a Fae prince whose shadows could mask all the stars in the sky.

That my magic doesn’t yearn to reach for his—to meet his darkness with my light. To destroy this distance I’m forcing between us.

No… That’s not right.

I didn’t force anything.

I’m not the one who lied…who schemed…who manipulated.

Rian may wear a handsome face, but beneath it lies everything I was raised to fear.

He is the Shadow Prince. He is my enemy. No matter what my magic desires, I will harden my soul against him, against all of them. I can’t afford to do anything else.

Not if I want to escape.

Because if there’s one horrible story about the Fae that haunts me more than any other, it’s how the Shadow King enjoys keeping human pets.