Winter’s POV

The road was well lit, lanterns glowing like tired sentinels. Someone jogged toward us from the direction of the gate, breathing hard like they had just finished a run. I tried to ignore them, focusing on the crunch of gravel beneath my feet, but then the person cut across the road and stepped directly into my path, blocking me.

“I see you like the outfit I selected for you,” the stranger said, as if we were two old acquaintances reunited under a streetlamp.

I looked at the ...