The engine hummed steadily as Damien gripped the steering wheel, the palace shrinking in the rearview mirror like a fading shadow. Ivy sat rigid in the passenger seat, her fingers twisting the hem of her silk dress, eyes fixed on the blurring landscape outside. The road stretched into the night, lined with dense trees that whispered against the wind.

"Ivy, look at me," Damien said softly, his voice cutting through the tension. He glanced over, his hand leaving the wheel to brush her knee. ...