Nia inhaled, then coughed, her throat raw. Where the hell—

Chains rattled.

Her pulse spiked.

She tried to move, but strong ropes bit into her wrists, holding her fast against rough stone. Panic punched through her ribs. She jerked hard, rope grinding against her bone, but the restraints didn’t give.

No. No. No.

Memories crashed down like a rogue wave—Kael’s sharp gaze, Davon’s smirk, the chaos of dinner, Jacob’s sneering face just before—

Blackness.

Her stomach twisted.

Her eyes snapped open.

The dim glow of candlelight flickered against jagged walls, casting restless shadows across the chamber. Heavy thick ropes coiled around her wrists, anchored deep into the stone behind her. The floor beneath her was damp, the cold seeping through her clothes.

And then she saw it.

The blade. Suspended from the ceiling, a massive sword dangled inches from her chest, its edge gleaming in the unsteady light. It swayed slightly, its only hold a frayed rope stretched tight and worn thin.

Her breath hitched. This wasn’t just a cell. It was a goddamn execution chamber. These people are insane.

Heavy scrape of boots against stone echoed outside the chamber. The door groaned open, spilling warm light into the freezing room and Nia instinctively shut her eyes.

Two figures stepped inside. Kael. And Davon. Her heart pounded, thudding against her rib cage.

Kael’s eyes immediately locked onto hers. His entire body went rigid, his fists clenching at his sides. His wolf was practically vibrating beneath his skin.

Davon, on the other hand, let out a low whistle. “Damn,” he mused, tilting his head as he leaned lazily against the doorway. “They really did a number on you, sweetheart.”

She ignored him. Her focus zeroed in on Kael, her voice hoarse but sharp. “You.” Her lips curled around the word like a weapon. “What the hell is this? Why am I chained up like some goddamn sacrifice?”

Kael inhaled slowly, measured. “It wasn’t my decision.”

“Oh, right,” she snapped, yanking against the chains again. Hard. “Just like it wasn’t your decision to lie to me? To kidnap me?” The metal cut into her wrists, but she didn’t stop. “Take these off. Now.”

Davon chuckled, crossing his arms. “Gotta admit, I like her fiery.”

Kael didn’t spare him a glance. “Nia, listen to me. I didn’t want this. My mother thinks you’re a threat—”

“A threat?” A sharp, humorless laugh tore from her throat. “I’m chained to a wall with a damn sword hanging over my chest. You’re the threat, Kael.”

His jaw flexed. “I know.”

“Then let me go!”

Davon smirked, shifting against the doorframe. “Now that would be interesting.”

Kael exhaled sharply, gaze steady. “I came to get you out.”

Nia stilled.

“What?” Davon exclaimed as he pushed off the wall, his smirk faltering. “Wait—we’re letting her go?”

Kael didn’t take his eyes off her. “We’re letting you go.” His voice was firm, but there was something beneath it. Something he wasn’t saying.

She narrowed her eyes, gluing them on Kael. “Just like that?”

A pause.

Kael’s fingers twitched at his sides. “There are… conditions.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line. “Of course there are.” She exhaled sharply. “Let me guess—I can go, but you’ll be watching my every move?”

Davon grinned. “Not far off.”

Kael ignored him. “We’ll take you somewhere safe. No more chains. No more threats.” A flicker of hesitation crossed his face. “When my—” He stopped himself, tension rippling across his jaw. “When it’s safe, you’ll go home.”

Her blood ran hot. “No,” she snapped. “Not eventually. Not when it’s safe. I want to go home now.”

Silence.

Kael said nothing.

And that was all the confirmation she needed.

Her heart hammered. This wasn’t freedom. A “safe house?” No. It was another prison.

Davon sighed, rolling his shoulders as he crossed the room. He reached up, grabbed the swaying sword, and tossed it aside like it was a mere inconvenience. Then, in one smooth motion, he pulled a knife from his pocket.

Nia’s back went rigid.

Davon caught the tension in her body and smirked. “Relax, sweetheart,” he murmured, stepping behind her. “I’m not gonna bite.”

Cool steel slid against her wrists, the blade flicked and the rope snapped free.

The second the ropes hit the ground, she moved. She surged forward, but her legs wobbled beneath her, her body pitching sideways. But before she could fall, Kael was there. His hands caught her, firm and steady, the warmth of his touch burning through the cold like a brand.

A strange heat flickered beneath her skin, crawling up her spine like static electricity.

Her breath hitched. She shoved him away. “Don’t touch me.”

Kael’s hands curled into fists, but he didn’t move toward her again.

“Let’s go,” he said, voice like steel.

Nia exhaled slowly. Her mind already working. If they were letting her out of this dungeon, it meant one thing: she had a chance to escape.

They thought she was going to play along. She had to be smart. She had to make them think she was cooperating.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded. “Fine.” She lifted her chin. “Whatever. Just get me out of here.”

Davon smirked, opening the door with a lazy flourish. “Ladies first.”

She stepped forward.