EMILIA’S POV

The words scraped out of my throat before I could stop them.

“H–how is any of this my fault?” I whispered, my voice shaking from fear and confusion. “Why do you have me tied here? What do you want with me?”

The woman didn’t answer right away.

She just stood there, her presence pressing over me like a tidal wave of cold air. Then she leaned down, and once again her fingers glided across my cheek. Her touch made every nerve in my body flinch.

“You don’t even know,” she murmured, almost disappointed. “You don’t even understand the type of power you possess.”

Her hand lingered on my...