Freya lay wide awake in her bed, her heart pounding as memories of her father’s rage played on an endless loop in her mind. The sting from his slap had faded, but the impact of his words—his threats—remained sharp. Her father’s wrath was something she had feared her entire life, but tonight, something had changed. For the first time, she didn’t feel the paralyzing fear that usually kept her obedient, quiet, trapped. Tonight, a new feeling had taken its place: determination.

She sat up, the decision forming clearly in her mind. *I’m leaving,* she thought, her resolve hardening. *I’m leaving, and I’m never coming back.*

The idea had always seemed...