*Bexley*

I follow Ellison down the corridor toward the dark part of the castle. He’s not holding my arm like he was the night before, and he’s walking so fast, I can barely keep up. About half an hour after I made my demands, he left the room and then came back to tell me that King Canaan was willing to meet with me.

Barely breathing, I do my best to tamper down my nerves. My lack of oxygen has little to do with how fast I’m walking and everything to do with seeing the king again. A thrumming in my heart has me undulating between rushing to keep up...