ARIEL'S POV:

My goddess, it became harder to ride. The paths turned slippery, and the wind grew colder.

And if I’d thought Viktor was protective before, I had seen nothing yet. Now, he was fully focused, riding close, watching my every move like a mother hen. He guided Princess like she was a person.

But even as the downpour blurred my vision, I couldn’t help noticing the way his muscles shifted beneath his soaked clothes every time his grip tightened on midnight's rein. His shirt clung to him like a second skin, outlining every dip, every ridge, every carved detail of a body honed by countless battles. A body that...