s wrists where the guards

ing party still alive behind the grand ballroom doors-completely un

the way, his footsteps echoing c

it-the anger rolling

e rage of a

of a king who'd

-

ish

y oak door at the end

brutal, with stone walls and nothing but a single

ung

ood ra

d, his face un

a hes

She stumbled into the chair, and he

th a flick of his wrist, waiting

r, crouching down so

d, his voice low. "I gave you e

e," she whisp

eyes. "I saved you from a life

bitterly. "And

close she could feel h

ed betrayal?" he murmu

left her alone in

with every trembl

ilently down

de her, somet

ld not

not remain

, she would have to become

-

ew

ays; Ariana lost track of tim

xpecting Leonar

a slender w

p gray eyes and a scar

ed a tray

a word, slid a small, folded piec

turned

he door clicked shut

d as she unfol

sent

to fight back, I

No inst

was e

gnited in

asn't

anym

-

umblin

alls of the mansion, cracks we

ught vanquishe

nces were

home, betrayal fest

ispered that he wa

woman who had dared to

, too. The judgmen

ine from his office, swirling

't afford

t

n who looked at him not w

-

Firs

, the scar-face

me, she

iana's chains. "And you need to decide. Sta

wrists, swallowing t

p me?" s

s grim. "Because

t the scar, the hardness in Bianca'

riana said, her voic

ca n

"Because the first

a bli

?" she

small dagger o

die," she

e blade, its weight

would s

shining arm

he would have to carve i

d her teet

e woman Leonardo-and the