With a groan, Jase collapsed over top of me, his deep thrusting becoming jerky until he stilled, sheathed to the hilt. His shadows instantly recoiled, releasing my wrists from their grasp, as our breathing slowed, becoming synchronized.

Spooning naked with Jase, post coital, in a tiny rocky den was definitely not something I ever expected. Yet there we were. My stubborn Bruin lazily traced his fingers along my curves. The more time we spent alone, the softer his armor became. At least this time he wasn’t running off dismissing what we had just shared. But one thing remained the same, and it was eating at me.

“Why do your shadows restrain my hands every time we…” Sex with Jase was something out of a spicy paranormal romance novel. His shadows added a layer of supernatural surrealness that I could never have with anyone else. But both times we’d been intimate, I had no choice but to play a passive role. Andeven though they scared me, his shadows were part of him and they excited me just as much.

“I like the way you look, helpless and bound by my will.” I didn’t know what to think of his answer. It was definitely giving psychopath energy. There was something about Jase that you didn’t see in his brothers. Even his bear reflected the darkness inside with its obsidian coat. “Since we’re asking questions: why did you use the sprite ash today? You didn’t mention feeling ill.”

“What?” I played dumb. How did he know?

“Mic,” he said gently. “I have memorized every inch of your beautiful skin. That pale blue shimmer between your breasts is not natural. Did I push you too hard?”

“I… I—” I panicked, stuttering my words. “I was tired, and I didn’t want to slow us down.”

“Did Maxfield say anything about using sprite ash when you don’t need it?”

“No. I just thought, why not? It’s harmless.” At least I think it’s harmless. Maxfield said it shouldn’t be trifled with. But it never seemed to cause any trouble.

“Can I see the vial?”

I reached for my pack, retrieving the sprite ash and handed it to Jase.

“Mic, this vial is almost empty. How much have you been using?”

“I guess I wasn’t really paying attention. I’ve spent my whole life feeling awful. Forgive me for wanting to maintain a level of comfort.”

“I’m not reprimanding you. But I don’t like the idea of you losing track of how often you reach for it.”

“Jase, I need it.”

“That’s how it begins,” he said sharply. “First it’s just to help you get through the hard days. Then it’s to get through all the others. One morning, you’ll wake and need it just to exist.I don’tlike it. I’m going to hold on to this for you. When you need it, I’ll give it back.”

I stared at him in disbelief. My heart pounding with the thought of not having a safety net at my disposal.

He reached for my jaw, caressing my cheek. “I promise, everything is going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. Come to me if you need to life-bind.” Jase leaned in kissing my lips tenderly and pulled my body in tightly against his own. “You should try to get some rest.”

I wasn’t thrilled that he’d taken the ash from me, but I wasn’t about to argue with him now. Instead, I closed my eyes, pulled in a deep breath, and tried to relax into the warmth of his body. Enveloped in the scent of the evergreen boughs beneath us, I fell into a deep sleep.

The trekto Mathenholm took several long and arduous days. The sight of the castle finally within reach brought on a level of anxiety I’d never experienced before. I hadn’t been visited by Hunter or Finn since that day in the forest, and dread had begun to rot its way through me. Our greatest enemy was now less than a mile away. This—was what we had come for.

“Are you ready?” Jase asked as we crept toward the edge of the tree line.

“How close do we need to be to send in your shadows?”

“Once we’re inside the outer bailey, we’ll infiltrate the staff quarters. Thats where I’ll release them.”

“And how exactly are we getting into the outer bailey?”

“There’s a section of loose stones on the southern wall. We used it as children when sneaking out. Not once were we caught,” he boasted proudly.

The first step out into the open field took every ounce of courage I had left. It was dark, yes—but without the cover of the forest. If someone were watching, they’d see us.

Nothing happened. It was exactly as Jase promised, we crossed without incident. Within moments, we were standing before the curtain wall.

One by one, Jase began pulling free the loose stones, revealing a narrow crawl space. “I’ll go first. When it’s clear, follow me.” He kissed me quickly, then dropped to his knees and slipped through the gap. “It’s all clear, Mic. Come on through.”

I exhaled hard, trying to slow my racing pulse. I crouched, poking my head through the hole—and froze.

A cold, sharp point pressed against the back of my neck.