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“Now eat.”

He unwrapped the bundle, revealing dried meat, berries, and a small loaf of bread that looked suspiciously like one from her own bakery. He pushed the food towards her before returning to his place across the fire.

She rubbed her freed wrists, watching him warily as a fragile tendril of hope unfurled in her chest. If he’d wanted her dead, wouldn’t he have killed her already? Why feed her? Why cut her bonds?

Her stomach growled traitorously and she reached for a handful of berries, then pulled off a hunk of bread. It would be foolish not to eat while she had the opportunity, but she only managed a few bites before her nerves got the better of her and she pushed the food away.

The pups stirred at her feet, one yawning widely before settling back down. At least he hadn’t harmed them. They were alive. He could have killed them or simply left them to starve, but he’d brought them along. That had to count for something, didn’t it?

“If you’re going to kill me,” she continued, forcing herself to meet those intimidating golden eyes, “I’d like to know what will happen to them. They’re too young to survive on their own.”

Another pup rolled over, exposing his soft belly in sleep. Such trust. Such vulnerability. She gently stroked his fur, drawing comfort from his warmth even as fear and uncertainty clawed at her insides.

The Vultor’s face remained impassive, those golden eyes reflecting the firelight without revealing any of the thoughts behind them. He simply reached for a stick and prodded the fire, sending another shower of sparks spiraling into the night sky.

Anger flared inside her, hot and sudden. She’d spent years swallowing her words, keeping her head down, enduring Lenora’s cruelty with quiet dignity. But not now. Not when her life had been snatched away from her.

“Look at me!” Her voice cracked through the night air. “I deserve to know why I’ve been taken from my home. What did she promise you? What’s the price of my life?”

One of the pups startled at her outburst, letting out a tiny whimper. She immediately softened her tone, stroking his fur until he settled again.

“If I’m going to die,” she continued, quieter now but no less determined, “I have a right to know why and how. And what will happen to them.” She gestured to the sleeping pups. “They need care. They need protection.”

The irony wasn’t lost on her—pleading for the safety of creatures the village feared, while at the mercy of a predator the village feared even more. But these pups were innocent. They deserved a chance.

“Was it because of Edgar?” she pressed when he remained silent. “Did she think I was stealing him from her? Or was it just… me? Has she always hated me this much?”

Her voice faltered on the last question, years of rejection suddenly crashing down on her shoulders. She’d tried so hard to earn Lenora’s approval, to be the perfect stepdaughter. Had it all been pointless from the start?

She watched his face, searching for any flicker of emotion. His features remained carved from stone, but something in his eyes shifted—a subtle softness as he glanced at the pups curled beside her.

“Why did you bring them?” she asked, her voice softer now. “You could have left them behind. It would have been easier for you.”

For a long moment, she thought he wouldn’t answer this question either. Then he exhaled, a sound somewhere between resignation and irritation.

“They would have died.” His deep voice rumbled through the night air. “Without you.”

“You care what happens to them?” she pressed, hardly daring to hope.

Golden eyes flicked back to the sleeping pups. “They’re innocent. Not their fault what they are.”

A supposedly ruthless predator who had kidnapped her but saved orphaned pups he had no obligation towards. The contradiction made her head spin. A truly heartless killer wouldn’t have bothered with the pups at all.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For not leaving them.”

He grunted, clearly uncomfortable with her gratitude. “Don’t thank me yet. You don’t know what comes next.”

But for the first time since waking with bound wrists, she relaxed a little. The Vultor had shown mercy to helpless creatures. Perhaps there was room for compassion in whatever fate awaited her.

One of the pups stretched in his sleep, tiny paws reaching toward the warmth of the fire. He’d recognized her connection to them—had honored it even while carrying out Lenora’s orders. That had to mean something.

“I’ll keep taking care of them,” she said quickly, the words tumbling out. “If… if you let me live, I promise I won’t be a burden. I can cook, clean, mend clothes—whatever you need.”

His expression hardened. “I don’t need you.”

The blunt response stung more than it should have. She swallowed, fighting back the ridiculous urge to cry. What had she expected? That he’d welcome her offer of domestic services after kidnapping her?

“Then why am I here?” she whispered.