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“The worst part wasn’t the cage itself. It was the waiting.”His voice softens, something raw beneath the words.“I was scared and alone. I didn’t know what would happen to me. Whether I’d be sold, killed, or left there to starve.”

My chest tightens as I imagine it. “How did you escape?”

“My father found me. And he didn’t scold me for running off or tell me I was foolish. He freed me from the trap and carried me home.”He turns his gaze to me.“And when I told him how scared I had been, he told me that ‘a fox is not meant to be caged.’”

He exhales slowly. “I still remember the moment I stepped out of that metal prison. I promised myself I would never be trapped again.”

“And you never were?” I ask, curious.

Ren tilts his head, considering.“Not physically. But I’ve been trapped in other ways. By duty… by the weight of the expectations of my family.”His ember-bright eyes flick to mine.“But it was different from when I was caged, because I had a choice. And now, so do you.”

I swallow back the lump forming in my throat. It doesn’t feel like I do. Not really. Without knowledge of my past, how can I navigate my future? Drusilla stole so much from me.

I’m desperate to recover my lost memories. I want to claw through the fog in my mind, to piece together the fragments of my past, hidden by dark magic.

“I wish I could remember,” my voice quavers as I curl my fingers in Ren’s fur, anchoring myself to the only person I can trust. “I want to know the truth about who I am.”

“We won’t stop searching for answers.”His voice is quiet but firm.“Whatever she did to you, whatever she tried to bury—if there is a way to uncover it, we will find it.”Ren nuzzles me again.“I’ll do whatever I can to help you find the truth. To help you break free of every cage she ever put you in, Rapunzel. Notjust the tower. Not just her lies. But every part of you that she tried to keep locked away.”

A lump forms in my throat as I blink back tears. “Thank you, Ren.”

“Always, my amira.”

Despite his words of conviction, I still worry. “What if Drusilla comes after me?”

A low growl rumbles in his chest.“I will die before I allow her to ever harm you again,”he says, and something about his vow fills me with warmth.“As soon as the sun rises, we’ll head for my home. The farther we get from the tower, the better.”

For so long, I felt so alone—a person with no past and no future. But now… there is Ren. I don’t know what the future holds, but I have hope, and I know that I’m not alone.

CHAPTER 16

REN

The earth is soft beneath my paws as we make our way through the forest. I lift my head and scent the air. It will probably rain tonight and I need to find shelter before it comes.

“Are you sure I’m not a burden?” Rapunzel asks from her perch on my back. “I can walk if you need to rest.”

My Fox chuffs at the idea that my mate believes me so weak as to be unable to carry her. If a female Fox questioned this, it would be an indication that she is having reservations about our courtship. No female will accept a mate who is not strong.

It is one of the reasons why my scar marks me as undesirable. In my culture, they are considered evidence that a male cannot adequately defend himself, much less a mate and any kits they may have.

“I am fine. Your weight is very slight. It is no hardship to carry you. Besides, we can travel much faster this way.”

Scanning the forest, my nostrils flare as I detect the scent of a deer somewhere nearby. The instinct to hunt for my mate, toshow her I’m worthy, strong and able to provide, is a primal urge that is difficult to ignore. “Are you hungry?”

“A bit, but I can wait until we stop for the evening.”

My ears prick at the distant rustling of leaves, and as when we reach a clearing, I notice a magnificent stag grazing idly, oblivious to our presence.

I go perfectly still, my muscles bunching in anticipation. My Fox believes now is the perfect opportunity to prove my worth. “Slide off quietly,”I instruct, excitement building in my chest at the thought of showing her how capable I am.

“It’s magnificent.”

My Fox agrees. It will make an excellent meal.

Rapunzel carefully slips off my back.

“Stay right here, and try to be very quiet.”