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He takes a slow step toward me, hands loose at his sides, claws glinting. My chain rattles as I instinctively shift back, fear raw in my throat. The gargoyle’s nostrils flare, as though he can scent my terror.

Then his gaze drops to my collar and the looped chain. His jaw tightens, a flicker of rage crossing his face. He looks from the collar to my eyes, and I’m too stunned to speak. Does he… pity me? Or is he angry that the dark elves beat him to enslaving me first?

I realize my breathing has become shallow. Adrenaline, pain, and confusion swirl in my veins.He could kill me with a single swipe.He might do so any second. But he doesn’t. Instead, he slowly backs away, giving a low rumble deep in his chest—like he’s wrestling with impulses he can’t fully control.

My lips part, but no words come out. My mind screams a thousand questions. The gargoyle glances once at the dead elf, then at me. It’s almost like he’s making sure I see that I’m no longer in danger fromthatthreat. A wave of dizziness washes over me.

In that instant of hesitation, he crouches, wings unfolding. They’re enormous, spanning at least fourteen feet. He leapsupward, muscles bunching, and surges above the canopy with a rush of wind. Leaves and branches shake from the force of his takeoff. Then he’s gone, vanishing into the stormy sky.

I stagger, rubbing my fingers on my temple. The forest is silent except for the whimpering hound and my own ragged breath. The gargoyle… spared me.Why?

My shoulder throbs, my ankle pulses with pain. Blood trickles down my leg, and the adrenaline crash leaves me trembling violently. I kneel by the stream, mind spinning.

What just happened?

I’ve dreamed of a chance at freedom, but never did I expect a gargoyle to appear out of nowhere and save me from a dark elf’s blade. Maybe “save” is the wrong word. He might have only killed the elf for reasons of his own, not caring about me at all. But then,why didn’t he kill me afterward?

My eyes sting with sudden tears. Exhaustion and pain drive me to the edge of despair. I don’t know how I’ll survive out here, with slavers on my trail and gargoyles patrolling the skies. Yet I’m alive. That’s a victory in itself.

Above, the clouds churn, thunder rumbling like a distant heartbeat. I carefully lower myself to the ground, pressing my forehead against a damp log to steady my breathing.One step at a time. I’m out of the fortress, free if only for a moment.

But as I rest my head, I can’t stop picturing those golden eyes meeting mine. Something about that brief connection burns in my mind, fueling me with a desperate spark of… hope? Curiosity? I hate myself for it.He’s a monster, Elyria.A monster who kills women like me without hesitation.

Yet he didn’t.

Through the haze of pain and uncertainty, I wonder if outrunning the gargoyles is truly possible—or if I’ve already drawn the attention of one gargoyle in particular. Am I simply stumbling from one danger into another?

I bite my lip, letting the cold rain pelt my shoulders. My thoughts swirl, frantic and breathless. There’s no going back now. I won’t return to that fortress. I’d rather face the wilderness, the darkness, even gargoyles themselves.

I will survive,I vow silently, ignoring the tears on my cheeks.Even if I have to face him again.

A gust of wind rattles the branches overhead, showering me with droplets. I steel myself. I’m on the run, battered but still breathing. Whether the gargoyle truly spared me or merely postponed my fate, I can’t say.

But I’m free.

For now.

4

KORRIN

Night presses against my wings, the air too cold for comfort, but I fly on. My mind churns with the memory of the human woman—Elyria—I left trembling by that stream hours ago. Even with the wind and distance between us, I can’t banish her from my thoughts.

I can still see the fear in her eyes when I landed, the shock etched across her face as I ripped that dark elf guard apart. There was a moment, hardly more than a breath—when her gaze locked with mine, and something inside my chest squeezed. I should have ended her there; that’s what I’ve beentrainedto do. Yet I flew away, leaving her with nothing but the stench of blood and my pounding heartbeat roaring in my ears. No explanation. No final blow.

Now, high above the looming trees, I regret my own hesitation. The Alpha’s order is clear, no human female should be left alive, certainly not one carrying purna blood. But I keep telling myself Iwillfollow through—that next time, I won’t falter. A lie. The remnants of that moment keep clawing at me, turning over in my head.

The wind whips across my face, a biting chill that stings my eyes. The storm from earlier has mostly passed, but the air is damp with leftover drizzle, and stray tendrils of fog writhe across the treetops. I spot a handful of gargoyles from my patrol circling the fortress we raided last night. They’re scouring the area for stragglers, presumably to hunt down any human who slipped through the cracks. If I join them, I can be the first to discover any sign of her. Then I can finish what I started.

Finish. The word resonates like a hollow gong inside me. I’m not convinced that killing her is truly what I want. My every instinct shouts that Ishouldwant it—she’s a threat, or at least she might be.Letting her roam free, especially if she indeed holds purna lineage, is risking the safety of my race. A hazard we can’t ignore.

But as I glide through the cold air, I recall the shape of her face, the raw terror that gave way to confusion when I didn’t strike. I remember the chain dangling from her collar, the fresh lash marks on her ankles.Fragile,I tell myself.She’s nothing but prey.Yet the image won’t align with what I saw in her eyes—flickers of defiance, of something fierce. Something that parted the storm inside me for that single, breathless moment.

I land on a high outcropping of rock, hooking my claws into the stone. Peering down into the forest canopy, I let out a low growl of frustration. This entire region is heavily wooded, making it difficult to spot her from above. The terrain slopes into a series of ridges and hidden ravines. If she’s smart, she’ll keep moving. If she’s injured, she might try to find shelter. Regardless, I can’t ignore her. Something in merefusesto let her slip away, no matter how dangerous it is for me to keep her alive.

I can’t quite name the impulse that drives me to track her down. Obedience to the Alpha? Possibly. The temptation to see her face again?More likely.My wings twitch, unsettled by the truth I’m dancing around. It’s a mistake to let personal curiositydrive my next action. Still, the next moment I push off the rock, diving into the labyrinth of trees below.

The canopy swallows me as I drop. I land in the soft undergrowth, leaves rustling beneath my feet. The scent of damp earth clings to the air. My breath rumbles low in my throat. If she’s close, I might catch her scent—fear has a particular tang to it. Carefully, I pick my way forward, using the dense shadows to conceal my approach.