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The vehemence in his tone makes me falter. “Oh? So you’re saying it’s more merciful to keep me captive for yourself?” My pulse hammers, braced for him to lash out at my provocation. But he simply grinds the roots harder, knuckles tight.

“Merciful,” he echoes in a low voice, like he’s testing the shape of the word. “You’ve known real cruelty. I’m offering you something else.”

My body floods with heat, part rage, part confusion. “Imprisonment is still cruelty, no matter how nicely you dress it up.” I take a limping step closer. I want to push him, to see how far I can go before he snaps. “Go ahead. Just say it. I’m your prisoner. You have me caged like an animal.”

His golden gaze snaps to the collar around my neck again, then slides away, as though the sight of it unsettles him. “I’ll take it off,” he mutters. “Eventually.”

The laugh that bursts from me is brittle, humorless. “Do you expect me to believe that? You need this collar to keep me under control, right? In case your precious Alpha demands my head at any moment?”

At the mention of the Alpha, his expression darkens. He sets aside the stone and root mash, stands to his full height. My breath catches—he’s massive, wings partially unfurling behind him in agitation. “Don’t speak of him,” he growls.

A tremor runs through me, but I steel my voice. “Why not? Isn’t he the one who decreed all human women must die? And isn’t that your job?” I point at the brand on his forearm. “Executioner.”

He looks at the mark, and I see his jaw tense. “It was my job,” he admits, something dark flashing in his eyes. “Now, it’s more complicated.”

“Complicated,” I repeat, heart pounding. “You tore through the fortress like a monster—killing dark elves without blinking—then decided I’m worth sparing?” I force a bitter smirk. “Makes perfect sense.”

“I didn’t say it made sense,” he snaps. His wings give a restless twitch, scraping the air behind him. “I’m only saying… I made a choice. I won’t hurt you, all right? That should be enough.”

A hot wave of defiance burns in my veins. “It’s not,” I manage. “Because I don’t want your twisted version of ‘protection.’ I want freedom.” My voice breaks on that last word, a reminder of everything I’ve lost, every time I tried to run from the fortress. My chest tightens painfully, tears threatening to sting my eyes.I won’t cry in front of him.

Korrin’s features harden. For a heartbeat, I think he’ll bare his fangs at me in anger. Instead, he exhales a jagged breath, looking away. “I can’t set you free. Not yet.” He picks up the mashed roots, turning away from me toward the crumbled arch.“Sit, or stand, or do whatever you want, but let me bind your ankle so you can heal. Starving or injuring you isn’t my goal.”

The quiet intensity of his voice disarms me more than shouting would. “And if I refuse?”

He pauses, shoulders tensing. “Then limp around in pain. It won’t kill you, but it’ll slow you down. Either way, I’m not letting you leave this place.”

Anger thrums in my chest, but I also sense the futility of resisting him physically. He’s gargoyle-strong and built for war. I’m battered, half-crippled by my own injuries, and unarmed.Better to play along and watch for an opportunity.Perhaps I can gather enough strength to slip away eventually.

With a snarl of frustration, I hobble over to the chunk of fallen stone near the cold fire. I ease down, wincing as my ankle protests. “Fine,” I mutter. “Be my savior, if that makes you feel less monstrous.”

He shoots me a glare, but he kneels at my feet. My heart hammers at the sight of his enormous body crouching so close. He sets the poultice on the ground, carefully unwrapping the cloth he’d bound me with before. A faint, unpleasant odor drifts up as he presses the mashed roots to my swollen skin. I grimace, bracing for pain. Instead, there’s a cool, tingling sensation that slightly eases the throbbing. I suck in a shaky breath, forcing myself to ignore how gentle his claws feel brushing my calf.

“Where did you learn to do this?” I ask, my tone biting. “Secret gargoyle healing school?”

Korrin grunts. “We know some natural remedies. Life magic used to be part of our lineage—” He cuts himself off abruptly, as if he’s said more than he intended.

I glance at him in surprise. “Life magic?”

He gives a tight shrug, rewrapping the bandage to secure the poultice. “It doesn’t matter. We’re not known for that anymore.”There’s a heaviness in his voice that I can’t decipher. Then he ties the knot, sitting back on his haunches. “Better?”

I test the ankle gingerly. The pain is still there, but dulled by the cooling numbness. “Yeah,” I admit grudgingly. “Thanks.”

He stays there for a moment, eyes flicking to my face. The way he watches me—like he’s trying to solve a riddle he never expected—makes my stomach twist. I clench my jaw, refusing to look away first. Eventually, he breaks the eye contact, rising to his feet with a controlled sigh.

“Stay here,” he says, moving toward the tower’s exit. “I’ll bring more firewood so we can warm the water from the stream. You need rest. I don’t want you wandering around.”

I bristle, crossing my arms over my chest. “And if I do wander?”

He pauses, half-turned toward me. His wings flare slightly, a flicker of that predatory presence I first encountered. “Don’t,” he growls. “I’ll always find you.”

His words echo with a quiet certainty that sends a ripple of uneasy awareness through me.He means it.My mind flashes to the fortress courtyard, that single glimpse of him overhead—a hunter in the storm. My defiance surges again, but my limbs still ache, and I know I wouldn’t get far on an injured ankle. So I glare at him, letting him see the hatred I feel for this captivity. He meets my gaze for a taut moment, then turns and strides out, leaving me alone.

He’s gone for a while, long enough for me to wonder if I can attempt exploring the ruin without him. My ankle doesn’t throb quite as fiercely now. Despite his warning, my rebellious streak flares. I’m painfully aware that this might be my only chance to gather intel or find a potential escape route.

I drag myself to my feet, leaning heavily on a fallen timber for balance. My entire body trembles under the effort, but I force myself onward, limping deeper into the ruined structure.Most of it is just rubble: collapsed walls, broken stairs leading nowhere, piles of old stones strewn in corners. A blanket of moss covers everything, giving the place a damp, earthy smell.

At one point, I discover a small alcove that might’ve once been a storage closet. It’s caved in now, filled with rocks and spiderwebs.Useless.I poke around a different corner, hoping for a hidden exit, but only find a jagged hole in the floor that drops into some cellar. The cellar is mostly flooded with stagnant water. A rat skitters across a ledge, making me recoil in disgust.No thanks.I can’t navigate that in my condition anyway.