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Blinking rapidly to clear the fog in my eyes and stop the internal battle, I focused back on the rack of clothing in front of me. Bright colors and soft fabrics that suited my style perfectly. I ran my hands over the clothes, feeling for textures that caught my attention.

I pulled a couple pieces, including one grayish-purple sweater that would normally be far too dull for my taste but elicited a warm wash of comfort.

A second later, the reason for the comfort hit me and I slammed the hanger back down on the rack, mutteringFor the love of Jupiterunder my breath.

And just like that, I was back to thinking about Adrian. I spent the next few minutes cursing him as creatively as I could imagine in my mind while trying on a beautifully constructed dress, made of bright red, glossy fabric.

It hung well on my figure and gave me the burst of confidence I needed to resolutely push Adrian’s frustrating, perfect face from my mind. Only after I imagined, just for a moment, his reaction to the dress.

“You know what, I’m wearing this,” I said to myself in the mirror, then went hunting for the tag pinned to the dress. I carefully removed it, then gathered the clothes I’d worn in over my arm.

The dress was probably an inch too cold for the weather, but with the boots and coat I had, it would be fine. With one last look in the mirror, I pulled open the curtain to the changing room only to find the shop owner standing right in front of me.

“Excuse me,” I said pointedly, my tone making it clear I did not appreciate the intrusion on my privacy. Ilooked over his shoulder, hoping I could spy Antonio.

And I did find him, but he was leaning against the back wall of the changing room corner, crossing his arms over his chest with zero intention of intervening.

The shop owner took a step towards me, cutting off the space between me and the changing room door. “I’m afraid I can’t let you pass,” he said, right as I registered movement from behind him.

Then everything happened too fast. Three other men came around the corner, cutting off my scream with a rag to the face.

I could smell the toxins, knew they were about to steal my consciousness, while I struggled against their grip hopelessly.

I tried to reach for my bracelet, hopefully sending us all into Adrian’s space and subjecting my attackers to his power, but my hand never made it. Not as my eyes were forced closed as I succumbed to the poison and the mercy of my captors.

?

“Wait here.” Someone commanded, before grabbing my arms in a brutal grip.

By the time they ripped the bag off my head, my hands were already tied to a chair. I blinked rapidly, trying to clear the haze from my eyes and quickly take in my surroundings.

I was pretty sure I’d been shoved through a portal—likely to prevent me from keeping track of where they’d taken me. And I couldn’t make out any of the murmurings I’d heard from the people around me after I’d come to.

They’d pulled me into a dark room, the windowsdecorated with stained glass decorations that were common in some of our older museums. Those dedicated to dark, haunting art.

Opting to test my bindings, I struggled against the rope at my wrists. My body jerked forward, my skin sliding roughly against the ties.

Useless.

There was no getting out of this with brute strength. I’d just have to listen to what the guards said and wait for their leader to greet me.

I really hoped Adrian was wrong and my father had nothing to do with this. But if Claudia was the god involved in all this like they’d suspected, I’d be happy to greet her.

What a shame, to see her upturned nose crushed and bloody. It would only be fair, given her cronies had definitely bruised my skin.

I heard the door click open from behind me and caught my flinch at the last moment. My shoulders were already pulled tight, drawn down towards where my hands were tied.

Someone walked in. I could feel them getting closer, my skin prickling.

They walked right up behind me, chuckling deeply. “Well, what a pretty sight we have here. Adrian picked well with you.”

He crouched, his hands coming down to the ties on my wrists and I jerked forward. “We picked each other,” I sneered, defensiveness hitting me square in the chest. "You should know that."

Another rumbling laugh. I couldn’t see his face, even when I turned my head, but my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of his arms.

His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows. His forearms were covered in tattoos, thin circles that wrapped up his arms.

My stomach sank like a stone. It was exactly like the tattoos Adrian showed me, only circling his arms instead of inked into his inner forearm.