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Dane had been willing to love hernow, willing to pass the time with her so she need not suffer in isolated wait. The few stolen kisses he took were all they would ever have. She should be content with knowing they at least shared those awkward firsts. First glances, first blushes. The first time her chest heaved with nervousnesswhen his thoughts whispered through her mind. The first time he touched her in a way that left her insides clenching.

Those firsts would always belong to Dane.

It would never be more. She knew it. He knew it. Everyone understood why they couldn’t be together, but her heart didn’t. And while Dane might have finally accepted her decision, deep down, she knew he’d never respect her choice.

Would it always hurt like this? Perhaps some foolish part of her never truly expected him to give up.

But he had.

Now, he could move on. They both could.

Her head jerked to the shadows as soft footfalls approached. The scent of dewy grass kicked up as labored breath broke the silence. Someone was coming.

Grace abruptly wiped away her tears and staggered to her feet, alarmed to be discovered in such an inexplicable condition and place.

“Dane?” Magdalene bolted into the barn and staggered to a halt.

A low growl seeped from Grace’s chest as her tender heart turned to stone. Rage blazed in her belly. She should rip out that obnoxious blonde curl that escaped Magdalene’skappand choke her with it.

“Grace, you startled me.” Magdalene pressed a hand to her brow, her arms sliding loosely to her side. “Is it true? Is he gone?”

Dane’s horrible words came back to her.I kissher everywhere, Grace…She likes my hands on her…She likes touching me… And I like being inside of her…

Lips parted, Gracie bared her fangs, tempted to scrape her claws down Magdalene’s fresh face until the flesh fell from the bone. “Get out,” she snarled, unsure what she might do if the female came any closer.

“Grace, your eyes?—”

She sprung, lunging forward as she slammed the female into the barn wall and fully bared her fangs. The girl was weak. It would take very little to maim her.

“Grace, stop!” The stark look of horror in Magdalene’s eyes instantly set things in hierarchical order.

Grace possessed the strength and power to permanently end her, yet her faith and decency forbade such brute behavior.

Disgusted by her envy and shocked at how deeply it tormented her, she released the terrified female and fled the barn, running until she was miles away from the farm and lost deep in the woods. That was when she noticed the downed trees and destruction.

What had happened here? It was as if a tornado or earthquake had come through.

Scanning the forest for danger, she sensed nothing among the woodland creatures and birds. Then she spotted something white on the ground, the acrid stench of smoke mixing with the metallic scent of blood staining the fabric.Leaves crunched underfoot as she bent to pick up the cloth.

An apron. But whose?

She sniffed fabric and instantly recognized Adriel Schrock’s scent, intense and bitter with fear.

Grace searched the forest, fanning out her senses, but found no trace of anyone. She should alert the bishop that something was amiss.

Then she had a thought. Perhaps Dane had gone with her. What if they were in danger? What if Dane needed help?

Gracie’s fist tightened around the apron as she ran toward home.

CHAPTER 4

“We have to stop.”

Adriel slowed the moment she realized Juniper had paused to catch her breath. Startled to find her doubled over, gripping her knees as she panted, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?We’ve been running at full speed for over an hour. I don’t have shoes. My feet are blistered and bleeding. I can’t go any further.”

They’d hardly traveled at half speed, but Adriel supposed the pace was a lot for Juniper. Her gaze darted to the distant woods in the direction they’d come. “We can’t slow down.”