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Alex felt her entire body stiffen with dread.

No.

“I don’t believe you,” she said. But she couldn’t help dragging her eyes back to Jordan’s scarily blank face.

“Dear, sweet child,” Aven purred. “Didn’t we already decide that denial is unhealthy?”

“You’re a liar, Aven,” she returned heatedly. “I know you. All you do is lie.”

His golden eyes flashed. “Watch your tone, Alexandra.”

She stared at him defiantly. “Make me.”

Alex watched Aven bury his rage beneath a relaxed smirk. “Jordan, tell Alexandra to be quiet.”

Jordan’s empty eyes stared straight through her as he opened his mouth and said, “Alexandra, be quiet.”

Alex felt her breath stutter at the sound of her friend’s dismissive monotone. “Jordan?” she whispered.

Jordan lowered his gaze again, his expression showing no emotion. Alex watched him for a moment before she turned her face up to capture Aven’s triumphant look.

“What have you done to him?” she demanded.

Please, please, let him only be drugged.

Aven tilted his head to the side as he stared at her, and then a smile broke out on his face. It quickly turned into a laugh. It took a full minute for him to calm down enough to gasp out, “Do you truly not know? How can you be so blind?”

She didn’t respond. She didn’t want confirmation of what she feared was true.

“Jordan, show Alexandra your hand so she can see my mark for herself.”

At his words, Alex had the answer to what she’d refused to believe. When Jordan raised his hand, the glowing scar across his palm was all the evidence she needed.

No.

“Release him, Aven.” Alex’s voice was unrecognisable to her own ears. It was as cold and hard as steel. “Let him go and I’ll allow you to leave this place. You can do whatever you want in Meya and I won’t stop you. I won’t tell anyone you’re here. Just let Jordan go.”

Aven laughed again. “What makes you think I’m keeping him here?”

That made Alex pause. “What are you talking about?”

“Jordan,” Aven said, his voice authoritative, “tell Alexandra how you came to be in my service. Give her every detail, using your own words and emotions.”

Jordan blinked and his blank face cleared of its empty expression. “Alex,” he whispered brokenly, stepping forward to reach out to her.

“Stop,” Aven commanded. “You’ll only speak to her. Nothing more.”

At his order, Jordan froze to the spot, and his anguished face begged her to understand. It was the most expressive he’d been since his return from Chateau Shondelle three weeks earlier.

Wait a second.

Chateau Shondelle.

Jordan’s unusual behaviour.

No.

“Jordan?” Alex breathed, hoping desperately that she was connecting the dots incorrectly.