the man's grip tightened, her st

smile playing on her lips as s

, revealing her bare skin, Gemma

rked here, she'd no doubt be a

e. With a swift motion, she yanked a hairpin from he

his neck as blood poured through his f

fragile woman. Her gaze dropped to the spreading pool of blood, her breath

in just two days, and Ge

for?" she barked. "C

tsteps pounding against the floor

eyes, but she

ce thundered

hat instant, her foot slipped, sen

felt strong, steady hands c

, her ragged breathing the onl

d her breath caug

once kept, only to let him go

and distant, a look that was as

lines of his face, emphasizing his com

ached calmness, as thou

ot remem

ser, jolting Eleanor

and, a whisper slipping

gered on her, a faint smirk curv

rom her grasp, his expressio

sinking as the realization settled

e to an abrupt halt and, in unison, bo

looked up at Andreas, astonish

spect from these men in black.

f heels echoed down the hallway. Gemma hurried over,

o slightly, and, as if on cue,

r high heels, and approached

rk, for failing to man

ooked on,

ago, a queen in her own domain, had sudd

ing unreadable, a fleeting expression tha

his finger at Eleanor, s

art of yo

ed Gemma's face before she f

e mockery growing

pression unreadable, until his eyes

cheeks flushed as she realized

thes together, covering her

e, and without another

at Gemma, who immedia

ice rang out with a comma