Page 6 of Claimed By Midnight

Her lips press into a thin line. "My pride is all I have left."

"For now." I hold out the bread, close enough to smell but just beyond her reach. "But pride bows to necessity eventually."

She lifts those fascinating eyes to mine. "Does it? You seem to have plenty to spare."

A laugh escapes me, genuine this time. Most humans would be broken by now, reduced to begging or tears. But this one? She throws my words back at me like weapons.

"Come here." I gesture with the bread.

"No."

"Then starve." I take a deliberate bite, watching emotion flash across her features - anger, hunger, calculation. She'sweighing her options, that clever mind working behind those eyes.

Finally, she moves forward, and I can tell she hates that she is having to give in. Each movement is measured, controlled, as if she's the one choosing to approach rather than being compelled.

I catch her chin before she can grab the bread, forcing her to meet my gaze. This close, I can see flecks of gold in those green eyes, like sunlight through forest leaves. Her pulse races under my fingers, but she doesn't flinch.

"Good girl."

She jerks away, snatching the bread. "I'm not your pet."

"No." I lean back, studying how the firelight plays across her honey-blonde curls. "You're something far more interesting."

Her fingers tighten on the bread, but she doesn't eat. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm beginning to understand just how much you are worth." I flex my wings, watching her track the movement. "It's not just your beauty or heritage. It's this - this fire in you. This refusal to break."

"You won't break me."

I smile, letting her see the predator beneath the angelic features. "I like the challenge."

4

ATHENA

The carriage lurches, and I press my bound hands against the plush velvet seat to keep from tumbling forward. Through the window, jagged mountain peaks pierce a brooding sky, their edges sharp enough to slice clouds into ribbons. We've been climbing higher for hours, the air growing thinner with each twist of the precarious path.

Uriel sits across from me, his perfect features drawn in concentration as he guides the zarryn - massive horned beasts with thick silver fur and two tails - through particularly treacherous switchbacks. His wings shift restlessly in the confined space, brushing against the carriage ceiling. I try not to be impressed as I watch his fingers twitch, steering the reins from inside the cabins.

My fingers brush against the small blade tucked into my sleeve. Three days of careful observation have led to this moment - watching how he channels magic through crystalline controls embedded in the carriage walls, studying the intricate spellwork that keeps my restraints secured. I can cut leather but magic, not so much.

The carriage hits another sharp turn. A string of curses spills from Uriel's lips as he leans forward, golden curls falling across his face while he adjusts the crystal configuration. His attention fixed entirely on preventing us from plummeting off the cliff edge.

My heart pounds against my ribs as I slide the blade free. I managed to swipe it off Uriel and I know that it is forged from something stronger than metal. The enchanted leather around my wrists tingles with magic, but I've noticed how the spells weaken at the seams. One clean cut is all I need and hopefully it can cleave magic, too. The blade's edge catches the leather's weak point and-

"Shit!" Uriel snarls as the carriage tilts precariously. He throws both hands up, channeling magic into stabilizing our path. The momentary chaos covers the sound of leather splitting apart.

Blood rushes to my fingertips as circulation returns. I keep my hands in my lap, maintaining the illusion of bondage while scanning the carriage interior. The door handle gleams like a beacon of freedom. If I time this right, one leap is all it will take. Better to risk the mountain path than remain his captive.

I gather my legs under me, muscles coiled tight as a spring. Uriel's still distracted, his perfect features twisted into a scowl as he wrestles with the controls. Just a few more seconds...

I launch myself at the door, driving my shoulder against the polished wood. The blade slices through layers of protective spellwork like silk, magic sparking and hissing as it unravels and releases me from my moving prison. Wind howls through the gap, whipping my honey-blonde curls across my face.

"What the-" Uriel's perfect features contort with fury. His massive wings unfurl, filling the carriage as he lunges for me.

Too late.

I throw myself through the opening, my stomach lurching as empty air rushes up to meet me. The mountain face blurs past - all jutting rock and patches of frost-killed vegetation. My hands shoot out, fingers scraping against stone until they catch a narrow ledge. The impact sends shockwaves through my arms, but I hold on, pressing my body flat against the cliff.