MILLIE BROWN

So far, I think I've had a fairly normal life. If Shane does kill me, at least I'll finally be with my mother again. I'll get to apologize for the stupid fight we had before I left for school that day. The thought gives me a strange kind of peace, even as fear twists inside me.

I sit in the back of this bumpy wagon, trying to tune out the guards talking outside. They switch between Kurrish and English, making it hard for me to follow their conversation. Not that it matters. Their words are just another reminder of my fate—Shane's likely going to kill me. The look in his eyes when I ran into him on the street... furious doesn't even begin to cover it.

I'm trying to stay calm, trying to keep some sliver of optimism, but my heart is hammering so hard I can barely breathe. What if Clara doesn't make it in time? What if Caelum doesn't care enough to come? How am I supposed to save Reed from being banished—or worse, executed?

Maybe I can reason with Shane. Maybe if I give myself up, he'll let the others go. I've been naive before, and that naivety cost me my mother's life. I can't afford to make the same mistake again.

Then Leah crosses my mind. She's with Shane, right? Could she help me? Or has she known about her father's plans all along? Can I trust her?

Leah... the same girl who stayed with me for three days when I was sick because Mum had to work. The girl who made a bigger deal about my birthdays than I ever did. The girl who lit someone's yard on fire because they hurt me.

Can I trust that Leah still exists, or has she changed? I don't know anymore.

Suddenly, the wagon jerks to a stop, and I hear raised voices outside. Arguing. My stomach churns violently. Are we at the palace now?

My heart pounds louder, deafening in my ears. Is this what a panic attack feels like?

I hear two voices say, "Sir," in unison, and I know he's close. I can feel him—Shane—just outside. My pulse spikes, and a wave of dread washes over me. I'm not ready to face him. I sink lower, pressing myself into the corner of the carriage, desperately trying to slow my breaths, to steady my racing heart.

The doors swing open, and sunlight floods in. I squeeze my eyes shut and clench my thighs painfully to keep myself from trembling. I hear him climb into the wagon, the weight shifting as he gets closer.

My throat tightens. I can smell him now—an intoxicating blend of smoky leather, pine, and something earthy that fills the small space, leaving a strong, almost overwhelming impression. The air is thick with tension. And silence surrounds us, but nothing is happening.

I wonder if he knows I'm pretending. Maybe he's waiting for me to open my eyes, daring me to face him.

His touch startles me. Did he just... graze my injured cheek?

"You two, who did this?" His voice booms, low and dangerous, cutting through the tension like a blade. The effect sends an electrifying jolt through my body.

"Sir..."

"I said, who did this?" His voice thunders, raw and commanding. Goosebumps rise on my skin.

"Sir, I... I did it. She wouldn't follow orders, and I..." The guard's voice wavers, but he doesn't get the chance to finish. The sharp crack of bone snapping echoes through the air, followed by the sickening spray of blood. The metallic tang invades my senses as the scent fills the space around me.

"Sir..." The other guard's voice trembles. I can feel his fear radiating like heat.

Did Shane just kill a man because he hit me? No. He probably did it to flaunt his power, to make a show of it. To scare me. And if that was his goal, mission accomplished.

His touch finds me again. One arm slides around my neck, the other under my knees, lifting me easily into his arms. Bridal style.

Outside the carriage, I peek open my eyes, only to find that we're not at the palace. We're on a paved road lined with flowers, a towering building looming ahead in the distance—it must be the palace.

"I'll take it from here," Shane says to the guard, who's still visibly shaken. Did he stop us here so he could kill me quietly?

What can I do? Shane's too strong. Even if I could fight him off and escape, we're in the middle of nowhere. He'd catch up to me soon enough.

"Go," he commands, and the cowardly guard takes off, leaving me alone at Shane's mercy.

"You can open your eyes now," he says, his voice dropping to a lower, softer tone. My heart pounds faster. Of course, he knew I was pretending. I keep my eyes shut, defying him, unwilling to face the monster in front of me.

"I'll count to five, and if your eyes are still closed, I'll kiss you."

My eyes fly open at his words. My shock is instantaneous, and he laughs—a deep, full laugh that radiates from his chest, making his whole body shake. His eyes crinkle at the corners, and for a moment, the dangerous edge to him softens, just enough for me to notice the charm hidden underneath.

"Do you hate the idea that much?" His voice takes on a teasing note, and I can see the playful spark in his eyes, daring me to react.

Hate the idea? The thought of him kissing me sends a sharp twist through my stomach. I refuse to let him see how that thought makes me feel. He doesn't deserve an answer. I stay silent, glaring at him.

"Silent treatment, huh?" Shane leans in closer, so close his forehead is brushing against mine, his breath warm against my skin. He's still holding me, cradling me in his arms like I'm something fragile. The tension between us is suffocating, thick enough to drown in.

The air between us crackles, thick and heavy, as if the very space is alive with unspoken words and tension.

My skin tingles under his gaze, every nerve standing on edge, hyper-aware of the few inches separating us. His eyes lock onto mine, dark and intense, as though he's daring me to look away, but I can't.

My breath hitches, shallow and uneven, each second stretching longer than it should, the silence filled with something I can't quite name. My pulse thrums in my ears, louder than it should be, and for a moment, it feels like the world has narrowed down to just this—his closeness, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and the unrelenting heat between us.

Neither of us moves, yet everything feels charged, ready to snap.

"If you keep staring at me like that, I'm really going to kiss you," Shane whispers, his voice rough, like gravel under silk. His eyes lock onto mine, dark and smoldering.

I roll my eyes, trying to regain some semblance of control, but my body betrays me, heart hammering at the mere proximity of him.

"Relax," he says, pulling back just slightly, though there's still something dangerous lingering in his gaze. "I'm just messing around."

I can't shake the feeling that he isn't just messing around. There's a tension in him too, a tension that feels like it's one breath away from snapping.

"If you're not going to say anything, then at least listen," he says, tightening his grip on me slightly. "Hold on tight."

Before I can process what's happening, we're moving. Fast. The world around us blurs as Shane sprints at an inhuman speed. Panic surges through me, and despite every ounce of defiance I have, I cling tighter to him, my arms wrapping around his neck instinctively.

He chuckles, low and satisfied, leaning into me more as he runs, the sensation both terrifying and... something else I refuse to acknowledge.

As we zoom away from the distant building I thought was the palace, one question pounds in my mind—where the hell is he taking me?

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Whoop, this took a lot out of me. I kept rewriting some parts because for some reason I wasn't satisfied no matter how many times it was rewritten. I wanted to make Shane and Millie's first encounter exhilarating, but turns out it's harder than I thought. Anyways I hope this is okay. Pls don't forget to like and comment and see you tomorrow for the new chapter. We're entering the second phase of part one, which is a huge progress to me 🥹