Running almost blindly, Barl smashed her way through the mansion’s cavernous kitchen, crashing pots and pans and eggs to the floor, catching hip and shoulder on half-opened doors, scattering startled servants as she banged her way up the stairs. Staggering, she reached the mansion’s front door, wrenched it wide enough to slip through and stumbled into the cool, damp dawn beyond. She was still screaming, but on the inside now. Where Morgan Danfey wouldn’t hear her.

The binding he’d sunk deep in her flesh was howling for revenge. Sobbing for air, she struck out across the mansion’s front lawn, away from the gravelled drive, toward the estate’s belting of dense green woodland. She’d be safe in there, with only the deer and the owls and the shadows for company.

Rumm shouted again, not far behind her. Would he get into trouble for this? Most likely. But it was his choice to be her keeper. He could’ve said no and spared himself the trouble.

A timber fence overgrown with flowering ashlin separated the cultivated estate grounds from the wilderness. There was no gate. Barl flung herself at the top rail and wriggled over it, cursing and coughing as she crushed the yellow blossoms in her haste. The sweet fragrance cloyed in her nose and throat.

As her feet touched the rough ground on the other side her ragged breath was stolen by another shuddering scream. A flare of light. A crack of sound. The Danfey estate’s civilised boundary was warded.

Oh, Remmie. I’m moonstruck. I should’ve thought of that.

Her bones had turned to water, and the water was boiling. Graceless on her back, she stared at the distant, cloud-laced sky and heard herself grunting, felt warm spittle oozing onto her chin, as her limbs spasmed and twitched in a parody of running. The pain was unbearable, yet she seemed to be bearing it. Or perhaps she was dying.

And if I am, do I care?

Footsteps racing over the grass, coming closer. Someone breathing hard and harsh. “Mage Lindin!”

Of course. It was Morgan Danfey. Humiliated, she shivered and twitched and waited.

A rustling of ashlin vine as he vaulted over the fence. A thud she could feel as he landed on both feet, unperturbed by the warding that still battered her watery bones. Another thud as he dropped to his knees beside her.

“You stupid girl. Look at me.”

His hand cupped her face, fingers curved and forceful. Furious fear burned in him like a torch.

“Why would you run?” His voice was splintered with feeling. “Do you want Sallis Arkley to win? And your brother, you’d leave him a grief-stricken wreck?”

She felt tears scald her cold cheeks. Tried to answer, and couldn’t.