He didn’t turn to look at her, his gaze locked on the road ahead. “I will get out. The second I am, you take the wheel, turn around, and drive as fast as the car will go. Head east on the first exit road you come across, but do not come back this way.

“My phone is on the dashboard. When you are at least half an hour away you find ‘Kesh’ in my contacts. Tell him who and where you are and follow his instructions.”

She blinked in confusion at his command, but then she spotted what was blocking the road ahead.

Dark, sparkling mist lit up the sporty-looking car parked across both lanes before swirling up along the body of the man standing in front of it with a grim smile.

Prince Naharan.

He lifted an arm and beckoned them.

“Kain…” The icy panic making its way through her body was more than evident in her voice too.

“There’s no time,” he hissed as he undid his seatbelt without taking his eyes off his enemy. “I spent too much power on the barriers—I can’t beat him, and if he captures you, he will kill our child. Do as I say.”

“But—!”

He looked at her for the briefest of moments, and the urgency in his black eyes quelled her protests.

There was nothing she could do. And if she didn’t obey, his sacrifice would be for nothing.

“Kain…”

“Drive, my love.”

And then he was out of the car, walking toward the Prince with his broad back to her, shielding her from the other’s sight.

Selma fumbled with her own seatbelt, struggling to loosen it with fingers that were stiff with fear and adrenaline. She couldn’t think about the despair in his voice, nor the words themselves—she had to do as he’d asked, and if she paused to think, she’d never be able to leave him behind.

As the leftovers of Kain’s magic whirled up around him, she finally managed to get free from the seatbelt and throw herself into the driver’s side.

The engine was still running, but she had to scoot the seat forward to reach the pedals. After what felt like an eternity, her hands finally closed around the steering wheel.

She threw the car into reverse, ignoring the angry shout up ahead. Kain would hold Naharan off until she’d escaped, of that she was certain.

Only when she’d managed to turn the car around did she allow herself one final look in the rearview mirror at the man who’d claimed her as his, but what she saw made her wish she hadn’t.