Page 29 of Masked Fate

“Soren, what the fuck...” Rave groans just as Astrid steps into the room. “Why are you two arguing like an old married couple?”

“What now?” Astrid asks, sliding up next to her mate.

Rave kisses the top of her head and smirks. “Soren dragged Pandora away while she was hooking up with Salem. She’s pissed.”

Astrid frowns, eyes cutting to me. There’s a strange look in her gaze, one I can’t quite interpret. “Where did she go?”

“I don’t know. She left after Soren told her to go back to her own kingdom where she belongs,” he updates her, the disapproval in his tone clear.

Astrid walks over to me, reaching up to touch my cheek, ignoring the growling coming from her mate at the contact. “Be nice to her or ignore her. But please, Soren, stop being cruel to her. I can’t take it anymore. So imagine how she feels.”

Swallowing hard, I nod.

Have I been cruel?

I told her she has bad blood, just like her mother, but is that even true?

I don’t know anymore.

But the knot in my stomach says it all.

Heading back to my room, I stop myself before I do something I may regret.

Like chase her down and apologize.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Pandora

Smoke wakes me, and I start coughing, my chest burning.

Opening my eyes, it takes me a moment to realize what’s going on.

My room is on fire.

Jumping out of bed, I step as far away from the flames as I can, my back against the corner of my room.

When I try to zip to escape, I can’t.

“Fuck,” I whisper, panic hitting me. My breath comes out in short pants as my mind works overtime, trying to figure out how I’m going to get out of here.

Someone has spelled my bedroom, so I can’t zip in or out.

That’s the only explanation.

Rave did this to Astrid once.

I’m locked in here.

“Kainan! Help,” I yell, running to the window and trying to push it open. It doesn’t move at first— it’s also spelled. I mutter an incantation and use my magic to push through the ward. When it opens, I look down at the long drop. The flames have overtaken the door, which is my only other exit. I either have to run through fire or jump down two stories. I know which option I’d rather take. Sitting on the edge of the windowsill, I let my legs hang down as I step onto the roof and prepare to jump. Putting my hands out in front of me, I let my magic call to the wind, letting it carry me and cushion my fall. I still land hard enough for it to hurt like hell, maybe even breaking my left arm, but I ignore the pain.

This has Ebony written all over it.

She’s been trying to get rid of me ever since she came out ofmy mother’s vagina.

The staff come rushing out, followed by Ebony and Kainan, who is wearing nothing but a silk pair of red pajama pants.

It was only my room on fire.

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