The chill of spring air bit at Madelynn’s skin as they all waited outside the chapel. They were all on edge, fighting against the palpable tension building between them. Callum paced, pinching the bridge of his nose, Madelynn stared down at her feet, and Elise fidgeted with her bag, chewing on her bottom lip.

“So,” Elise finally drew out, “what are we supposed to do now?”

Madelynn turned to glare at her, and she just shrugged innocently.

Callum dropped his hands to his side and blinked, as if still processing the recent events. “I need to find a nearby inn, then I’ll contact my superiors about the… change in circumstances.” He refused to look at Madelynn, instead staring at the carriage- which was still awaiting them where they’d left it. “After that, I’ll send a letter to my parents. They live on a small farm in Thelm- on the other side of the country. They’ll take you in, and you’ll be safe with them.”

“What do you mean?” Madelynn frowned at him, and he just raised an eyebrow, looking everywhere except her. “You’d be coming with, right?”

He just shook his head, his lips pursing in thought. “I’ll have to support us. Daam is the military hub of Malyre. I already have a home in my name, I’ll save my pay until we can afford to buy a home.”

Madelynn’s frown deepened, and she cocked her head to the side. “What? And undo everything we just went through? If you go back to Daam, you’ll be thrusting yourself straight back into Casimir’s grasp!”

Callum finally turned to look at her, but his eyes were angry- a fury she’d never seen in him before. “And what else do you expect me to do?” he blundered. “I told you I cannot support you. I am not a wealthy man, I do not have a wealthy family, and I do not have the means to change either of those things. What I can do is everything in my power to make sure you don’t feel the burden of being married to a man with nothing to his name.”

“How many times am I going to have to reassure you?” Madelynn screeched back, stomping her foot in frustration. “I don’t care if we have nothing. I don’t care if I have to spend my days working in a field or knitting scarves for hospitals, all I want is a life spent knowing you’re safe.”

Callum shook his head, his expression indifferent. “I am a General in the King’s Military, Madelynn. There is no safe. If you want to make anything out of your life, you must let me do what I need to.”

Madelynn sighed, scrubbing a hand across her face. “If you’re just going to thrust yourself back into the belly of the beast, then what was the point of this? I married you to ensure your safety, because I-” She took a breath and blinked, steadying herself against the words on the tip of her tongue, “because I need you.”

He let out a breathy chuckle- mocking, rather than humor. “How are you still so naive?” he asked, and Madelynn scowled. “Have you listened to a single word I’ve said? Casimir will always be there. He will never stop until he has what he wants. You have no clue how ruthless he is.”

“I am not naive!” Madelynn shouted. “So what if he finds us? We’ll train- we’ll get stronger so he can’t hurt you.”

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Callum inhaled sharply, tilting his head back to glare at the sky as though the sun itself might offer salvation. Then, without warning, he stepped forward, gripping her shoulders with a force that made her gasp. His face was so close she could feel the heat of his breath as his words cut through her like a blade.

“He will find us, no matter where we go. No matter how far we run or how strong we get, Casimir will always have the upper hand because he will do whatever it takes—do you understand that? Whatever. It. Takes. And when he can’t use me, he’ll use you. He’ll strip you down piece by piece until there’s nothing left of you but your screams.”

Madelynn’s knees wobbled under his words, but she steeled herself, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. “Then we’ll find a way,” she whispered, though her voice trembled. She looked up into his stormy silver eyes, desperate to find some flicker of hope. “We’ll make it work. We have to.”

Callum’s grip loosened, and for a moment, she thought she’d gotten through to him. But then he shook his head, stepping back like he couldn’t stand to be near her. “This union doesn’t change anything,” he muttered bitterly, motioning to the twine wrapped around his finger. “If you thought it would, then you’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Her stomach twisted at his words, each syllable dripping with resignation. Maybe he’s right, she thought, her heart sinking under the weight of doubt. But then she clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe. No. He was wrong. She married him to save him, and would not let this be a mistake.

He turned and he stormed toward the carriage, his steps faltered, just for a moment. He caught himself quickly, his hand rubbing at his side.

A moment passed, and Madelynn wondered if he might leave without her and Elise. But, the carriage remained still, and Elise turned to face Madelynn with a pinched gaze.

“There’s something wrong with him,” she said, her tone serious and unwavering.

“I’d say!” Madelynn barked out, shaking her head. “I don’t understand how to make him understand.”

“No,” Elise took a step toward Madelynn, gripping her wrist as she leaned in close to speak in a hushed tone. “I can feel it in his Essence,” Elise said, her voice low. “It’s… off. It’s been off since we arrived at his house, but now it’s worse—like something is eating away at him.”

Madelynn furrowed her brow. “Eating away at him? What does that mean?”

Elise hesitated, glancing toward the carriage as if Callum might overhear. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s dark. Heavy. Like he’s been marked.”

Madelynn furrowed her brow, her mind drawing up a memory from one of their past conversations. “He mentioned once that Casimir had some kind of dark Essence, and that he’d left little bits of it inside Callum. Could it be that?”

Elise shook her head, not even phased by the information that had shaken Madelynn when she’d first heard it. “No, but there’s definitely something dark going on. I’d need to examine him, but if I was a gambling woman, I’d bet there’s something ritualistic going on here.”

“Why?” Madelynn took a step back from Elise, the words feeling like a betrayal. “He wouldn’t do something like that.”

Elise rolled her eyes, diffusing some of the rising tension between them. “I’m not saying he did anything. I’m saying, there’s likely something vile at play here. I don’t know anything about Casimir or what he does, but if he’s willing to risk everything to make sure Callum doesn’t run, I’d bet he’s got some chains around Callum’s throat. He wouldn’t risk letting him leave without a kill switch.”

A wave of dread washed over Madelynn, and she felt like vomiting again. “If that’s true, what does that mean?”

Elise turned to stare toward the carriage with a grim expression. “It means we need to figure out exactly what’s ailing him before it leaves a permanent stain on his soul.”

“A stain on his soul,” Madelynn whispered, the words sticking in her throat. Her mind raced, each thought more terrifying than the last. If what Elise said was true, then everything they’d done- the marriage, the escape- meant nothing. Casimir still held the strings, and Callum was the puppet.