Seraphine's POV
The forest blurred past me in streaks of green and brown as Federico's powerful legs carried us deeper into the wilderness. His thick fur provided warmth against my skin, but nothing could chase away the ice that had settled in my veins. My fingers felt numb where they gripped his coat, and my heart hammered against my ribs with each thundering step.
I had done nothing but protect myself. Nothing but survive. Yet here I was, being escorted like a criminal toward an uncertain fate. The injustice of it burned in my throat, but beneath that anger lurked a darker suspicion. This felt orchestrated. Someone with influence, someone who could whisper poison into the ears of the High Council, had orchestrated this entire nightmare.
