Violet_167

Isabella Beaumont figured she was making a smart, if desperate, trade: her freedom in exchange for marrying the dreaded Duke Alaric Thorne. 
Sure, the guy had a reputation darker than a moonless night, whispered about in every corner of the kingdom, but it was just a contract, right? A way to escape a brutal past that had literally left its mark on her face. 
She wasn’t expecting warmth, and definitely not passion. But then Alaric, this formidable, feared man, starts acting… protective. His unexpected kindness will make her want to throw away her protective mask and actually fall for the man who was supposed to be just her ticket to freedom. 
Just as Isabella starts believing she might actually deserve happiness, everything begins falling apart around them.
With the villains on the loose, old wounds being ripped open, and everyone’s true colors showing, is this sudden, fierce love strong enough to survive the storm? Or will the darkness from their pasts and the deadly games shatter everything they’re starting to build?

The Masked Duchess

My heart hammered against my ribs as Vale's carriage wheels rumbled overhead. The sound seemed to vibrate through the stone walls of the passage, a grim reminder that our time was rapidly dwindling.


"This way," I whispered, tugging Elara's trembling hand. The poor girl was ashen-faced, her eyes wide with terror.


Alaric took the lead, his tall frame bent to avoid the low ceiling of the tunnel. "Stay close and quiet," he commanded in a voice barely audible. The leather portfolio containing Vale's damning ledger was tucked securely inside his coat.


Our small group moved as quickly as we dared through the winding passage. Every footfall seemed thunderous to my ears, though I knew logically we were making little sound. Sir Kaelen brought up the rear, occasionally glancing behind us to ensure we weren't being followed.


"How did Vale return so quickly?" Cassian murmured to Alaric. "He was meant to be gone for hours."


Chapter 158 - Race Against the Dawn