Regardless of the loud thumping of her heart, Aria moved quickly, picking out the biggest coat she had—one with a large hood—and pulling it over her head.
But instead of walking straight out the door, Aria knew better. Most of the castle was still awake, with people moving through the halls, and she couldn't risk drawing attention to herself.
She even went as far as checking the hourglass, just to be certain of how many hours remained before Zyren would expect her in his room.
The wait was daunting. Even as she sat on her bed, sweat soaked through her back and into the thick fur of the coat she wore.
She was painfully aware that if she didn't succeed in escaping tonight, the fate awaiting her would be far worse than whatever she was feeling now.
She remembered—clearly—the last time Zyren had bent her over the table. And she knew, this time, he wouldn't even hesitate.
She panicked.
