Chapter 96

• ZARA POV
• "Oh, great," I muttered under my breath, a nervous flutter in my stomach. This was definitely escalating quickly. Taking a deep breath, I plastered on my most winning smile – the one I usually reserved for charming difficult situations or convincing one of the guards to get me some candy. I needed to diffuse this tension between Mascold and Hero, and fast. "Hi," I said, stepping forward, my voice deliberately light and breezy. "My name is Zara, and I'm apparently going to be the voice of reason around here." I gave a small, self-deprecating chuckle, hoping it would break the ice.
• Hero, however, was having none of it. “Zara!” He growled my name, the sound low and rumbling, and his hands, surprisingly gentle but undeniably firm, circled my arm. It was a possessive gesture, and it sent a shiver down my spine, though not entirely from fear. There was something… intense about Hero.