Chapter 8

The ground beneath my feet turned traitor, a slick deceit that sent me sprawling. I went down hard, the breath knocked from my lungs, the taste of copper filling my mouth. My palms scraped against the unyielding stone path, the pain a sharp reminder of my clumsiness—or rather, the enchantment that seemed to have claimed me as its puppet. I pushed myself up, my cheeks burning with a mix of embarrassment and fury, only to slip again, my feet sliding out from under me as if greased. I couldn't help but…