Chapter 18

It prevents us from moving the cage around.” She watched awareness sink into his face as he peered down at the boiling water near the cage’s floor. Already, she could feel the heat of it on her feet and had to tiptoe. “Or kicking it open.”

For the first time, Mabel didn’t have a comeback to that. But he scrutinized the door and swung from the cage ceiling, kicking it a few times to no avail. When that didn’t work, he body slammed it until she glimpsed flickers of pain in his features.

“Stop,” she called out, then pulled his shoulder when he didn’t listen. “Stop.”

“I have to get us out.”

A hiss came from his lips, riddled with pain. This time, she inserted herself as a shield and caught the magic as he abruptly stopped charging—another confirmation that he wouldn’t hurt her. But the momentum flattened them on the bars and he growled.

“I hurt you. Em, I’m hurting you.”

She shook her head. Quietly, she climbed up when her feet couldn’t take the heat from the floor and waited until he did