Cold water splashed over my face, jolting me back to consciousness. Everything hurt—my head throbbed, my muscles ached, and my lungs burned with every breath. I blinked, trying to focus through the haze of pain.
Two men were carrying me. My wrists and ankles were bound with rough rope that bit into my skin. I kept my eyes half-closed, not wanting them to realize I was awake.
"How much further?" one grumbled. The rocking motion beneath us told me we were on a boat.
"Quit whining. We'll reach the mainland by dawn," the second man replied. "The boss wants her delivered alive, or we'll be joining the fishes."
My heart sank. Mainland. They were taking me far from Landon's territory. Far from any hope of rescue.
"I don't get why she's so special," the first man continued. "She's just a scarred omega. The boss could have any woman he wants."
"She can read the symbols, idiot. The prophecy said only a Selenia could unlock the Mother Stone, and she's the last one."
