Freedom was supposed to be mine.

Instead, it made me a target.

My poisoned escape didn’t set me free, it dragged me straight back to the darkness.

I’ve spent my whole life clawing at the chains meant to bind me, convinced freedom was the answer. I was wrong. Liberation comes at a cost, and loyalty is easily repaid with betrayal. Now the past I tried to outrun is closing in, and survival demands more than stubborn hope.

I don’t understand everything about this supernatural world yet, but I refuse to be caged again.

That would be easier if The Sanctum weren’t watching my every move.
Or if I weren’t still bound to Kael.
Pulled toward Rion.
And dangerously captivated by Thorne.

Each connection tightens the noose.
Each promises nothing but ruin.

I need to stop looking back.

Freedom is no longer the goal.

Staying alive is.

I did that thing again, where I read about two-thirds of the book and then took an extended break. In fact, when I clicked on this book in my Kindle library, I’d actually forgotten that I had started to read it! Elodie’s name is not firmly cemented back in my brain hole, as I repeat her name with a ferocity I’ve not experienced for a while.

I seem to have come back to this book at an adventurous point. 76% read has some actions!

I’m now at the end of the book, and I will say that KC Kean has a gift for ending on a cliffhanger. I would have liked a more drawn-out cliffhanger with this book, though, as the concept the characters were sent into was interesting but never fully explored. I do agree with their afterword, though, my opinions of the characters change from chapter to chapter.

Elodie is still a fortress of unmatched, unknown power, who is drowning in the world she’s pushed into. Both figuratively and physically. Her relationship with the three men isn’t any more uncomplicated than the previous book. Kael gets too possessive, Rion is a golden retriever, and Thorne is a closed-off, silent statue. I think I’m at the point where I need answers for Elodie’s past. It’s been hinted about, but I think I need some concrete evidence now. I need answers about why she is the way she is, her history with her powers, and what role she will play in the future.

Kael, I think, is the most problematic character because there are many elements that are pulling him in all directions. He is definitely a big presence in the book. He is contracted to the council, who, in my opinion, are made up of power-hungry idiots. He is also bound to Elodie, a bond that seems to vex and infuriate him as much as it makes him crave Elodie in his arms. He is a possessive character. A character who takes charge and acts first, apologising (occasionally) later. I feel like there is much more to his character than I currently know. I’m craving to know his past, but I’m not sure whether that will be revealed. I do think there is a disconnect between his brain and his emotions, and that causes a lot of problems for his relationship with Elodie. I think he needs to think deeply about what he wants and whether Elodie will be a constant part of it.

 Rion is the lovable golden retriever man who relaxes Elodie but also heats her skin. At the beginning, his character was a breath of fresh air against the angry Kael and dominating Thorne, but his character development through the first book and this second book has shown that there is a lot more about his character than originally believed. I do feel like he is keeping part of himself hidden. Nothing to do with his ability to shift into a wolf. I just think there is more to be learned from him. I almost want to understand where his happy attitude comes from. How can he be so blaise in Institute Thirteen, knowing what you have to do to get there? Even learning about why he found himself in Institute Thirteen left me wanting a little more.

Thorne has been a completely silent character on the edge of my vision. His actions towards Elodie can be hot and cold, and I think he’s the character I have had the most questions about, because as the reader, we haven’t had enough information to explain why he acts the way he does. We do get a little sliver of truth about why in this book, but it honestly raised more questions. I have a feeling it will be explored more, but I’m not entirely sure. I find myself in two minds about his character. Either his past is going to play an important role, or his being the ‘last of his kind’ has no bearing on the plot.

Short review, only because I read the book in three chunks over a long period of time.