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Mia's heart raced. More than raced, it absolutely flooded her with anxiety. She couldn't even respond to Ford's question, just tapped her heels into Harper's flanks and took off at a trot.

Ford's mount, used to its position by now, matched her pace.

Frantically, Mia tried to remember all she'd said to her father. Not everything. She hadn't told him why her magic was drawing her towards Ford, just that she didn't entirely understand it.

He didn't know, then, that she was looking for a husband. That was a relief, and not a small one, either. But even so, a deep sense of humiliation consumed her.

How could Ford have overheard? How could he have behaved normally around her since then? Why didn't she notice any sort of difference??

Her face felt hotter than the fire she'd cooked breakfast over that morning.

Unable to process it all, she focused on where they were going. Safest, best, fastest road to Uncle Trace.