The corridor opened into a cavernous space, the walls slick with damp and etched with ancient siren runes that pulsed with an otherworldly light. Cells lined the room, their iron bars reinforced with enchanted coral.
The floor was submerged in knee-deep water that glowed from the algae, casting rippling patterns of light against the walls and ceiling. Every few moments, a cascade of seawater poured through hidden channels, flooding the cells briefly before receding. The sound of the waves echoed through the chamber, a rhythmic reminder of the sirens’ dominion over water and life.
Izo urged me forward.
“They’re just ahead,” he said softly, his tone carrying a note of anticipation.
I stepped into the chamber, the cold water lapping against my legs as I moved. I scanned the cells, my breath hitching when I saw him.
Raffaele.
He was chained to the far wall, his head bowed, his dark hair plastered to his forehead from the constant spray of water. The coral chains binding him glimmered. His chest rose and fell with slow, labored breaths, and though his face was partially hidden, I could feel his anger and determination through what remained of our bond.
The others were in similar states. Camilla paced in her cell, her cougar-like grace diminished but not extinguished. Luca sat cross-legged on the wet floor, his usually sharp eyes dull and distant. Vincenzo leaned heavily against the wall, his expression grim, while Dorian muttered under his breath as he traced patterns in the water.
They all looked up as we approached.
Raffaele’s head snapped up first, his dark eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, everything else faded—the oppressive melody, the cold water, Izo’s hand at my back. The bond surged, faint but insistent, like a lifeline pulling me toward the surface of my own mind.
“Vivian,” Raffaele rasped.
The compulsion flared in response, smothering the connection to Raffaele almost instantly. A sharp pain shot through my chest, forcing me to clutch at my ribs as I struggled to breathe.
Izo chuckled beside me. “Easy now,” he murmured, his hand steadying me. “She’s still adjusting.”
“Let her go!” Raffaele’s voice reverberated through the chamber. He strained against the chains, his muscles taut with effort, but the coral bindings held firm.
I flinched at his anger and took a step closer to Izo, my body seeking his presence despite the voice in my head screaming at me to stop.
“You see?” Izo said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “She’s mine now, Shadow. Your marital bond means nothing here.”
“That’s not true,” Raffaele growled, his dark eyes boring into mine. “Vivian, you can fight this. Please.”
Tears pricked at my eyes, but the compulsion tightened, drowning out his voice with a wave of pain.
“Enough,” Izo said sharply, his silver eyes narrowing. “You’re upsetting her.”
Raffaele let out a bitter laugh, his chains rattling as he slumped back against the wall. “It’s easier for you if she doesn’t think, isn’t it? You’re nothing but a coward, hiding behind your tricks and songs.”
Izo’s smile didn’t waver, but I felt the tension in his posture. “Call me what you like, Shadow. It doesn’t change the fact that I’ve won.”
He turned to me, his expression softening. “Would you like to say anything to them, Vivian?”
I opened my mouth, but the words that came out weren’t my own. “You shouldn’t have come here. You’re only making things worse.”
Raffaele’s face twisted with pain, and the compulsion surged with a sickening satisfaction. I wanted to scream, to apologize, to tell him it wasn’t me.
But I couldn’t.
Pain shot through my chest, forcing me to clutch at my ribs as I stumbled slightly.
“Vivian.” Raffaele’s dark eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a sliver of hope there. “Look at what he’s done to you.” His gaze raked over my outfit, his face twisting with rage. “You bastard,” he snarled at Izo. “Get her something to cover up.”
Izo chuckled, his hand tightening on my waist. “Don’t you like her new uniform? She has such a fuckable body. It would be a crime to cover that up.”
Raffaele lunged against his chains. “I’ll kill you,” he growled, his voice low and lethal.
His eyes darted to my hand, and his expression darkened further. “Vivian,” he said sharply. “What did he make you do?”
