But I couldn’t afford to follow Eldora’s advice. Compliance was not an option. I had to survive, yes, but on my own terms. That meant finding a way to escape this fucking place.
I turned back to the mirror, my reflection staring back at me with a mix of defiance and desperation. If The Shadow thought he could break me, he had another think coming. He might have taken me prisoner, but I was no one’s puppet.
And as long as I had breath in my body, I would find a way out of this nightmare.
For now, though, I had thirty minutes to prepare. Thirty minutes to put on whatever dress they sent me and play the part of the obedient little fiancée. Because if I was going to survive long enough to escape, I needed to play my cards right.
There was no way in hell I was going to let him win. I would not become the submissive little wifey he desired, no matter what it cost me.
The room had grown eerilyquiet in the wake of Eldora’s departure. I stayed on the edge of the bed, the plush comforter wrinkling beneath me as I tapped my fingers against mythigh. Every second felt like an eternity, each tick of the clock reminding me how trapped I was.
I had been so lost in my thoughts that I nearly jumped out of my skin when the door creaked open. Eldora walked in again, this time with a striking red dress draped over her arm. The rich fabric glimmered even in the dim light, the color so deep it was almost the shade of blood.
“I thought red might be a good color on you,” she said softly, like she was discussing the weather rather than the fact that I was being dressed up like some sacrificial lamb for a monster’s amusement.
I scoffed, not bothering to hide my annoyance. “How did you manage to find something in my size so quickly?”
Eldora’s lips curved into a faint smile, but her eyes held that same unreadable gleam. “The Shadow always gets what he wants. And he gets it promptly.” Her tone was amused, as if she found my defiance endearing. It made my skin crawl.
I snatched the dress out of her hands, refusing to let her see how much her words had rattled me. “I don’t need help putting it on.”
Her serene expression didn’t falter. “Very well.” Eldora tilted her head slightly, as if considering my words. “Remember what I told you, Vivian,” she said, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. “Pick your battles.”
I bristled, but then I caught a flicker in her eyes. Concern? No, that was impossible. She was his loyal servant and had been bound to him for centuries. But I was certain I saw a sadness buried beneath the layers of stoic professionalism.
Without another word, she turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind her. The click of the lock echoed in the silence, leaving me alone once more.
I stared down at the dress, the silky fabric cool against my fingers. The color was undeniably beautiful, seductive even. Icould almost hear The Shadow’s mocking voice in my head, telling me to put on a show for him.
I stomped over to the bathroom and turned on the light. The sight that greeted me in the mirror made me cringe. My hair was still damp from the shower I took, my face pale and drawn. Dark circles ringed my eyes like bruises, a testament to the sheer emotional exhaustion of the past day.
But then my gaze shifted to the items laid out neatly on the counter—makeup, hairbrushes, a hairdryer, even perfume. The Shadow was trying to dress me up, to make me into something I wasn’t. It was almost laughable.
Still... if I wanted to survive this, I needed to play along a little bit, lull him into a false sense of security. He wanted a pretty, obedient fiancée to parade around his estate? Fine, I’d give him that. I’d doll myself up, paint on a smile, and pretend to be exactly what he wanted.
And while I was playing the part, I’d keep my eyes open. I needed to learn every detail of this estate, every escape route, every possible weak spot. If I was going to find a way out of this hell, I had to be smart about it. And I had to hope that Will was playing it smart, too—laying low until I could get my ass out of here and we could flee with new identities.
Once my hair was dry and styled, I set to work on my makeup. I leaned in close to the mirror, applying a deep red lipstick that matched the dress Eldora had brought. If I was going to face The Shadow tonight, I’d at least look like I wasn’t afraid.
By the time I put on the dress, I barely recognized myself. The fabric clung to my curves, the neckline plunging just enough to be daring but not obscene. I hated how good it looked on me, hated that The Shadow would see me like this. But he wanted a show, and I’d damn well give him one.
As I turned to check my reflection from behind, a sudden wave of nausea rolled through me. I gripped the edge of the sink, taking a deep breath. I couldn’t afford to break down now. I had to be strong. I had to survive this, not just for myself, but for Will.
A knock on the door made me jump. The guards were here, right on schedule.
I straightened, smoothed down the front of the dress, and fixed a defiant expression on my face. It was time to face The Shadow. Time to show him that no matter how hard he tried to break me, I wouldn’t go down without a fight.
7
THE SHADOW
The hot water pounded against my skin, steam rising in thick clouds around me. I leaned forward, bracing my hands against the cool, dark stone of the shower wall. The tension that had settled in my muscles since that damn convention refused to release, even under the relentless heat. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on anything but her.
Vivian.
I told myself I made the right decision, that marrying her was simply a means to an end. Altair’s demands were simple: take a wife to prove my commitment to expanding the empire. And so, I’d chosen the most convenient option. A human. A pathetic, fragile creature.
A bitter laugh escaped me, lost beneath the sound of the water crashing around me. My father would be livid if he ever found out. Lord Thorne, that rotting lich, would see this union as a blasphemy. A human bride? To him, it would be the ultimate disgrace. A stain on our family’s legacy. He’d kill her the moment he found out. Snap her neck like a twig and cast her aside.
