“Apparently,” I say. “I didn’t have any nightmares, shockingly, if that’s what you’re asking. No surprise visits from the ghost of bad decisions.”
His mouth curves a fraction more. “Not yet.”
There’s that word again—yet.He uses it frequently.
Malrik gestures toward the onyx mat next to him. The not-really-lightning-or-so-I-hope from above brightens in invitation, highlighting the space. “You should learn to use your gift with intention, not fear. Fear leads to loss of control. And when you lose that, everything suffers.”
I cross my arms. “And what exactly do you expect me to do? Startunmakingthe room?”
“If that’s what it takes,” he says smoothly. “The Keep will adjust.”
I glance at the pulsing designs beneath our feet. “Oh, I bet it will.”
Malrik’s voice softens, but it doesn’t lose that undertone of authority. “The Keep responds to those who hold command within its walls. You walk freely herebecause I’ve allowed it. But make no mistake, Rowan—this place belongs to me.”
His words settle like cold iron in my chest. Though he’s wrong. I’m not free. I might be withoutsomeoneguarding me, but I haven’t, nor will I ever take that as being “free” while I’m here.
“Understood. You’re the boss, Boss,” I say lightly, because if I don’t make a joke, I might actually scream.
“Good. Then you accept the terms.” He steps closer, until I can smell that strange mix of rain and smoke that clings to him. “Now show me what you remember from your first encounter.”
I raise a brow. “You mean when I accidentally killed a guy, and then you stole his body? Oh sure, let’s relive that. Sounds like a healthy way to start the day. You’re a terrible therapist.”
He doesn’t rise to the bait. He just gestures again. “I need you to focus, Rowan. The difference between chaos and creation is discipline. You need to master the latter.”
“I prefer chaos,” I mutter. “It builds character.”
Malrik steps into my personal space, towering over me with the look of a disappointed father on his face. “I understand you need your coping mechanisms. In fact, I understand you better than you’ve yet to realize, but I won’t tolerate a constant barrage of disrespect in my home. Do I make myself clear?”
The air between us is charged and icy, chilling against my skin. Even without my wolf in me, I want to challenge him. I want to fight my way out of here and reclaim my freedom, even if it ends with my destruction. I don’t want to give in.
Yet…
There’s a teeny, tiny nudge within me as I stare this monster down that tells me to cooperate. That obeying Malrik is my key to getting out of here. Especially since he controls this very alive house.
So, instead of acting out like I want, I lean into the fear of giving in to this man. Of knowing I made a grave mistake in taking his hand without a fight, but also in believing he was likely the reason I was put into that position in the first place.
Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last twenty-four hours of being here, it’s that Malrik Vane isn’t to be taken lightly.
He might be calm and collected, but he’s not being played.
He’s the master, and I just have to figure out which moves are going to allow a pawn like me to win at this game.
“Crystal clear,” I finally answer, meeting his gaze with a strength I’ll need to draw on for as long as it takes. “Let’s get started.”
Chapter 6
ROWAN
Malrik’s voice is as sharp as the gleam in his eyes while he towers over my tired, barely still standing form. “Again.”
Therapist, kidnapper, drill sergeant. This monster holds many titles.
We’ve been standing in the center of the training hall for what feels like hours, though time doesn’t move the same here. At least it didn’t feel like it based on the way my stomach is growling. There’s no clock, no windows, just the slow, steady pulse of the sigils beneath our feet. The air thrums with the weight of expectation and him.
My skin prickles with a tension I can’t shake as I straighten to face him. “You know, when you said we were going to work on control, I thought that meantself-control, not emotional torture.”
“Control is nothing without pressure,” he replies smoothly. “You’ve only accessed your power in moments of fear or rage. We’re going to change that.”
