Arabella paced the length of her room, clutching the pendant Selene had given her. The dim, flickering light from the chandelier cast long shadows across the walls, making the space feel smaller and more oppressive with every passing moment. The pendant felt warm in her palm, as though it held some kind of energy, but it did little to ease the tension building in her chest.
She exhaled sharply, her nerves on edge. The muffled voices of the Lords had grown quiet, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching her.
Then it happened.
A soft knock, barely audible, came from the door.
Arabella froze, her grip on the pendant tightening.
"Arabella, isn't it?"
The voice was smooth and velvety, laced with a charm that sent a shiver down her spine. She had never hear
