I cannot shake the mix of repulsion and raw attraction swirling inside me. Every thought feels charged, dangerous, as though the very air crackles with an electric storm I cannot outrun. The bedroom I have been given is lavish, with heavy drapes, a plush carpet under my toes, and a bed that looks as if it belongs in a palace. My pulse thrums in my temples, and I keep glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to find him standing there.
I hate myself for feeling so restless. Once upon a time, not so long ago, I was sure of who I was. I believed in my own strength and my ability to choose my path. Now, I am caged in an ancient estate brimming with secrets and whispered rituals, bound by a contract I never wanted. Yet for all my anger, for all my desperate longing to escape, something keeps
