Selene’s POV
The door shut with the echo of a restrained slam.
Aedrian was gone, but his presence still lingered in the air like thick smoke. The room smelled of spices, leather, and spilled wine. Every corner was a statement of his power: the silk canopy over the bed, the black curtains, the floral perfume that no longer fooled me.
I sat on the edge of the bed, hands resting on my thighs. My body trembled.
But not from fear.
Not anymore.
I was done being a decorative piece.
I wasn’t going to wait to be rescued.
The images from the video still danced in my head like thorns.
I couldn’t stop thinking about Kael—what he had done, why he had done it.
And what I was going to do now.
I stood. Crossed the room in silence and opened the wardrobe. I grabbed a long black cloak, rarely use
