"𝑪𝑶𝑹𝑽𝑼𝑺: 𝑼𝑵𝑫𝑬𝑹 𝑯𝑰𝑺 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲 𝑾𝑰𝑵𝑮"

“𝟔: 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑸𝑼𝑬𝑬𝑵 𝑶𝑭 𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑬𝑺”

As I looked at myself in the steamed bathroom mirror, I could see the terror hidden beneath the fierce spark in the eyes of the woman staring back.

The words Corvus had just whispered were flaring in my mind like the flames of that building in Lyon.

"You owe your breath to me."

Knowing that those lungs filled with burning smoke that night were saved by his arms—knowing he was the one who pulled me out of that hell—was the heaviest knot ever tied to my freedom. I thought I had saved myself, but in reality, I had simply moved from one cage to another, from one shadow into another darkness.

My fingers trembled as I put on the midnight blue silk dress Corvus had chosen for me. Every time the fabric brushed against my skin, it felt as if his hands were tracing my body. The dress was so flawless that it seemed as if it had been sewn with knowledge of every curve and every scar on my body.

I let my hair fall freely over my shoulders and put on my usual upright, uncompromising mask. I was Elara; I had risen from the ashes, and no fire could ever burn me again.

As I left the room and walked through the seemingly endless corridor, I paused at the top of the stairs. Below, in the center of the hall, was a massive crowd. Corvus’s men, dressed in black suits with cold expressions, were lined up in two rows, facing the door as if awaiting a monarch. Corvus stood right in the middle, hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the top of the stairs.

The moment he saw me, not a single muscle moved on his ice-cold face, but the possessive glint in his eyes was powerful enough to light up the entire hall. As I descended with heavy steps, I felt the gaze of every guard settle on me with each stair. When I reached the final step, Corvus took a step toward me and extended his hand. This wasn't an act of gallantry; it was a public proclamation.

"Watch,"

Corvus said, his voice echoing through the hall like a clap of thunder. He scanned his men, his hand still extended toward me.

"This woman is the heaviest price I have ever paid in this life. When you look at her, you will see not just a guest, but the other half of my soul. And any hand that reaches for her will first have to cut off my breath."

I slowly placed my hand on top of his. The searing heat beneath his leather glove instantly took my entire body captive. Corvus pulled me closer and whispered in my ear:

"Welcome, my queen. Are you ready for your own destruction?"

His question echoed in the high ceilings of the hall like a vow. Those powerful fingers holding my hand were grasping not just my bones, but my very future. Under the cold stares of the guards, Corvus guided me toward the massive doors of the mansion. Outside, a convoy with headlights cutting through the darkness awaited us.

"Where are we going?"

I asked, struggling to keep my voice from trembling.

"Where are you taking me with such a ceremony?"

Corvus paused as he personally opened the car door. He looked at me in a way that made me feel more scorched than I had during the fire in Lyon.

"To face your past, Elara."

The dim light from the streetlamps filtering through the car window revealed Corvus’s sharp features like a work of art. Although I tried to look away, his imposing presence filled the entire space. I couldn't resist; I turned my head slightly and began to observe him secretly.

Corvus sat in his razor-sharp black shirt like a power ready to explode at any moment. With those broad shoulders, a muscular frame that completely filled the seat, and his upright posture, he was a monument of authority. His tan skin looked smooth and alluring even in the night's darkness. His hair, black as night, was meticulously slicked back; a few stray strands fell over his forehead, adding a sinister charisma to his harsh expression.

At that exact moment, as if sensing my gaze, he turned his head toward me. His ocean-deep blue eyes locked onto mine, shimmering in the dim light. They were so transparent yet so ice-cold that I felt him piercing into the furthest corners of my soul.

A faint, mocking yet captivating smile appeared on the corners of Corvus’s lips, meant only for me to see.

"If you're finished with your inspection, Elara,"

he said, his voice spreading through the car like velvet.

"We have arrived at the place where the real feast begins."

Leaning in close to my face, that sharp scent of mint and smoky tobacco decimated my defenses once again. He whispered into my ear with that ambitious glint in his blue eyes:

"If you keep looking at me like that, I will lose myself in you before your rivals at that table do. And believe me, I never stay alone in the places where I get lost."

As he helped me out of the car and guided me toward the entrance of that dark casino, I realized once more that this giant of a man walking beside me was not just a protector, but a storm that was seizing my life every single second.