Demitri’s POV
I watch as Salazar rises, satisfied with our conversation, but my mind is elsewhere. Alissia. Her defiance burns in my mind like a brand, twisting my frustration into something deeper, darker. She followed Salazar’s orders without hesitation, but when I command her, she pushes back like it’s a game.
Why? Why does she challenge me so relentlessly? She wants to see my world, but she doesn’t respect its rules. That will get her killed. Worse, it will make me look weak. And weakness, in this life, is fatal.
Salazar clasps my hand, his cold, calculating smile still in place as he bids his farewell. “A pleasure, as always, Demitri. Keep her in line, will you? It would be a shame to waste someone with such... spirit.” He chuckles, his gaze flickering to Alissia before turning awa
