-

r initiation, the is

her. The salt-kissed air stirred her robe, but nothing could distract her from the haunt

most wasn't the a

amiliar that

ling from

me from behind he

f-startled, hal

r in his ceremonial attire but in a loose white sh

would see he

ded. "Not many do. But those who do... the

"You're saying I w

tance between them, "that this place doesn't just

n the door bro

handed Alina a black envelope

al to the one she chos

ng fingers,

was handwritten

Alina

the door. No

he Crimson Ha

e - or no

shot to

on Hall?"

assian's private wing. No gu

if

er a long, un

be ready to face

ame cloaked

alive. Alina moved through the candlelit hallways of the manor, guid

kless, with a slit up her thigh and delicate black lace trimming the e

th blood-red velvet. Two masked guards stood on either side but said nothi

eat and something more-power, pe

suit open at the collar, no mask. The fire behind him cast shado

said, without

ummone

nd the heat in it could have

ice. You walked t

rward. "Because

u're in the wrong place. Velvet Chains doesn't offer a

table. Upon it sat a silver bowl, a narrow w

th caught. "

opped. "Your next

the items. "An

en you walk away, unch

ordinary-was t

e, picked up the blind

at I came h

le was dark a

braver t

ed it gently around her eyes, darkness embrace

ad chosen

ess was n

ide open. The distant crackle of fire, the soft shuffle of Cassi

brushed her skin

ian murmured behind her. "But you ar

atement hang,

along her arm, down to her wrist. Not his

around h

the o

e, tight enough to remind

heart

about pleasure. Or pain. It's about stillness. About

speak. Di

nt-warmer, his hand now, s

e didn't tak

her there, anch

id. "Something you buried so de

elve, I watched my mother burn the letters fro

and tighten

ou ever fo

hroat ach

as thick with grief. But it

n in, his lips b

emembers. And if we keep digging... we might u

whip never

across her bare shoulder-a featherlight te

arn

pro

oice again, so

e blindfol

h unsteady hands a

she was alone

had va

nal item not there befo

ed was

not here

e to unlock

else she'd touched on the island. Its edges were worn, as if it had p

aying as she moved down the moonlit corridor. The house

ay was a single door sh

ck

han

a l

dn't h

in like it ha

ic

pened with

no windows. In the center stood a pedestal made

tit

e pressed in

A MO

eath h

icked

an to rise from the parchment like smoke, forming letters i

is you

th you sp

mask y

ret you s

be wr

page flip

r, whispered in darkness,

e a man just so I wou

forgave m

knees

just writing down her truths-it was keeping the

the prese

Cass

Lu

one

ind

rned s

ere sh

n from t

not just a

od in t

glowing faintly on her colla

ed away in

an didn

e pointed t

Alina'

vani

he pedestal-was a sin

f her in you than

ed in Alina's head like a so

f her in you than

hoping the ink would smear-prove it w

re carved in

nly to find Cassian standing there,

to enter this room y

embled. "But you

ping inside, the energy around him shif

an I keep seeing. The one who-" her vo

eeply and shut th

fore the house had rules. Bef

ur lover?"

barely. "She wa

What is

ked away. "

m further, another voice

upposed to r

ci

oom, his coat half-op

ightened. "She

r simmering beneath concern. "Do

r ground. "No.

se chooses people to unravel. Slowly. Inten

ntly on the pedesta

place-Velvet Chains-isn't just a sanctuary. It's a

breath

of w

Lucian said gently now. "But the t

wh

almost reverent. "

in the cham

nly burned across Alina's chest in light, searing

out and

. Cassian watched

as d

e had cl

ened what it had

-