8

His dark eyes raked over her with a chilling stillness. Azzurra braced herself, fully expecting a violent reprisal for having dared to disrespect his brother.

But the towering brute simply stared her down with those glacial orbs and without uttering a word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Just like that, the suffocating tension in the room lifted. Azzurra hadn’t even realized she’d been holding her breath until she began gulping in air like she was coming up from underwater. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with the back of her trembling hand.

Her vision swam, her ears still ringing from that brutal slap. With effort, she pushed herself to her feet, swaying slightly before she could steady herself.

“Are you alright?”

The King’s voice cut through the fog in her mind, snapping her head in his direction. The audacity. He’d dragged her here only to watch his son nearly destroy her and now he had the gall to ask if she was okay?

She didn’t respond. Her gaze fell to the floor, where a resin-encased skull stared up at her, a silent reminder of where she was.

The heavy doors creaked open again, and she flinched, heart pounding in terror at the thought of their return. But it was only Benedetto.

“Take her to her room,” the King commanded.

She flicked a quick, uncertain glance toward the monarch before Benedetto took hold of her leash and gave it a sharp tug, forcing her to follow.

Her thoughts tangled into knots as they wound through dim corridors and up a grand staircase. After a series of confusing turns, they arrived at the final door at the end of a long hallway.

Benedetto opened it and guided her inside.

To her stunned surprise, there was no cage.

“This is your room,” Benedetto said.

She turned to him sharply, gaping in disbelief. He had to be joking.

Reading her expression, he offered a small, unexpected smile that nearly made her gasp. “Our King is generous to humans.”

Generous? Her mind reeled. A King who had purchased her as nothing more than a trial run for his sons a disposable pet. A human who’d be discarded, likely executed, once a new King was crowned. That was their idea of kindness?

Benedetto let go of her leash, and it dropped to the floor with a soft clink.

“There are clothes in the cupboard,” he added.

For a moment, she considered running. But the thought vanished as quickly as it came. She knew nothing about this place. No exits. No allies. If she was going to escape, she needed a real plan.

“A servant will bring your food. You should rest,” Benedetto continued, stepping toward her.

She recoiled instinctively, expecting another blow but he merely reached for the collar around her neck and unclasped it.

She sucked in a shaky breath as the weight lifted.

He turned toward the door but paused before leaving.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

The question took her aback. In the pet house, names were given by the master. She wasn’t used to being asked.

“…Azzurra,” she said softly.

Benedetto nodded. A hint of that earlier smile returned then vanished as quickly as it had come.

“Don’t think about escaping, Azzurra. If you try, you’ll end up in a cage so small you won’t be able to stretch your legs. You’ll lose every privilege you’ve been given. And don’t forget both princes hate humans with every fiber of their being.”

With that, he stepped outside and locked the door behind him. The sound of the bolt clicking into place echoed through the room like a verdict.

She was a prisoner.

His warning echoed in her skull as she sank down on the stiff mattress, burying her face in her hands. Slowly, the horror of her situation began to settle in.

What now? How would she survive let alone escape?

She had prepared herself, as best she could, to be sold to a werewolf. But a Lycan?

She wouldn’t last long.

Collapsing backward onto the mattress, she exhaled heavily. Her eyes fixated on the dull ceiling above as tears welled up and overflowed, slipping down her cheeks.

If only Teodora hadn’t betrayed her, they would be at Ember Rebellion by now, learning how to fight back. But everything was ruined. She was trapped owned by the most feared creatures alive.

Wiping her tears, she forced herself to sit up.

“It’s okay, Azzurra. You have to stay strong. You always have.”

This wasn’t new. She’d spent the last ten years surviving on her own. No one else had ever picked her back up. She was all she had.

Alone but unbroken.

She walked to the cupboard and pulled out the neatly folded clothes, heading toward the adjoining bathroom. Even that was a luxury compared to the pet house, where humans weren’t given personal space, let alone privacy.

Still, the gesture felt more like fattening the lamb before slaughter.

Stripping off the coat and the thin lingerie beneath, she stepped under the cold shower, washing quickly to escape the freezing water. There was no option for heat. She dried off, slipped into the pajamas, and threw the coat back on for warmth.

When she reentered the room, a plate of food sat on the bed.

Tears stung her eyes again. Her throat tightened. Escape suddenly felt like an impossible dream.

Sitting down, she ate in silence, forcing each cold bite down as she tried to calm her spiraling mind. She had to stay level-headed. She couldn’t fall apart not in front of them.

After eating, she examined the room. The small window was barred with thick iron rods. Even if she tried, there was no way out. Peeking through, she drew a sharp breath at least six guards were patrolling the rear grounds of the sprawling palace.

Her heart sank.

Azzurra awoke with a startled gasp, eyes snapping wide. A hand gripped her shoulder, and she recoiled like she’d been burned.

“Y-You have to hurry,” the young woman stammered. “Prince Mattia has summoned you.”