9

“W–What?” Azzurra stammered, her voice thick with sleep and confusion as a jolt of panic yanked her fully awake.

The slave girl standing beside her stiffened visibly, her fear etched into every line of her face. It was immediately clear she was human.

“Prince Mattia has summoned you,” the girl said in a strained whisper, her voice trembling. “You have to hurry... or he’ll kill me for the delay.”

Azzurra inhaled sharply, the air slicing into her lungs like ice. She rushed to the cupboard, snatched up the first set of clothes she could find, and ducked into the washroom to splash water on her face. After changing, she stepped out and hastily gathered her long hair into a loose braid, having no band to secure it. It hung freely down her back.

“Let’s go,” the girl urged, already darting out the door. Azzurra followed closely, her pulse pounding in her ears as they moved quickly through the maze of corridors.

If she got separated, she doubted she’d be able to find her way back to the room.

“What’s your name?” the girl asked as she led the way.

“Azzurra,” she replied, noting that the girl was slightly taller, her big brown eyes filled with terror.

“And yours?” Azzurra asked in return.

“Maristella,” came the quiet response.

“You’re a human slave here?” Azzurra asked, and Maristella gave a small nod over her shoulder.

“Where are we going, Maristella?”

“To the dining hall.”

The reply was clipped, but her fear was unmistakable. Azzurra glanced at her, unease rising in her chest.

“Why are you so scared?” she asked softly, unable to ignore the growing tightness in her throat.

“B–Because… Prince Mattia will kill me if I don’t get you there fast enough,” Maristella whispered, her voice barely audible.

Azzurra’s brows shot up. Kill her? Over a few minutes of delay? It sounded absurd… but then again, he was a Lycan. A predator bred to loathe her kind.

Maristella stopped abruptly in front of the large doors and took a steadying breath. “Prepare yourself,” she murmured.

The grand doors creaked open, and they stepped into a cavernous dining hall.

“My lord, I’ve brought her,” Maristella announced with a composed bow. Azzurra stayed quiet, her gaze drifting nervously around the room. Her fingers had gone cold, and her stomach twisted as her eyes landed on a man seated near the far end of the table, eating in silence.

Five maids stood a short distance away, poised to serve him at a moment’s notice.

“You’re late,” Mattia said darkly, not raising his voice but managing to cut the air like a blade.

Maristella flinched. “P–Please forgive me, my lord,” she whispered, trembling.

“You know I despise apologies,” he replied, sipping from his glass. His gaze finally met theirs and Azzurra’s heart dropped at the malice gleaming in his eyes. He had been waiting for this.

“I’m sorry”

“Rinaldo!” Mattia barked, and the heavy doors swung open again as a guard stepped inside.

Maristella crumpled to her knees, visibly shaking. “N–No… my lord, not this. Please, I beg you.”

“She’s ten minutes late,” Mattia said coldly. “So Rinaldo, do as you please with her for twenty.”

Maristella went pale.

Rinaldo smirked and strode forward, but before he could reach her, Azzurra stepped between them, shoulders squared, placing her small frame directly in his path.

She didn’t fully understand what was happening but she knew cruelty when she saw it. And this was monstrous.

Mattia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “She was late because of me,” Azzurra said calmly, turning her head to address him.

“Rinaldo!” he growled again.

The guard shoved Azzurra aside with a harsh push, sending her sprawling to the floor. She winced but quickly looked up just in time to see Rinaldo seize Maristella’s arm and begin dragging her away.

Panic surged through her.

Without thinking, Azzurra threw herself at him, her small body colliding with his and sending them both off balance. They tumbled to the floor with a grunt.

Scrambling to Maristella’s side, Azzurra reached her just as Rinaldo regained his footing. His furious glare bore down on them, and he lunged again but this time, Mattia intervened.

He appeared suddenly, gripping Azzurra’s arm and yanking her roughly to her feet, dragging her away from the sobbing girl who clung to her ankle.

Their eyes locked Azzurra and Maristella. The desperation in Maristella’s tear-filled gaze pierced her like a dagger. She was silently begging for help.

Rinaldo grabbed Maristella by the hair, hauling her to her feet as she cried out, pleading.

“No, no… please, my lord. Mercy,” she sobbed as he began dragging her away.

Acting on pure instinct, Azzurra tried to wrench herself free from Mattia’s brutal grip. His fingers dug into her arm, cutting off her circulation.

“You’re fighting this hard for a girl you just met?” Mattia asked with venomous amusement, his voice low and dangerous. She felt the chill of it seep into her bones.

Still, she struggled.

He eyed the faint bruising on her cheek his handiwork from the night before.

“She’s only late because of me,” Azzurra said breathlessly. “Let her go.”

Her gaze locked on Rinaldo, her eyes wide, terrified. Guilt clawed at her. If she hadn’t taken so long getting ready, none of this would be happening.

Just as Rinaldo was about to leave with Maristella, Mattia’s voice rang out again.

“Stop.”

He smiled now darkly, wickedly and dragged Azzurra toward the table before releasing her arm and settling back into his chair.

“Bring her here,” he ordered.

Rinaldo shoved the girl forward until she stood trembling before Mattia, who casually lifted a spoonful of rice to his mouth, chewing slowly as if savoring the suspense.

Then, without even looking up, he extended a knife to Azzurra.

She stared at it in shock, heart hammering.

Why was he giving her a weapon?

She accepted it without hesitation. She didn’t trust him, and she needed any advantage she could get though she knew deep down she wouldn’t last long in a fight against Lycans.

Still, she would go down swinging.

“Kill her,” Mattia said flatly, his attention now on Maristella.

Azzurra’s blood ran cold.

She stared at him, horrified. He turned toward her slowly, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

“You said she was late because of you,” he said smoothly. “Then your punishment… is to kill her.”

The words fell from his lips like poison.