LOGIN"You... you're..." I backed up, trembling, my voice barely working. "The man in my dreams?"Cassian let out a dark chuckle and opened his palm.A faint sliver of silver starlight trembled in his hand, before being swallowed whole by swirling shadows.It was the leftover magic from my ward last night.My knees completely gave out."Drag this trash out." Cassian gave the cold order without even glancing at Valerius.Two huge guards appeared like ghosts."My Lord! Mercy, My Lord!" Valerius shrieked.The guards ruthlessly gagged him and dragged him out, his eyes rolling back in terror.The heavy doors slammed shut.We were alone in the study. The silence was deafening.Cassian closed in.I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn't obey. I could only watch helplessly as he stalked closer."Why are you running?" His massive body pinned me, his hard thigh sliding aggressively between my legs. "You were so bold in the dreams, spreading your legs and begging for me. Now you won't even look at me?"Hi
The next morning, a hangover scraped against my nerves like a dull knife.Still half-asleep, I reached for my neck, but grabbed empty air.My mother's starlight pendant was gone!I jolted awake and tore through the bed.Under the sheets, on the rug, by the vanity. Nothing.Damn it! It was all I had left of her!Memories of last night flooded back in fragments.The sky full of stars. The burn of the Dwarven liquor. And Cassian’s embrace—so terrifyingly powerful, yet incredibly warm.The pendant must have dropped at the observatory. Or in his study.I threw off the silk blankets in a panic. I grabbed a robe and sprinted barefoot down the hall toward his study.The moment I reached the ajar oak door, a pathetic, grating wail hit my ears.It was Valerius."My Lord, please forgive me." His voice was utterly devoid of dignity, thick with terror. "Your fury last night was so terrifying, my mental shields completely collapsed."He sniffled like a stray dog."My fiancée sensed my terror through
Morning sunlight stung my eyes.I bolted upright in bed. My heart hammered.The memory of my ward being crushed by brute force still terrified me.That shadow magic was way too powerful for a normal noble to wield.Maybe Valerius was using some dark artifact?I touched my forehead where he kissed me. The skin still felt burning hot.Damn it. I bit my lip.Why was my body still reacting to that bastard, even knowing the truth?At dusk, a maid knocked on my door."My Lord is waiting for you at the observatory."I wanted to say no. But in this locked-down estate, Cassian's word was law.I changed into a gown and headed up to the top floor, my guard all the way up.I pushed open the heavy doors, and the high-altitude wind hit my face.Cassian stood on the wide balcony with his back to me.Clad in head-to-toe black as always. His broad shoulders gave off an aura that made you want to drop to your knees.He turned at the sound of my footsteps.His gray eyes locked onto mine. His harsh featur
The chaos in the Lost Valley finally settled.Rubble littered the ground. The air still reeked of charred magic."Take me back to the Court," I said, brushing the dust off my robes. My voice was still shaking."No." Cassian dropped his shadow ward, his face completely unreadable. "You're coming with me."I froze. "But my lord, I need to sort the star charts—""Those shadow assassins were aiming right at you." His icy gaze swept over me, heavy with absolute authority. "Go back to the Court, and you won't live through the night."A black, shadow-drawn carriage waited at the valley's edge.He practically shoved me inside.We took off, leaving the Eternal City behind.Through the window, I saw a massive castle built on a floating island."Where are we?""My private estate," Cassian said shortly.The inside was breathtakingly rich.Obsidian floors. Crystal chandeliers. Priceless antiques.But what stunned me most were the star charts on the walls.They were lost ancient celestial maps. Ever
We left the ball early.Cassian practically shoved me into the fancy pomegranate carriage.The cab was cramped and dim. Just the two of us.He sat across from me, his long legs spread wide. As the carriage bumped along, his knees kept brushing my dress.The air smelled of sharp cedar and a hint of liquor. Pure, aggressive male energy filled the tiny space.I wrung my hands, too terrified to look up."Lyra."He spoke. In the dark, his voice was crazy deep.He leaned forward. His massive body instantly suffocated me with its presence.Those gray eyes pinned me down in the shadows."If a woman..." He paused, his voice tight. "...made a catastrophic mistake about a man."I stopped breathing."She furiously shuts him out and refuses to ever see him again." His long fingers tapped his knee. "How should he clear his name?"My heart skipped a beat.What the hell was he talking about?That sounded... exactly like what I did to that bastard in my dream last night!Could he read my guilt? Or was
Cassian's gaze trailed slowly up my fingers.He noticed the desperate look I'd thrown at Valerius.A flash of violent displeasure darkened his icy gray eyes.But a second later, he was back to his cold, untouchable self."Your readings are flawless." Cassian stepped back, taking some of that lethal pressure with him. "You've done the Night House a great service, Lyra. You are highly valuable."I let out a massive breath of relief at the praise.Valerius eagerly stepped up, practically tripping over himself to fawn. "Indeed, My Lord. An incredible honor. After all, everyone in the Eternal City knows you are completely ruthless and have sworn off women. Your special favor toward Lyra proves her talent...""Shut up."Cassian didn't even turn his head. Valerius clamped his mouth shut.Pale as a ghost, he slinked back into the shadows, barely daring to breathe.Cassian looked back at me, his tone leaving zero room for argument."Eight o'clock tonight. Wait for me at your tower. You will be