Chapter Six: The Gilded Cage

Darkness stretched endlessly in every direction.

Somewhere within the endless void, someone was calling out to her.

“Rhiannon…”

She ran through the pitch-black emptiness, her lungs burning as her footsteps echoed around her. “Who’s there?” she called, her voice trembling. She spun in every direction, desperately searching for whoever was speaking, but there was nothing except endless darkness.

Then, without warning, an icy breath brushed against her ear.

“He is here.”

Rhiannon jerked awake with a sharp gasp.

Sweat clung to her forehead as she bolted upright, one hand flying instinctively to her chest. Her heart lurched under her ribs, each beat uneven as she struggled to steady her breathing. The nightmare still lingered, making it difficult to separate dream from reality.

She blinked rapidly, her hazel eyes darting around.

Her eyes drifted to the man sitting in a leather armchair tucked into the darkest corner of the room. His suit jacket had been discarded over the back of the chair, while the sleeves of his crisp white shirt were rolled to his forearms, exposing the intricate black tattoos winding beneath his skin. He remained still, simply watching her.

The memory of the university courtyard flashed through her mind. Those terrifying violet-gold eyes… that blazing serpent tattoo…

Her breath caught.

She stared harder. ‘No, his eyes were their usual obsidian black.’

The horrifying image dissolved as quickly as it had appeared.

Rhiannon let out a tight breath, forcing herself to calm down.

‘It had to be another nightmare.’

After all, it wasn’t her first time having such strange, vivid nightmares and imaginations.

Rhiannon looked around the enormous bedroom, taking in the dark stone walls illuminated by the warm glow of an ornate fireplace crackling nearby. Heavy velvet curtains framed towering windows, while expensive antique furniture filled the room with understated elegance. The king-sized bed beneath her felt impossibly soft, and every detail whispered unimaginable wealth.

Confusion gradually replaced her fear. “Where am I?”

“My estate.” Theron’s deep voice broke the silence with effortless calm.

Rhiannon turned toward him in realization. Her gaze swept across the bedroom once more before snapping back to him. “Did you kidnap me?”

“I saved you,” Theron corrected as he rose from the chair. His towering frame seemed to shrink the enormous bedroom around them. “You collapsed on the university quad.”

The memory of the courtyard rushed back to her. She remembered falling, and she remembered Julian trying to hold her.

“Julian.” Her eyes widened. “Where is Julian? What did you do to him?”

At the mention of his name, Theron’s expression darkened. A dangerous sneer tugged at one corner of his mouth as he muttered out with clenched jaw.

“That weakling?” he scoffed. “He couldn’t even keep you on your feet. He is useless, Rhiannon. You shouldn’t waste your concern on someone so incompetent.”

Rhiannon’s temper flared. “Don’t you dare talk about him like that!” She threw the blankets aside and stood, her legs still slightly unsteady. “Julian actually cares about me. You’re just an arrogant corporate shark who thinks he can do whatever he wants.”

She jabbed a finger toward him. “My brother told you to keep me safe, Vance. Not to kidnap me. Not to order me around. And certainly not to insult the people I care about.”

Without waiting for his response, she grabbed her backpack from the bedside table and strode toward the massive double doors.

Rhiannon didn’t even make it halfway.

In a blink of an eye, Theron vanished from the corner and appeared right in front of the doors. His large body completely blocked her exit. The sudden displacement stirred the air itself, sending a cold draft across the room.

Rhiannon stumbled back, her eyes widening in disbelief. “How did you... you were just over there."

Theron didn't answer. He stepped forward, his expression remained perfectly composed, but there was something in his gaze that refused to let her escape.

Rhiannon tried to move around him, but he caught both of her wrists. His grip was remarkably gentle but as unyielding as iron handcuffs.

“I told you before, little bird,” he murmured, lowering his head until the familiar scent of winter frost and dark mint surrounded her. “You go nowhere without me. Your apartment is no longer an option.”

“I never agreed to this!” She struggled against his hold, but it was like trying to break free from iron. “You can’t keep me here!”

“I can.” His gaze briefly fell to her lips before returning to her eyes. “And I will. Until I know you’re safe, you’re staying here. With me.”

Rhiannon opened her mouth to snap back at him, but suddenly, her breathing turned heavy. The room felt like it was spinning. She let out a sharp gasp for air, her hand reaching up to her chest as a crushing weight squeezed her lungs. She couldn't stand. Her knees buckled, and she crouched down toward the floor, desperately trying to catch her breath.

Theron’s expression changed. The calm authority disappeared from his face, replaced by unmistakable panic. He released her wrists immediately, stepping back as though afraid to touch her again.

His heartbeat thundered in his own ears. ‘Not again. Not because of me.’

Every terrifying moment inside the SUV flashed through his mind.

His beast stirred, but he forced it down with everything he had as his aura receded.

“Rhiannon?” he called, his voice shaking in panic. “Talk to me.”

She remained crouched on the floor, struggling for every breath. “Water…” the word faintly escaped her lips. “Please…”

Theron didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be right back.”

He threw open the bedroom doors and disappeared into the hallway without calling for a servant, unwilling to waste even a second.

The heavy doors swung shut behind him and silence settled over the room.

Rhiannon stopped gasping. She straightened, drawing in one perfectly normal breath before another.

The frightened expression disappeared, replaced by a determined gleam.

“Sorry,” she muttered under her breath. “You made escaping way too difficult.”

She hurried toward the door and pressed her ear against the polished wood. But she heard nothing. She cracked it open just enough to peek outside.

The hallway stretched in both directions beneath elegant chandeliers.

There was no Theron or guards. Only distant footsteps fading farther away.

‘Perfect.’

Rhiannon quietly shut the door again and spun toward her backpack. “If I still have my phone…”

She dropped to her knees and searched every compartment.

But there was only her pen, notebook, purse, and lip balm. Nothing else.

Her movements became faster. She checked every pocket again and again. But still nothing.

A hard glare spread across her face as she realized something. “Unbelievable.”

She zipped the bag shut with unnecessary force. “The overbearing control freak actually confiscated my phone.”

Rhiannon let out an irritated huff. “Stupid corporate shark!” She tossed the backpack onto the bed. “Kidnapper!”

Refusing to give up, she crossed the room to the towering windows and yanked the heavy velvet curtains aside.

Outside, darkness blanketed the estate.

Far below, dense forest stretched endlessly beneath the cliffs surrounding the property.

There was no balcony. No fire escape. And no convenient ledge. Only a terrifying drop disappearing into the shadows below.

Even if she somehow climbed down, she had no idea where she was, or how far the estate was from civilization. But she had to get down.

Rhiannon rested both hands against the cold glass, thinking furiously. “There has to be something…”

Her gaze slowly drifted back toward the enormous king-sized bed at the center of the room. She stared at the thick luxury blankets folded neatly across it.

Her eyes lit up.

“Well…” she marched toward the bed with renewed determination. “If I can’t walk out…”

Rhiannon grabbed one end of the massive blanket. “I’ll just climb out.”