5

I broke into a cold sweat as I stared at the man before us.

He wore an elegant black cloak with intricate golden patterns embroidered along the edges. Beneath it, he wore a white tunic, slightly open at the collar, paired with loose black trousers and a thick brown belt. A sword rested at his hip.

He looked like a nobleman.

But if I was being honest, there was nothing noble about this man.

I stood frozen as the man began making his way down the staircase, taking his time with every step.

Step.

My heart hammered against my ribs with rapid thumps.

Another step.

My throat tightened, and I found myself holding my breath as he drew closer.

I could feel the fear building inside me, tightening around my chest with every step he took, but then my eyes fell on his face, and I froze.

Those eyes.

Those fucking eyes.

Something dark flared inside me, and it took me a moment to recognize it, buried beneath the layers of fear.

Hatred.

Pure, consuming hatred for the man descending the stairs as though he had every right to stand above me.

My memories came rushing back, playing out before my eyes like a horror movie I couldn't stop.

Fire, heat, and the unbearable pain as fire consumed my body, searing through every inch of me.

And then him, standing there, watching me.

He hadn't given me a chance to explain. He hadn't even hesitated. He had simply watched as I burned alive, a cold satisfaction in his eyes while my screams filled the air.

I hated him.

A dark, wicked thought flashed through my mind before I could stop it.

Dead.

I wanted him dead.

No, that wasn't enough.

What I really wanted was for him to suffer.

I wanted him to feel every ounce of pain he'd inflicted on me.

I curled my fingers into tight fists at my sides, trembling with fury now rather than fear.

His golden gaze bore into mine as he took the final step down the stairs.

I returned his stare, my jaw tightening as I clenched my teeth.

The man lifted his chin, as though trying to remind me exactly who held the power here. Then his lips curled into an unkind smile.

“Catherine Wells. You made it. Good.”

His fingers wrapped around the hilt of his sword.

“It would have been unfortunate if you hadn't. I would have had no choice but to deal with every witch associated with you... including your beloved sister.”

His smile widened, revealing teeth that were far too sharp to be human.

He lifted a hand and casually ran it through his blond curls, waiting for my response.

I gave him a cold smile of my own.

Oh, so this man was trash through and through.

Good.

That made what I was planning to do to him much easier.

“My, what a warm welcome,” I mocked. “Are you sure you want to speak to the woman you've brought here to save your Luna?”

The man's expression darkened.

A low growl rumbled from his chest, the sound animalistic as it vibrated through the room.

“You will not threaten me if you know what's good for you.”

A thick silence, crackling with tension, stretched between us as we stared each other down.

“Gavin. Don't you think you're overdoing it?”

The deep, smooth voice came from the top of the stairs.

My gaze snapped upward.

And then my breath caught.

He was handsome in a way that immediately caught my attention. Silver eyes. Short black hair styled messily. A sharp jaw and a clean-shaven face. Three piercings lined his left ear.

He wore black from head to toe, a cloak over a dark tunic and trousers, a thick belt secured around his waist with a sword resting at his hip.

Yet there was something different about him.

He didn't simply look like a nobleman.

He carried himself like someone who had never needed to prove his importance.

Someone who expected the world to recognize it.

And beneath all that elegance, something deadly and dangerous prowled.

The moment his silver eyes landed on me, something inside me lit up.

It was a strange feeling, but it was not unpleasant.

I stared at him, not knowing why his gaze affected me so much, but I felt an inexplicable pull toward him.

Like something inside me had recognized him.

His eyes remained fixed on mine, studying me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

For a brief moment, neither of us looked away.

Then his attention shifted.

Just like that, whatever strange feeling had taken hold of me disappeared beneath a wall of confusion.

I forced myself to look back at Gavin.

He was staring at the newcomer now.

“Why should I be kind to a damn witch?” Gavin spat. “Not only do they practice unnatural magic, but they use it for evil. It's vile, and it goes against the very nature of our Moon Goddess.”

The silver-eyed man tilted his head slightly.

“Perhaps,” he said smoothly. “But for the sake of your sister, you will use that same magic you speak so ill of.”

Gavin's brows furrowed, his fingers flexing at his sides.

He had nothing to say to that.

“Good. You understand.”

His gaze returned to me, and for the briefest moment, something strange flickered in his silver eyes.

Then it was gone, replaced by the same cool indifference as before.

“Catherine Wells,” he said, as though testing the name on his tongue.

My body tensed as he descended the final few steps before stopping a short distance from me.

“Come with me. I'll take you to your room.”

I tightened my grip on my bag.

“I don't need a babysitter. Just tell me where to go.”

His silver eyes narrowed.

“I won't ask again.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his cape swaying behind him with every step.

I stared after him for a moment, annoyed by the strange feeling fluttering in my stomach.

I didn't like it.

Whatever the hell it was, I didn't like it.

I glanced toward Gavin, who still stood there with a scowl on his face, then toward Mika and Cain, who looked like they were one wrong move away from ripping me apart.

I let out a quiet huff.

Fine. I guess I have no other choice.

I followed after him.