Chapter 25: Into the Lion’s Den

The morning air was crisp, the scent of damp stone and autumn leaves clinging to the grand courtyard of Valemont Manor. Seraphina walked beside Adrian, her arm linked through his—not in affection, but in necessity. Their steps were measured, purposeful, yet beneath the composed exterior, tension crackled like a live wire.

She had spent too many nights searching for answers alone. That was over.

Adrian had pulled her into his world now. And if she was to navigate the treacherous waters of his vengeance, she needed to understand the depths of it.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice steady.

Adrian barely glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "To meet someone who enjoys playing games as much as you do."

The carriage was waiting. A sleek, dark thing, polished to gleam under the pale morning sun. A coachman bowed as Adrian helped her inside.

She settled onto the plush seat, watching him with careful eyes as he slid in beside her. The moment the door shut, the illusion of formality cracked.

"You should have waited for me," Adrian said, his tone soft but lined with quiet steel.

Seraphina arched a brow. "Waited for what? Your permission?"

His silver eyes burned into hers. "I would have kept you from making reckless mistakes."

She gave a sharp laugh. "And what would you call this? Whisking me away to an unknown destination with no explanation?"

Adrian leaned in, close enough that she could see the dark crescents beneath his eyes, the faint tension in his jaw. "You want the truth, Seraphina?" he murmured. "You'll get it. But there's a price for knowledge."

She met his gaze unflinchingly. "And what is the cost of this particular truth?"

His fingers traced a slow pattern over the leather seat. "Your obedience."

Her breath hitched. "You want me to obey you?"

"For once," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "No reckless solo investigations. No sneaking into places you do not belong. If you are to be in this with me, you follow my lead."

Seraphina's pulse thrummed, heat rising beneath her skin—not just from anger, but from the closeness of him, the way his presence filled the space between them.

"And if I refuse?" she asked, defiant.

Adrian's fingers ghosted over the inside of her wrist before withdrawing, his smirk a slow, dangerous thing. "Then, my dear wife, you will find that I am not as patient as I seem."

The carriage rocked slightly as they rounded a corner, the city unfolding beyond the window.

She swallowed. "Where are we really going, Adrian?"

His expression sobered, the teasing edge vanishing. "To meet a man who knew both your father and mine. A man who might tell us why Laurent destroyed the Everharts."

Her fingers tightened on her lap. Laurent again. The name was a weight around her throat.

Adrian exhaled slowly, as if steeling himself. "He's waiting for us at the Old Market. Try not to look too shocked by what you hear."

Seraphina met his gaze, determination blazing in her eyes. "I'll decide for myself what is shocking, Adrian."

A faint smile ghosted his lips.

"Then let's see if you're as fearless as you claim."

The carriage rattled on, carrying them deeper into the heart of the city, into the lion's den of secrets that had ensnared them both.

And Seraphina had the sinking feeling that she would not leave it unchanged.