Chapter 2: Into the Storm

The fire coursing through her veins burned away all the reasons, her body trembling from the heat spreading inside her.

Both for him and for the situation she was trapped in.

Her breath came in shallow gasps, the sensation creeping into her limbs like an unstoppable tide.

Then so be it.

She was going to die here anyway.

Then why should she hold back?

The thought drowned in the feverish haze, her dazed eyes met the man looming above her. A reckless and uncontrollable pull overtook her, one that she could neither fight nor ignore.

Before she could stop herself, her fingers curled around his collar. The silk of his tie slid against her palm as she pulled him down—

Her lips crashed into his in a reckless kiss.

A kiss that devoured what little sanity remained.

The drug had taken its hold.

Thane tensed, his grip on her arms tightened instantly. His strength easily overpowering her.

Then, with a sharp breath, he tore himself away.

Elysia gasped as her back hit the sheets, breathless. Her chest rose and fell in shallow tremors.

His golden eyes gleamed with danger in the low light.

Then, exhaling, he reached up.

With a light tug, the tie slid free from his neck, the loose fabric trailing lazily as it fell to the floor.

"Fine," His words carried a hoarse desire. "If you really think you can handle being mine–"

His sentence was cut off as the next kiss stole the rest.

This time, it was him.

His lips claimed hers with scorching intensity, coaxing a whimper from the back of her throat as her fingers twisted in the sheets beneath her.

Heat surged through her, searing away every last shred of restraint.

The drug only sharpened the sensations. Every touch. Every breath. Every aching pulse of warmth between them.

Somewhere in the haze, his hand traced up her spine, fingers catching at the delicate fabric of her dress.

She was weightless. 

Lost in the fever.

Lost in him.

The world outside this room ceased to exist.

The night stretched on, a fevered blur of tangled limbs and gasped breaths.

All she remembered was the press of his body against hers, the rough timbre of his voice murmuring against her skin, and the way he unraveled her with every touch.

And when her fingers clutched at his shoulders when the last thread of control snapped–

She stopped thinking altogether.

---

Elysia lay motionless. She didn't know how much time had passed. She only knew that her body ached in ways she had never known before.

The silk sheets clung to her bare skin, trapping the remnants of heat. Each breath felt heavier than the last, her limbs felt sore and almost unfamiliar.

The weight on the bed shifted.

She barely stirred, but the rustling of fabric beside her made her lashes flutter open.

Through the dim light, her gaze followed him.

Thane sat at the edge of the bed, his back to her, his muscles flexing subtly as he pulled on his shirt calmly.

Elysia exhaled, then swallowing, she reached for the sheet, wrapping it around herself.

"You're not going to say anything?"

Thane paused, rolling his cuffs leisurely, his fingers stilled for half a second before glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"What is there to say?"

The indifference in his tone sent a cold chill through her.

She clenched the fabric in her fists. "That incense... did you know it was laced with something?"

A faint smirk curved his lips, though he didn't bother turning toward her. "That doesn't seem to matter anymore, does it?"

Her breath caught.

"You–"

The sheets rustled as Thane finally turned.

His gaze locked onto hers.

Every unfinished word died in her throat.

"Tell me, dear," he murmured softly yet laced with something unshakable. "Did you want me to stop?"

She should say yes. Should throw the accusation back in his face, spit out the anger burning her throat. But no matter how much she despised it, the truth lingered in the silence between them.

The corner of his lips tugged slightly.

"I thought so."

He stood without another word.

The cool air rushed in as he stepped away, leaving the space between them hollow.

Striding toward the door, he paused just before stepping out.

With a faint tilt of his head, he whispered low, "A little advice..."

The weight of his gaze pressed down on her.

"I prefer those who know how to listen."

Then he was gone.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Elysia remained still. 

Her gaze drifted toward the window, where the sky remained dark, like the foreboding edge of dusk.

One thing was clear to her, She had just stepped into the eye of the storm.

---

A sharp clash of steel clashing outside jolted Elysia awake.

Her eyes fluttered open.

The unfamiliar ceiling loomed above her, its dark wooden beams carved with intricate patterns. Heavy silk curtains billowed slightly at the edges of the room, shifting with the breeze.

For a brief moment, she forgot where she was.

Then it hit her.

Right.

She had been sent to the warlord.

She shifted, fingers brushing the smooth fabric beneath her. Too luxurious for a woman meant to be discarded. Yet, despite everything, she was still here.

Alive. Untouched.

Her thoughts barely settled before a knock echoed through the room.

A single, sharp rap. No pause for permission.

The door swung open without a shred of courtesy.

A sharp-faced old woman stepped inside.

"You're awake." the woman said flatly.

Her eyes coldly swept over Elysia from head to toe, filled with thinly veiled disdain.

"Good. His Lordship has summoned you."

There was no warmth in her tone and no hesitation.

The maids stepped forward, reaching out as if to pull her up.

It was a demand.

Elysia rose on her own, shaking off their hands.

Her ivory gown whispered as she moved, the silk brushing against her legs.

Bare feet touched the cold marble.

She walked without resistance.

Flanked by the maids.

And toward whatever awaited her next.