Chapter 15: The Fracture Begins
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I slept little that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Riven's smile. Felt the cold weight of the necklace against my throat. Heard the polished lies whispered into the ears of the powerful — Look how well-behaved my pet is.
My hands shook when I tried to wash my face in the bathroom. I gripped the sink hard, trying to steady myself, but the mirror reflected the truth back at me:
A hollowed-out shell. A puppet pretending to live.
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A soft knock pulled me out of my spiral.
I opened the door, half-expecting Liam or even Riven. But it was Noah. His face was tight, serious, a bundle of nerves barely contained.
"Come with me," he whispered urgently.
I frowned. "Where?"
He looked down the hallway, then back at me. "Somewhere safe. Just trust me."
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Safe.
The word sounded foreign now.
Still, something about Noah's desperation told me I should follow.
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I threw on a hoodie to hide the mark around my throat where the necklace had been. Noah led me swiftly through shadowed corridors, taking twists and turns I hadn't even known existed.
Eventually, he pushed open a narrow door that led into a hidden room — small, dusty, untouched.
A place forgotten by everyone.
Perfect.
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Inside, a small lamp glowed faintly, throwing soft golden light across the room. Noah closed the door behind us and exhaled, like he'd been holding his breath for days.
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"I can't watch you like this anymore," he said, voice cracking slightly.
I stared at him, uncertain. "Noah..."
"No," he cut me off, stepping closer. "Listen to me. You're losing yourself. Piece by piece. And if you don't start fighting back, there'll be nothing left of you."
His words hit harder than I wanted to admit.
Because deep down, I knew he was right.
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"But how?" My voice was a whisper. "What can I even do?"
His expression hardened. "You survive long enough to find an opening. You build alliances. You pretend until pretending becomes power. Riven thinks he owns you. Let him believe it — until you can twist the knife in his back."
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A slow, dangerous idea bloomed inside me.
Pretend.
Play the part so well that they never see the rebellion forming right under their noses.
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"Will you help me?" I asked, voice shaking.
Noah nodded fiercely. "I'll do whatever it takes."
For the first time in days, a fragile, burning thing stirred in my chest:
Hope.
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But hope was a dangerous thing in this world.
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Suddenly, the door slammed open.
I barely had time to react before a hand grabbed Noah by the collar and hurled him across the room.
I froze — ice flooding my veins — as Riven stepped into the light.
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His face was calm. Too calm.
Deadly calm.
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"What a touching little meeting," Riven said softly, his voice a razor wrapped in silk. "Were you plotting against me, darling?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but Riven was already moving. In a blur, he crossed the room and slammed me against the wall, his hand tightening painfully around my throat — right where the necklace had been.
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"You belong to me," he hissed, his face inches from mine. "Every breath you take is because I allow it."
Noah struggled to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. "It was my idea," he gasped. "Leave him alone —"
Riven didn't even look at him. His gaze stayed locked on mine, burning with betrayal and rage.
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"You're disappointing me," he whispered. "I thought you were smarter than this."
I tried to speak, but no sound came out.
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"Punishment," Riven said coldly, releasing me so suddenly that I fell to my knees, coughing.
He turned to Noah, his voice deathly calm. "You want to protect him? Fine."
He snapped his fingers.
Two guards appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Noah roughly.
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"Take him to the cells," Riven ordered.
Noah's eyes found mine as they dragged him away.
I saw the message there, loud and clear:
Stay alive.
Don't give up.
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And then he was gone.
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I staggered to my feet, chest heaving.
"You didn't have to hurt him," I rasped, glaring at Riven.
He smiled faintly. "He was a weakness. Weakness must be punished."
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I hated him in that moment. Truly, viscerally hated him.
But I also understood something important:
Riven wasn't invincible. He was obsessed.
And obsession was its own kind of weakness.
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"I'm sorry," I said softly, lowering my eyes in submission.
Riven's smile widened — a predator pleased with its prey.
"Good boy," he murmured, cupping my chin roughly. "Learn your place, and you'll be happy."
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I let him believe it.
Because now, I had a new goal:
Not just to survive.
But to destroy him.
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[End of Chapter 15]
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