Arianna's heart pounded like war drums in her chest as Damien's silver eyes locked onto hers, a predator watching his prey.
His question lingered in the air like smoke.
"What exactly do you plan to do now?"
She wanted to tell him she would find a way to break the contract. That she would never submit to him. That she would fight, no matter the cost.
But she said nothing.
Because he wanted her to speak.
He was waiting—expecting—her to lash out, to scream, to fall into the same predictable cycle as the wives before her.
She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
Instead, she lifted her chin, her expression carefully neutral. "You'll find out soon enough."
Damien's smirk flickered, just for a second.
A second of hesitation.
A second that told her she had done something the others hadn't.
A second that gave her the smallest sliver of power.
His silver eyes darkened, the amusement in them shifting into something more dangerous. He leaned back, his long fingers tapping lazily against the table.
"You're different," he murmured, studying her with unnerving intensity.
Arianna kept her face blank. "If you're expecting me to beg, you'll be disappointed."
His smirk returned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh, I do hope so."
She exhaled slowly, forcing her pulse to steady. Stay calm. Stay in control.
If she was going to survive this, she had to be smart.
She had to learn.
She needed to understand Damien. What made him tick. What he feared. What he wanted.
Only then would she find a way out.
Damien pushed his chair back and stood, his movements as fluid as shadows. "Come, little wife."
Arianna stiffened. "Where?"
His smirk widened. "It's time I show you your new home."
Her stomach twisted.
Everything in her screamed not to follow him. But what choice did she have?
She had no weapons. No power. No way to fight him.
For now.
Clenching her fists, she stood.
Let him believe he's in control.
For now.
"A Kingdom of Nightmares"
The moment Arianna stepped out of the dining hall, she felt it.
The weight of this place.
The halls stretched endlessly, bathed in a dim, eerie glow. The walls were carved from black stone, jagged and ancient, as if they had existed since the beginning of time itself. The air was heavy, thick with something unnatural, making it hard to breathe.
The deeper they walked, the worse it became.
It wasn't just a castle.
It was alive.
The walls seemed to pulse faintly, as if something inside them was breathing. Shadows flickered along the corridors, shifting unnaturally, moving when no light should have touched them.
The entire place hummed with dark magic.
Arianna's skin crawled.
Damien walked beside her, perfectly at ease, hands in his pockets as if this was nothing more than a leisurely stroll through a garden.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to keep up. "What is this place?"
Damien glanced at her. "Welcome to the Underworld."
Her breath caught.
The Underworld?
Not Hell. Not Earth.
Something in between.
Damien's silver eyes glowed faintly as he watched her reaction. "Surprised?"
Arianna forced herself to breathe. "I thought Lucifer ruled Hell."
He smirked. "He does."
She frowned. "Then what is this?"
Damien's expression darkened slightly. "My domain."
A shiver ran down her spine.
He wasn't just the Devil's son.
He had a kingdom of his own.
She had assumed he was simply another prince, a pawn in Lucifer's endless game of power.
But now…
She glanced around at the massive walls, the endless shadows, the faint whispers curling through the air like ghostly fingers.
Damien wasn't just any prince.
He was a ruler in his own right.
And she was trapped in his domain.
Her throat tightened. I have to get out of here.
Damien suddenly stopped in front of a massive iron door, placing a hand against the cold metal.
Arianna's pulse quickened.
"Where are you taking me?" she demanded.
He turned to her, a slow, wicked smile curling on his lips. "Your new chambers."
The doors groaned open.
Arianna staggered back.
The room was enormous, the walls carved from obsidian, gleaming under the eerie candlelight. A massive canopy bed sat at the center, draped in black silk, its headboard etched with strange, ancient symbols.
It was beautiful.
And terrifying.
Because this wasn't a prisoner's cell.
It was a queen's chamber.
Her stomach twisted. "You expect me to stay here?"
Damien stepped inside, glancing around with mild amusement. "You're my wife, are you not?"
Arianna clenched her jaw. "Not by choice."
His silver eyes flashed as he turned to her. "Choice is an illusion, little wife."
Something in his tone sent a chill down her spine.
He was deadly serious.
She swallowed hard, glancing around the room. There were no windows. No visible doors except the one behind her.
A beautifully gilded cage.
Damien took a step closer, his presence unbearable. "You should rest."
Arianna forced herself to stay still, to meet his gaze without flinching. "And if I refuse?"
His smirk was slow, dark. "Then I suppose I'll have to persuade you."
Her stomach clenched.
She refused to let him win.
He was stronger. More powerful. But he was also underestimating her.
Arianna lifted her chin. "You'll regret binding me to you."
Damien's smirk widened, but there was something off about it this time.
Something almost… dangerous.
"Oh, Arianna." His voice was a whisper, dark and seductive, curling around her like a shadow.
"I think binding you to me might be the most interesting thing I've done in centuries."
Arianna's heart thundered.
She didn't know whether to be terrified.
Or to fear the moment she stopped being afraid.