Arianna barely slept.
Even after Damien left, even after the door sealed shut once more, she remained awake, her mind spinning with everything that had happened.
The mirror. The castle. The warning.
She had known this place wasn't normal, but knowing something and experiencing it were two different things.
The castle was alive. It was watching her.
And worse… it had taken an interest in her.
She clenched her fists under the silk sheets, staring at the ceiling.
I can't stay here.
She had to escape.
But the question was how?
She had seen the power Damien wielded. The way he commanded the shadows, the way the castle seemed to bend to his will. He wasn't just the Devil's son—he was a ruler of this place, its master.
But not its creator.
And that meant there were rules.
Even he had limits.
Arianna just needed to find them.
She exhaled and sat up, running her fingers through her hair.
If there was a way out, she had to find it now—before Damien sunk his claws deeper into her.
A faint knock echoed through the chamber.
Arianna stiffened.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside.
It wasn't Damien.
It was a woman.
Tall, dressed in flowing black robes, her long silver hair cascading down her back. Her features were sharp, ethereal—eyes as dark as the void, lips painted the color of blood.
Arianna had never seen her before.
But something about the woman made her pulse quicken.
She wasn't human.
She wasn't a servant, either.
The woman studied her with unsettling curiosity before finally speaking.
"You don't belong here."
Arianna's heart pounded.
"Who are you?" she asked, voice steady despite the unease crawling up her spine.
The woman tilted her head slightly. "I go by many names."
Arianna's fingers twitched. "And which one should I call you?"
A slow smirk.
"You may call me Selene."
Arianna swallowed.
"Are you… like Damien?"
Selene's smirk widened, but there was no amusement in it.
"Oh no, little bride," she murmured. "Damien is like me."
A chill ran down Arianna's spine.
What does that mean?
Before she could ask, Selene took a step closer, her dark eyes gleaming.
"You're different from the others."
Arianna tensed. "What others?"
Selene's smile was sharp. "The ones who came before you."
Arianna's breath hitched.
The previous wives.
The ones Damien had taken. The ones who had disappeared.
Her fingers clenched the silk sheets. "What happened to them?"
Selene's gaze flickered, but she didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked to the edge of the bed and lowered herself onto the chair nearby, crossing one long leg over the other.
"They weren't strong enough," she finally said.
Arianna's blood turned to ice.
A dozen questions stormed through her mind.
Not strong enough for what?
What did Damien do to them?
Was she next?
Selene watched her carefully. "You want to escape."
Arianna forced herself to meet her gaze. "Wouldn't you?"
Selene chuckled, the sound soft but laced with something dark.
"You misunderstand."
Arianna frowned.
Selene leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand.
"I am here to offer you a deal."
Arianna's pulse jumped.
"A deal?"
Selene nodded. "You want freedom, do you not?"
Arianna hesitated.
This felt too easy. Too sudden.
She didn't trust it.
But… she had to hear it.
"What kind of deal?"
Selene's dark eyes gleamed.
"I will help you escape this place."
Arianna inhaled sharply.
"In exchange for what?"
Selene's smirk returned. "A simple price."
Arianna knew better than to trust the word simple.
Selene's voice dropped to a whisper.
"When the time comes, you will owe me a favor."
Arianna's chest tightened.
A favor.
She didn't know what it would be. She didn't know when Selene would collect.
But she knew one thing.
Deals in the Underworld were never simple.
Arianna's mind raced.
If she refused, she would be trapped here. Alone. At Damien's mercy.
But if she agreed… she would be bound to something else.
Something she didn't understand.
Her gaze flickered to Selene's hands. Long fingers adorned with silver rings, nails painted a deep, glossy black. There was something ancient about her, something that sent a shiver through Arianna's bones.
Was this better than being Damien's prisoner?
Selene watched her, waiting.
Arianna exhaled slowly.
"I need time to think."
Selene's expression remained unreadable, but she inclined her head. "As you wish."
She stood gracefully, moving toward the door.
But before she left, she turned, her dark eyes locking onto Arianna's.
"One last thing, little bride."
Arianna tensed.
"Be careful." Selene's voice was soft, almost… warning.
"The castle isn't the only thing watching you."
Arianna's stomach dropped.
Selene disappeared.
And Arianna was left alone with her racing heart and the unshakable feeling that something was about to change.
Something big.
And she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.