THIRTY-FOUR

AURORA

A cold presence loomed over me. Even before I opened my eyes, I could feel it—an unsettling energy that sent shivers crawling down my spine. My body tensed. Someone was watching me.

My breath came out in shallow puffs as my eyelids fluttered open.

Thane.

His face hovered above me, his icy eyes scanning me with unsettling curiosity. He was too close, his expression unreadable, his gaze sharp like a blade pressing against my skin.

A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it.

The sound jolted Kaidos awake beside me. He sat up abruptly, his body tense and alert.

“What the hell?” His voice was thick with sleep, but his instincts were already kicking in. His eyes darted from me to his brother.

I clutched the sheets tighter around myself, my heart slamming against my ribcage.

My breath came fast, uneven. Thane didn’t move. He just stood there, his posture relaxed, as if my reaction was nothing more than an amusing spectacle to him.

Kaidos let out a low growl, rubbing his face. “Thane, what the fuck are you doing in my room this early?”

Thane didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he tilted his head, his gaze still locked onto me, his lips slowly curving into a smile that sent a chill through my bones.

“Well, well,” he finally murmured, his voice low, calculating. “You really are a little whore, aren’t you?”

The words hit me like a slap.

I stiffened, my throat constricting.

Kaidos sat up fully now, his muscles tensing. “Watch your mouth.”

Thane barely acknowledged him. His sharp, glacial stare never left me. “You’ve bewitched him, haven’t you?” His tone was both mocking and amused, like he had just stumbled upon the punchline of a cruel joke.

My heart pounded harder. What was he talking about?

Kaidos exhaled sharply, already frustrated. “Enough. If you came here just to talk shit, then get out.”

Thane chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. “Oh, I’m not going anywhere.” He took a step forward, his presence suffocating, drowning out the air in the room. “Not when I’ve finally caught on to her little game.”

My stomach twisted.

Kaidos frowned, his tone cautious now. “What game?”

Thane reached into his coat and pulled out a folded piece of paper. The movement was slow, deliberate, like he was unwrapping a long-awaited surprise.

The second I saw it, my entire body locked up.

No.

He held it up between two fingers, shaking it slightly as his gaze bore into mine.

“Does this look familiar?” His voice was a purr of satisfaction.

Blood drained from my face.

“I—I don’t know what that is,” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Thane smirked. “Liar.”

Kaidos shifted beside me, his frown deepening. “Thane, just get to the point.”

“Oh, I will.” Thane’s eyes never left mine as he unfolded the paper, cleared his throat dramatically, and began to read.

“First step to your freedom: get them to trust you in whatever way you can, even if it means seducing them…”

The words cut through the air like a blade.

My breath hitched.

Kaidos went still, his entire body rigid.

The silence that followed was deafening.

The world around me blurred as my mind spun wildly, grasping for any explanation, any way to make this moment disappear.

Thane lowered the paper slowly, his eyes gleaming with cruel delight. “Now, isn’t that interesting?”

My lips parted, but no words came out. I felt trapped, cornered.

Kaidos turned his head toward me, his face unreadable. “Rory,” he said, his voice unnervingly calm, “what the hell is this?”

I shook my head rapidly. “It’s not what it looks like.” My voice trembled, barely steady.

Thane let out a low laugh. “Not what it looks like?” He tossed the letter onto the bed, the paper fluttering as it landed between me and Kaidos. “Then what is it, sweetheart?”

My fingers clenched the sheets so tightly my knuckles turned white. “It’s—” I swallowed hard, forcing my breath to even out. “It’s not mine.”

Thane arched a brow, feigning surprise. “Oh? Then whose is it?”

I opened my mouth, then shut it.

I had no answer.

Kaidos picked up the paper, scanning the words again. His jaw was tight, his expression darkening. “Where did you get this?” His question was directed at Thane now.

Thane smirked. “Oh, wouldn’t you like to know?”

Kaidos exhaled sharply through his nose, his patience wearing thin. “Enough games, Thane.”

Thane’s smirk widened. “You should be asking her the questions, brother. After all, she’s the one playing you.”

I shook my head frantically. “No. That’s not true.”

Thane took a step closer, his cold amusement vanishing, replaced by something sharper. “Isn’t it?” His voice was a whisper, taunting. “Tell me, Rory, how far were you willing to go? How deep were you planning to sink those claws of yours?”

Kaidos’s hands curled into fists. His face was unreadable, but I could feel the shift in him—the way his energy changed.

I turned to him desperately. “Kaidos, please. You have to believe me.”

His gaze flickered to mine, searching, assessing. “Then tell me the truth.”

I opened my mouth again, but before I could say a word, Thane cut in.

“I have more.”

The room went still.

A slow, sickening dread spread through my veins.

Thane’s smirk was back, but this time, it was darker, more triumphant.

“You see, I did a little digging,” he continued, reaching into his coat again. He pulled out another piece of paper, then another. Letters.

A stack of them.

All of them were addressed to me.

Kaidos stiffened. My stomach dropped.

Thane spread the letters out on the bed like they were pieces of evidence in a trial.

“Guess what I found?” His voice was mockingly sweet. “More little notes detailing how to win your freedom.” His gaze snapped to mine, a gleam of sadistic pleasure in his eyes. “How long were you going to keep up this act?”

I felt lightheaded. My lungs couldn’t expand.

This was bad. Really bad.

Kaidos’s silence was worse than anything Thane could have said.

He was staring at the letters, his expression blank, unreadable.

Seconds stretched unbearably.

Then, slowly, he looked up at me.

Thane leaned in slightly, “Game over, sweetheart.”

My blood ran cold.

I had to say something. I had to fix this.

But before I could, Kaidos stood up abruptly.

He turned away from me.

“Kaidos—” I reached for him, but he stepped back.

Thane’s smirk widened, satisfied.