Chapter 46 Vivian
VIVIAN
Istirred to the sensation of a hand moving gently across my back, fingers tracing slow, deliberate patterns over my skin.
For a fleeting moment, I thought I was back at the cabin, that it was Raffaele’s touch anchoring me to safety.
Warmth bloomed in my chest at the thought of him, but it was quickly obliterated by a searing pain that lanced through me.
I gasped, my muscles seizing as I rolled away from the touch. My eyes flew open, and there he was.
Izo sat beside me, his silver eyes flashing dark. “Good morning,” he said smoothly, his voice a melody that immediately began to seep into my thoughts, soothing the edges of my panic.
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head as I tried to cling to the shards of resistance still buried deep within me.
His song slid into my mind, wrapping around my thoughts like silk. My body betrayed me, my muscles relaxing against the invasive calm.
“That’s better,” he murmured, his fingers brushing against my arm. “There’s no need to fight me, Vivian. I’m here to take care of you.”
I hated him in that moment. I hated him for making my body obey and twisting my emotions until I had to question what was real.
“I have a story for you,” he said, sitting back slightly as his gaze locked onto mine. “Sit up, and I’ll tell it to you.”
I didn’t want to obey, but my body moved without my consent, pushing me upright as though it were a puppet on strings. I folded my hands in my lap, staring at the floor to avoid meeting his gaze.
“Good,” he said, his tone soft but filled with authority. “Now listen carefully. This is important.”
His voice dipped into the melodic cadence that I was beginning to dread. “Many years ago, before you were even born, there was a man. My father. He was a kind, just leader. Loved by his people. Respected by all who knew him. But then came The Shadow’s family.”
The mention of Raffaele sent a pang through me, but it was buried quickly under Izo’s smothering influence.
“They were ruthless,” Izo continued, his voice heavy with sorrow. “They wanted power. Territory. My father tried to reason with them, to find common ground. But they refused. They killed him without mercy. No negotiation. No honor.”
Tears burned in my eyes, and I didn’t know if they were real or if his magic was pulling them from me. The ache in his words bled into me, filling my chest.
“I was just a boy. I watched as they took everything from us. My father’s life. My family’s legacy. They turned us into nothing but scavengers, left to claw our way back from ruin.”
A tear slid down my cheek, unbidden and unwanted. My anger at Izo began to twist into sympathy.
Why did I ever oppose him?
No. That wasn’t right. I tried to push the thought away, but it settled in my chest, heavy and suffocating.
He leaned closer, his silver eyes boring into mine. “Do you understand now, Vivian? Why I had to do this? Why I can’t let The Shadow continue to destroy everything in his path?”
“Yes,” I heard myself say, though the word felt foreign in my mouth.
He smiled as he brushed a tear from my cheek. “You’re beginning to see the truth. Good girl.”
My stomach churned at the words, but the compulsion’s influence smothered my revulsion, replacing it with the sickening warmth of pride.
“Now,” he said, standing and moving to a nearby wardrobe. “It’s time for a little field trip. I think it’s important for you to see your husband and his friends.”
His words sent a wave of panic through me, but I kept my expression neutral.
Izo pulled something from the wardrobe and turned back to me. “This will be your uniform.”
The outfit he held was made of iridescent material that shifted with every movement, catching the light in a way that was both beautiful and unsettling. It was skimpy—a halter top and an impossibly short skirt that left little to the imagination.
“I don’t want to wear that.”
“You don’t have a choice. Get dressed.”
I hesitated, my hands shaking as I reached for the fabric. Every instinct screamed at me to resist, but the compulsion tightened, sending a wave of pain through me that made me gasp.
“Now, Vivian,” he said, his tone sharp.
I forced myself to stand, my body trembling as I slipped my shirt over my head. Even though Izo had already seen me naked, this felt different. Too close. Too personal.
His gaze raked over me, unashamed and predatory, as I removed the rest of my clothes and pulled on the uniform. The material was cool against my skin, clinging in all the wrong ways.
My hands fumbled as I tied the halter top behind my neck, my fingers trembling as I tried to ignore the burn of his eyes on me.
“Perfect,” he said softly, his smile widening as he stepped back to admire me.
I wanted to curl in on myself, to hide from his gaze, but the compulsion forced me to stand still, to endure his scrutiny.
“You look stunning. Now, let’s go. We don’t want to keep your husband waiting.”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to nod as I followed him to the door.
But deep inside, buried beneath the layers of control and manipulation, a tiny ember of resistance still burned.
And I held onto it with everything I had.
Izo’s hand rested lightly on the small of my back as he guided me down the narrow, spiraling staircase.
The air grew colder with each step, thick with the scent of salt and damp stone.
My bare feet slipped against the slick surface, but I didn’t dare falter.
His presence beside me was oppressive, the compulsion pulling at my every thought, smothering any instinct to resist.
He’s taking you to them.
The realization settled like a stone in my chest. Raffaele. Camilla. Luca. Vincenzo. Dorian.
The compulsion tightened, sending a warning through me as if to snuff out the spark of anticipation that rose at the thought of seeing them again. I pushed it down, keeping my expression blank as I followed Izo deeper into the palace’s underbelly.
The staircase ended at a narrow corridor. The bioluminescent algae clinging to the walls provided the only light.
“Do you hear that?” Izo asked, his voice calm and almost conversational.
I tilted my head, straining to listen. A faint melody hung in the air, soft and mournful. The sound seeped into my skin, stirring an inexplicable ache deep in my chest.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he continued. “The runes on these walls create a melody that weakens the will. It dredges up memories, fears, regrets. Perfect for breaking even the strongest of prisoners.”
My stomach twisted at his words, but I said nothing.
The corridor opened into a cavernous space, the walls slick with damp and etched with ancient siren runes that pulsed with an otherworldly light. Cells lined the room, their iron bars reinforced with enchanted coral.
The floor was submerged in knee-deep water that glowed from the algae, casting rippling patterns of light against the walls and ceiling.
Every few moments, a cascade of seawater poured through hidden channels, flooding the cells briefly before receding.
The sound of the waves echoed through the chamber, a rhythmic reminder of the sirens’ dominion over water and life.
Izo urged me forward.
“They’re just ahead,” he said softly, his tone carrying a note of anticipation.
I stepped into the chamber, the cold water lapping against my legs as I moved. I scanned the cells, my breath hitching when I saw him.
Raffaele.
He was chained to the far wall, his head bowed, his dark hair plastered to his forehead from the constant spray of water.
The coral chains binding him glimmered. His chest rose and fell with slow, labored breaths, and though his face was partially hidden, I could feel his anger and determination through what remained of our bond.
The others were in similar states. Camilla paced in her cell, her cougar-like grace diminished but not extinguished.
Luca sat cross-legged on the wet floor, his usually sharp eyes dull and distant.
Vincenzo leaned heavily against the wall, his expression grim, while Dorian muttered under his breath as he traced patterns in the water.
They all looked up as we approached.
Raffaele’s head snapped up first, his dark eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, everything else faded—the oppressive melody, the cold water, Izo’s hand at my back. The bond surged, faint but insistent, like a lifeline pulling me toward the surface of my own mind.
“Vivian,” Raffaele rasped.
The compulsion flared in response, smothering the connection to Raffaele almost instantly. A sharp pain shot through my chest, forcing me to clutch at my ribs as I struggled to breathe.
Izo chuckled beside me. “Easy now,” he murmured, his hand steadying me. “She’s still adjusting.”
“Let her go!” Raffaele’s voice reverberated through the chamber. He strained against the chains, his muscles taut with effort, but the coral bindings held firm.
I flinched at his anger and took a step closer to Izo, my body seeking his presence despite the voice in my head screaming at me to stop.
“You see?” Izo said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “She’s mine now, Shadow. Your marital bond means nothing here.”
“That’s not true,” Raffaele growled, his dark eyes boring into mine. “Vivian, you can fight this. Please.”
Tears pricked at my eyes, but the compulsion tightened, drowning out his voice with a wave of pain.
“Enough,” Izo said sharply, his silver eyes narrowing. “You’re upsetting her.”
Raffaele let out a bitter laugh, his chains rattling as he slumped back against the wall. “It’s easier for you if she doesn’t think, isn’t it? You’re nothing but a coward, hiding behind your tricks and songs.”
Izo’s smile didn’t waver, but I felt the tension in his posture. “Call me what you like, Shadow. It doesn’t change the fact that I’ve won.”
He turned to me, his expression softening. “Would you like to say anything to them, Vivian?”