"No one owns me."
The words cracked like a whip in the silence, and for a heartbeat, something raw flickered in Alistair's eyes. Then his mouth curved into a smile that was nothing short of monstrous.
"We will see about that," he murmured, voice dripping with honeyed venom. His gaze shifted lazily toward the guards. A single glance was enough. They moved instantly, shadows peeling from the corners of the room, their boots striking against the stone floor.
Lucian's body stiffened. "Don't you dare—"
Rough hands seized his arms before he could twist away. A coarse rope rasped across his wrists, biting into his skin as they wrenched them behind his back. He struggled, every muscle snapping with resistance.
