The corridors of Slythwood Manor were a labyrinth. Lucas had walked them a thousand times, each step more ingrained in him than the last. But tonight, they felt like a maze designed to trap him. The walls closed in, the darkened portraits of long-dead ancestors whispering in disapproval as he made his way to his father's study.
He wasn't nervous. He'd never been nervous. Fear wasn't an emotion Lucas allowed himself. But tonight, there was something in the air—an electric charge. A danger he couldn't shake.
And it was all Evelynn Thorn's fault.
He ran a hand through his hair, pushing back the weight of his thoughts. He had made his offer, laid his cards on the table, and now there was no turning back. The deal he'd struck with her wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about something more dangerous. Something much more… personal.
He reached the door and knocked twice, a brief but deliberate tap. His father's voice, thick with impatience, came from inside.
"Enter."
Lucas pushed the door open, stepping into the dimly lit room. His father, Lord Virgil Slythwood, sat behind an immense desk, surrounded by ancient books and papers that reeked of age and secrecy. A single lamp illuminated his gaunt face, casting deep shadows beneath his eyes. He was a man who had long since lost the ability to show kindness, his every action calculated for power. But that was to be expected from the head of House Slythwood.
"Sit," his father commanded without looking up.
Lucas took his place across from the desk, his posture as rigid as the stone walls surrounding them. The air between them crackled with unspoken tension—Lucas knew exactly why his father had summoned him. The matter of Evelynn Thorn was no small issue. It was a matter of life and death.
"What's this I hear about you fraternizing with the enemy?" Lord Slythwood's voice was cold, his words clipped.
Lucas clenched his jaw. "She's not my enemy, Father. We're aligning for mutual survival."
His father's eyes flickered with a brief, dangerous glint. "Don't mistake me for a fool. You're playing a dangerous game, Lucas. With a woman who has more power than you realize."
Lucas met his father's gaze, unfazed. "You always did underestimate her."
"Underestimate her?" Lord Slythwood leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "I've seen what she's capable of. I've seen her rise from nothing, build an empire, tear down anyone who stands in her way. And now you're telling me you want to join forces with her?"
"I'm telling you that I don't have a choice," Lucas said, his voice low and steady. "The council is closing in. They've got a new player—someone who's smarter, more dangerous than we've anticipated. If we don't join forces, we'll be caught between two fires."
"And you think Evelynn Thorn is the answer?" His father's voice was incredulous. "What makes you think she'll be loyal to you? She's a woman driven by her own ambition. She'll stab you in the back the moment it benefits her."
Lucas's heart skipped. He knew his father was right. Evelynn wasn't a woman to be trusted easily. But he had seen something in her—something that called to him in a way no one else had.
"I don't trust her," Lucas said, his voice quieter now. "But she's the only one who can help us. And I'm willing to take that risk."
Lord Slythwood studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a sharp exhale, he sat back in his chair.
"Very well," he said slowly. "But remember this, Lucas: If you fall, I won't be there to catch you."
Lucas stood, his resolve hardening. "I'll take my chances."
---
Later that evening, Lucas found himself alone in his chambers, staring at the letter he had received from Evelynn earlier that day. The ink still gleamed on the parchment, but it felt like a weight in his hands. The words were simple, direct, but they carried an undercurrent of something deeper—a promise, perhaps, or a warning.
He had wanted to hear her say it. Wanted to hear her agree to the alliance. And she had. But now, he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't enough. The shadows between them were too thick, too deep.
And yet…
The thought of her, standing across from him in the drawing room, her cool gaze locking with his, had stirred something he couldn't ignore. Something that threatened to undo him.
His hand reached for the glass of whiskey on his nightstand. He drank deep, the burn in his throat doing little to extinguish the fire that had ignited in his chest.
---
The following day, Lucas stood at the edge of Slythwood Manor's grounds, watching the horizon turn a dull gray as dawn crept in. The snow had stopped falling, but the chill still hung heavy in the air.
A carriage rolled up the long driveway, its horses moving at a slow, deliberate pace. He knew exactly who it was before the door opened and a figure stepped out, dressed in black, her cloak billowing behind her.
Evelynn Thorn.
His pulse quickened, and for the first time in days, he felt the weight of everything—the deal, the consequences, the choices they had made.
She approached with the same grace and poise that had always made her dangerous. The coldness in her gaze was a reminder of the walls she had built around herself. But beneath that cool exterior, Lucas knew there was something more—something raw, something vulnerable.
"Lord Slythwood," she said, her voice like silk, yet cutting through the silence with ease.
"Lady Thorn," Lucas replied, his tone as controlled as ever.
Evelynn paused, her gaze sweeping over the estate. "I have to admit, this is… more than I expected. It's impressive."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Her lips curled into a faint smile. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm here for business, not compliments."
"Of course." He gestured toward the manor. "Shall we?"
She nodded and followed him into the house, her steps echoing in the grand entryway. Inside, the air was thick with tension, but neither of them acknowledged it.
As they reached his study, Lucas turned to face her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "We're doing this my way. There will be no room for mistakes. The council is watching us. Everyone is watching us."
"I know," she replied coolly. "Which is why I'm here."
"And you're sure you're ready for what this means?" Lucas asked, his voice low and steady.
Evelynn's gaze flickered, her mask momentarily slipping. But she regained control almost immediately, her resolve hardening. "I'm ready. If it means I survive, I'll do whatever it takes."
For a moment, Lucas just stared at her. There was something haunting in her words—something that made him want to pull back, yet something that also made him want to lean in closer.
"You'll regret it," he murmured.
"No," she said, her lips curling into a slow, dangerous smile. "I'll conquer it."
---
The two of them stood on the edge of a precipice, the world below them nothing but an abyss of ambition, power, and blood. Lucas knew he couldn't afford to falter. And yet, as they exchanged that final look, he realized something terrifying.
He didn't want to.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't sure if it was the power he craved, or the woman standing before him.