A sharp knock shattered the charged silence between them.
Eleanor flinched, her heart still racing from the strange pull she felt toward Silas. Whatever had just happened—whatever had just passed between them—was unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
Silas, however, moved swiftly, his gaze darkening as he strode toward the door.
The air in the room shifted, thick with unspoken tension. Eleanor barely had time to steady herself before Silas pulled the door open.
On the other side stood Dorian.
Tall, imposing, and always brimming with barely restrained arrogance, Dorian leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed. His emerald eyes flickered between Eleanor and Silas, suspicion sharp in his gaze.
Silas sighed. "What do you want?"
Dorian’s lips curled into a smirk. "I heard you got into a fight with Cassius last night."
Eleanor’s stomach twisted.
Silas’ jaw clenched. "I don’t have time for this."
Dorian raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh? No time to discuss how you suddenly decided to fight for our little toy?"
Eleanor stiffened at his words.
Toy.
She knew that was all she was to them, but hearing it so blatantly stung. Silas’ fingers tightened around the door, his voice low and threatening. "Leave, Dorian."
Dorian chuckled, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Touched a nerve, did I?"
He stepped forward, but Silas moved to shut the door in his face—
Only for Dorian to stick his foot between the frame, forcing his way inside.
Eleanor instinctively stepped back as the tension in the room exploded.
Dorian didn’t waste time. "What’s your game, Silas?" he demanded. "You know she belongs to all of us. Cassius was right to demand his turn."
Silas’ expression darkened, his posture shifting as if ready for a fight. "That’s not the deal."
Dorian scoffed. "Oh? And what exactly is the deal?"
Silas met his brother’s gaze without flinching.
"No one forces themselves on her," he stated, voice firm. "Unless she wants it."
Eleanor’s breath hitched.
Dorian stared at Silas as if he had grown two heads. Then, after a beat of silence, he let out a bark of laughter.
"Are you insane?" he shouted. "She was sold to us, Silas! She doesn’t have a choice!"
Silas remained unmoved. "That’s where you’re wrong."
Dorian’s expression twisted with frustration. "You think you can rewrite the rules because you’ve grown fond of her?"
Silas didn’t reply immediately.
Eleanor could barely breathe as she watched the exchange unfold.
Silas finally broke the silence. "No one touches her until she’s bounded to us."
The room fell deathly still. Dorian blinked once. Then twice.
Then his face contorted in absolute disbelief. "Bounded?" he repeated, his voice laced with shock. "You want to bound with her?"
Eleanor swallowed hard, confused beyond words.
Bounded?
What did that mean?
She turned to Silas, searching for answers, but his face was unreadable.
Dorian let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. "You’ve lost it," he muttered. "You think you can change the way this works? You think any of us will agree to this?"
Silas tilted his head slightly. "You’ll have to."
Dorian clenched his jaw. "You’re playing a dangerous game, brother."
Silas smirked. "Aren’t we all?"
Dorian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair before turning to Eleanor. His gaze was different now—calculating, assessing.
Eleanor braced herself.
"What did you do to him?" Dorian asked, his voice quieter now, almost... curious.
She stiffened. "I—I didn’t do anything."
Dorian studied her for another moment before scoffing.
Silas stepped between them. "She doesn’t owe you an explanation."
Dorian clicked his tongue. "Fine. Have it your way."
He turned toward the door but paused just before leaving. Dorian gave Eleanor one last glance before stepping out.
The moment the door clicked shut, Eleanor exhaled, realizing she had been holding her breath.
Silas turned to her, his expression unreadable.
"Go get ready," he said simply.
Eleanor frowned. "Ready for what?"
Silas didn’t answer. Instead, he opened the door, silently telling her to leave. Confused and unsettled, she hesitated—but then, she stepped out. The door shut firmly behind her. And Eleanor was left standing in the dim hallway, heart pounding, mind spinning.