Chapter 154: The Note
Cassian sat in silence long after Dareth left, his thoughts churning like a storm that wouldn’t settle. The air in the room felt heavier now, pressing down on his chest, thick with humiliation and disbelief. His hands were clenched at his sides, nails digging into his palms, and the corners of his vision burned with unshed rage.
He had never imagined being spoken to like that again.
Threatened. Dismissed. As if he were a dog being told to sit and roll over.
And worst of all—by him.
Cassian exhaled sharply and kicked the edge of the bed frame, sending a sharp jolt of pain up his foot. It didn’t help. The frustration still boiled under his skin, unrelenting. A heavy goblet from the table clattered to the floor with a metallic thud, rolling until it hit the leg of the chair and came to a stop. The silence that followed only made everything feel more suffocating.
This place was beautiful. Lavish and quiet.
But Cassian felt like he was trapped in a cage spun from silk.
He didn’t belong here.
He didn’t want to belong here.
And yet... he couldn’t deny that something about that man—about Prince Dorian—unsettled him deeply. Not just the way he looked at Cassian, not just the way he spoke... but the way the world itself seemed to warp around him. The way rules bent and fate twisted when he was near.
As if the universe itself dared not say no to him.
A soft knock interrupted the silence. Not loud, not impatient—just a quiet, composed tap.