Page 10 of Caged By the Lich

"Your family?" I scoff. "You mean the father who traded you away like chattel? The sister you left behind?"

A flicker of pain crosses her features, but it's quickly masked by anger. "Don't you dare speak of them. You know nothing."

I release her chin, circling her slowly. "I know more than you think, little rebel. I know about the whispers, the sideways glances. How you've never truly fit in, no matter how hard you tried."

Astrid's fists clench at her sides, but she remains silent.

"Here's what you need to understand," I continue, coming to stand before her again. "You're mine now. Your life, your future - it all belongs to me. The sooner you accept that, the easier things will be."

Her eyes narrow. "I will never belong to you."

The defiance in her voice sends a thrill through me. Oh, how I'll enjoy breaking that spirit. "We'll see about that," I murmur, a predatory grin spreading across my face.

I storm out of Astrid's room, slamming the door behind me. Fuck, that woman is infuriating. Her defiance grates on my nerves, yet I can't help but admire her spirit. It's been a long time since anyone dared to challenge me like this.

"Bune!" I bark, and my head guard materializes at my side almost instantly.

"My lord?"

I run a hand through my hair, frustration evident in every movement. "I need you to brief the staff on our... guest."

Bune nods, his face impassive. "What are your orders?"

"She's to be watched at all times," I growl. "I want eyes on her every second of every day. If she so much as twitches in her sleep, I want to know about it."

"Understood, sir."

I pace the corridor, my mind racing. "Treat her well. She's not to be harmed or mistreated in any way. But make no mistake, she is not to be trusted. She's clever, that one. She'll look for any opportunity to escape."

He raises an eyebrow. "You seem... impressed by her."

I shoot him a glare that would make lesser demons cower. "Don't mistake frustration for admiration. She's a problem that needs solving, nothing more."

But even as I say the words, I know they're not entirely true. There's something about Astrid that gets under my skin, and it's not just her defiance.

"What about her meals?" Bune asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Have them delivered to her room. No silverware, nothing she could use as a weapon. And have someone taste everything before it reaches her. I wouldn't put it past Ilreth to try something desperate."

He nods, making mental notes. "And her movements within the fortress?"

I consider for a moment. "She's to remain in her room for now. Once she's... acclimated, we'll reassess. But for now, she doesn't leave that room without my express permission."

"Very good, sir. Anything else?"

I pause, thinking. "Yes. Have Malakai assign his best spies to monitor any chatter about her presence here. I want to know how Ilreth and the other lords are reacting."

"It will be done," Bune assures me.

As he turns to leave, I call out, "And Bune? Make sure everyone understands the consequences of failing in their duties. If she escapes, heads will roll."

He nods gravely and departs, leaving me alone in the corridor. A part of me already wants to go back, to push her and see how she will respond.

But no. I have other ways to spend my time. She's a means to an end, nothing more. A tool to be used against Ilreth and the other lords who dare to challenge me. I can't afford to see her as anything else.

Yet as I walk away, I can't shake the image of her defiant glare, the fire in those green-gold eyes. It stirs something in me, something I thought long dead. And that, more than anything, is what truly frustrates me.

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