Chapter 14 · What do you want from me?

He stepped back abruptly, the sudden loss of warmth leaving her shivering. Selena stumbled, her legs feeling strangely weak. She looked at him, her expression a chaotic mess of pride and longing.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice sounding small in the vastness of the Void.

"I want you to stop pretending," Cane said, walking in a slow circle around her, like a predator evaluating its prey. "I want you to admit that the 'purification' you performed on me didn't kill me—it woke me up. And now, I'm going to wake you up too. I'm going to strip away every layer of that holy facade until there's nothing left but the girl who was terrified of her own shadow."

Selena straightened her back, trying to reclaim her dignity. She smoothed her gown with trembling hands. "You can torture me, Cane. You can lock me in this wasteland. But you will never make me love you."

Cane stopped in front of her, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Love? Who said anything about love? I don't want your heart, Selena. I want your obedience.