Chapter 27 · The Gilded Cage

“Kneel.”

Cane didn’t shout. He didn’t have to. The word hit Selena like a physical blow, the weight of the Void pressing down on her shoulders until her knees hit the cold obsidian floor with a sharp crack.

He stepped closer, the hem of his black cloak brushing against her white silk gown—a smudge of ink on a clean page. He reached down, his fingers hooking under her chin and forcing her head back. His touch wasn’t gentle. It was a claim.

“You look so small from up here, Selena,” Cane whispered, his breath warm against her cheek, contrasting with the unnatural chill radiating from his skin. “Where’s that divine authority? Where’s the voice that commanded the heavens to purge me?”

Selena tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. She could feel the pulse in his fingertips, steady and terrifyingly calm. “I did what I had to do for Luminis,” she spat, though her voice trembled. “The ritual was for the greater good. You were the sacrifice. That was your purpose.”

Cane laughed. It was a dry, jagged sound that didn’t reach his eyes.