My knees buckled. The world tilted. And then I collapsed—right into someone's arms.

Through blurred vision, I saw Cassian’s face leering over mine, his hands already touching places they shouldn’t.

"Calla, you really outdid yourself this time. Sleeping pills made her limp like a corpse. But this..." He licked his lips, eyes gleaming.

"This is so much more fun."

Calla stood beside him, watching me with smug satisfaction.

"It’s a new drug—foreign. It’s called Obedience Serum. She’ll forget everything by morning. No matter what happens, she won’t remember a thing."

"Play however you like."

"Let me go!"

I screamed with the last scrap of strength I had, but my body wouldn’t respond. My limbs wouldn’t move. I could only stare helplessly at Alaric, silently pleading for a trace of mercy.

He looked at me—expressionless, unmoved—and turned to Cassian.

"Just be careful. She’s still pregnant, and the baby’s part of our million-dollar bet."

My heart shattered.

“You’ll regret this.”

My voice was faint, the last flicker of will in my fading consciousness.

Calla leaned into Alaric’s arms and let out a shrill, mocking laugh.