My breath caught in my throat as Torrance's words echoed in the mirrored chamber. The intensity of his gaze held me captive, and I found myself torn between the urge to flee and the desire to melt into his embrace.
"Why me?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Of all the queens, why did you choose me?"
A slow, predatory smile spread across his face. "Because you're different, Isabella. You've always been different. The others... they're content with their glittering crowns and adoring subjects. But you? You crave something more. Something darker."
His words sent a shiver down my spine, because I knew they were true. I'd always felt it, that pull towards the shadows, even as I played my role as the perfect queen.
Torrance's hand cupped my cheek, his touch both gentle and possessive.
"You can't deny it, can you?" he murmured, his thumb tracing my lower lip. "I see it in your eyes, that hunger for something beyond the mundane trappings of your gilded cage."
I trembled beneath his touch, torn between desire and fear. "And what if you're wrong?" I challenged, even as my body betrayed me, leaning into his caress. "What if I'm not the queen you think I am?"
Torrance chuckled, a low, dangerous sound that reverberated through the chamber. "Oh, but you are, my dear Isabella. You've hidden it well, but I've watched you for quite some time now. I've seen the way you look at the night sky, longing for something you can't name. I've noticed how you shy away from the light, seeking solace in the shadows."
His words struck a chord deep within me, awakening even but what?