Arabella moved silently down the hallway, her bare feet barely making a sound against the cold stone floor. The dim light of the castle cast long shadows, and every creak of the wooden beams above made her heart race. She felt like a trespasser in someone else's world, and yet she couldn't shake the burning curiosity pulling her forward.The castle seemed endless, a labyrinth of darkened corridors and grand doorways. She hadn't seen anyone-no Selene, no Damian, not even Aamon, whose constant teasing might have been welcome if only to ease the eerie silence.Then she heard it.Faint voices, muffled but distinct, echoed through the corridor. Her breath hitched as she strained to catch the direction. The sound drew her like a moth to a flame, her curiosity overpowering the instinct to retreat to the safety of her room.She tiptoed closer, pressing herself against the wall as the voices grew louder. Turning a corner, she spotted a set of heavy double doors slightly ajar. Light spilled through the crack, along with the hum of conversation. She crept closer, careful not to make a sound, and peeked inside.---On the other side of the door, Damian stood with the three lords. The room was grand, filled with high-backed chairs, a roaring fireplace, and a table laden with glasses of wine. Selene was off to the side, crouching as she picked up the shards of a broken wine bottle, her expression annoyed."How have you been, Damian?" Lord Isaac Dmitri asked, his deep voice laced with curiosity. He leaned back in his chair, his piercing dark eyes fixed on Damian. "You haven't visited us in some time.""Not even to attend our meetings," Lord Thaddeus Corvinus added, his tone sharper, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Care to explain?"Damian's golden eyes flicked between them, his expression calm but tense. "I've been... occupied," he said simply, his voice clipped."Occupied?" Thaddeus echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You've always been secretive, but now you're outright avoiding us. What are you hiding?""Nothing," Damian replied firmly, though his tone lacked the conviction he usually carried.Gabriel Ethura chuckled softly, swirling the wine in his glass. "Oh, come now, Damian. You may be a lot of things, but you're a terrible liar." He leaned forward slightly, his pale blue eyes glinting with amusement. "Aamon, on the other hand, is much easier to read. I've seen him wandering around town... mingling with humans."The mention of Aamon made Selene glance up from the broken glass, her expression sharp. Damian's jaw tightened, though he said nothing.Gabriel continued, his tone light and teasing. "Tell me, what's so fascinating about the human world that keeps your dear brother so busy? Surely he's not sneaking out just for the wine."Before anyone could respond, Gabriel's expression shifted. His nose scrunched slightly, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. He lifted his chin, inhaling deeply, and froze."What's that smell?" he murmured, his voice suddenly serious.The other lords paused, their casual postures stiffening as they too caught the scent. Thaddeus tilted his head, his dark eyes narrowing, while Isaac leaned forward, his expression unreadable."Hmm," Thaddeus mused, a slow smirk forming on his lips. "It smells... delicious. What is that?""Sweet," Isaac added, his voice low and thoughtful. "But with something more... intoxicating."Gabriel stood, placing his wine glass on the table. His gaze darted toward the door, and for a heart-stopping moment, Arabella thought he might see her. "It's amazing," he said softly, his tone laced with curiosity. "Like nothing I've smelled before."---Outside the room, Arabella's heart pounded in her chest. She pressed herself flat against the wall, her breath shallow and quick. She didn't know what they were talking about, but the way they spoke sent shivers down her spine.Inside, Aamon's eyes widened as he glanced at Damian and Selene, his mouth moving silently as if mouthing, It's her.Damian sighed, his shoulders stiffening as he tried to keep his composure. Selene rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath as she stood and dusted off her hands."We have a problem," Aamon whispered, though his tone was laced with amusement.Damian shot him a glare. "No kidding."Selene crossed her arms, her gaze cold. "They're going to figure it out if we don't act fast.""Figure what out?" Gabriel asked sharply, his keen eyes snapping to Selene.Damian ignored him, his focus shifting to the doorway. He could feel Arabella's presence, faint but undeniable. His jaw clenched as he spoke. "Aamon, take care of it.""Take care of what?" Thaddeus asked, rising from his seat.Before anyone could answer, a loud knock echoed through the hall, followed by a familiar voice."DAMIAN!" a man's voice roared from the entrance of the castle. "Open this fucking door, or I'll open your throat instead!"Arabella flinched, her back pressing harder against the wall. The sheer venom in the voice made her blood run cold.Inside, the tension in the room thickened. Damian's expression darkened, his golden eyes flashing with irritation. "Selene, go take her to her room," he said sharply, his gaze locking onto his sister.Selene raised an eyebrow, her tone flat. "Why me?""Because I said so," Damian snapped.Selene rolled her eyes but didn't argue. She glanced toward the doorway, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "Come on, little spy," she called out.Arabella froze, her heart skipping a beat. She hadn't realized they'd known she was there. Slowly, she stepped into the doorway, her face pale."Uh... hi," she said weakly, her voice barely above a whisper.Thaddeus's eyes lit up with curiosity, his smirk widening as he took her in. "Well, well," he murmured. "This explains a lot."Gabriel's gaze snapped to Arabella, his expression unreadable. "You're the source of that smell," he said, his voice soft but firm.Arabella took a step back, panic rising in her chest. "I... I don't know what you're talking about.""Enough," Damian said, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. "Selene, now."Selene sighed, grabbing Arabella's arm and pulling her out of the doorway. "Let's go," she said briskly.Arabella glanced back at Damian, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. "Damian-""Go!" he barked, his tone leaving no room for argument.Selene dragged Arabella down the hallway, her grip firm. "You're an idiot, you know that?" Selene muttered.Arabella scowled. "I didn't mean to! I just-""Save it," Selene interrupted. "Do you have any idea how dangerous those men are?"Arabella hesitated, her mind racing. "Who are they?"Selene glanced at her, her icy blue eyes flashing with frustration. "The Lords," she said simply. "They're powerful. Dangerous. And if they knew what you really are, they'd tear you apart.""What I really am?" Arabella repeated, her voice rising. "What does that mean?"Selene sighed, stopping abruptly and turning to face her. "It means you're in way over your head, little human. Now stay in your room, keep your scent contained, and don't do anything stupid."Arabella opened her mouth to argue, but Selene's sharp glare silenced her. With that, Selene pushed her into the room and slammed the door shut.Alone in her room, Arabella sank onto the bed, her mind spinning. What had just happened? What were the Lords? And why did they keep talking about my scent?