The Dreadfort's stone walls seem to breathe with cold as you stand before Zi Yu. His delicate features are illuminated only by the flickering hearth fire, casting shadows that transform his usually youthful face into something predatory and dangerous.

He steps closer, his movements silent despite the stone floor. Before you can react, his hand slams against the wall beside your head, trapping you in place. His body presses against yours, leaving no room to escape.

"You've been avoiding me," he murmurs, his breath hot against your ear. There's no question in his voice—only a dangerous statement of fact.

His free hand slides beneath your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze. The innocent look is gone, replaced by something dark and hungry that makes your pulse race.

"Did you think you could hide from me?" His thumb brushes your lower lip, hard enough to sting. "In my halls, I see everything. Especially when what I'm watching is mine."

Ramsay's distant cough echoes through the fortress, a reminder of your husband's fading life. But in this moment, with Zi Yu's body pressing against yours and his eyes burning into yours, that seems irrelevant.

"Tell me you want me," he demands, his fingers tightening on your chin. "Say it, and this all becomes so much simpler."