Riven's Pov
Selthra's eyes settled on me once I was at the foot of her throne , the weight of her stare pinning me like a nail hammered into the floor. She sat on her throne as if it were a stage made for her alone—her back straight, shoulders relaxed, head tilted at just the right angle to make it look like she ruled the air we breathed.
She was beautiful. Unfairly, cruelly beautiful—just like her name whispered in my nightmares. Her hair spilled over her shoulders in a cascade of white silk, every strand catching the light like fine silver threads. The sharpness of her face had only grown since I last saw her, as though time itself had carved her features to perfect precision—cheekbones cutting, jawline strong, lips painted with a glossy red that made them look like fresh blood. Her eyes glowed crimson, alive with amusement and hunger.
