Orion's whisper, "you will do exactly as I tell you," echoed in the vast silence of the house. The words fell like a cleaver—cold and final. I stood there in the middle of the immense living room, staring at the marble floor that gleamed under the lights. It was impossible. This couldn't be real. I wanted to scream, to wake up from this nightmare, but my voice was lost in the ball of fear that had formed in my throat.
Orion motioned for me to follow him. His gait was fluid and predatory, that of a man perfectly at ease in his environment, a king in his kingdom. I walked behind him, my eyes fixed on his broad back, my mind in a whirl. The house was a labyrinth of hallways and rooms, each more sumptuous than the last. There was a high-tech gym, a library with walls full of ancient books, and an office so pristine it seemed to have never been used. Everything screamed of wealth, power, and, above all, isolation.
He stopped in front of a large, solid wooden door. He opened it with a sharp gesture. "Here is your room."
The room was magnificent. A king-size bed covered in silk sheets, floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the surrounding forest and the distant city, and an adjoining bathroom worthy of a palace. It was a gilded cage, a prison of insane beauty.
I turned to him, my anger finally overpowering my fear. "A prison, is that it? You kidnapped me, you erased my life, and now you're locking me up in your ivory tower. I'm not yours!"
His expression didn't falter. He placed a small, simple, unadorned phone on the nightstand. "You have nothing left," he said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "This phone is your only connection to the outside world. It's encrypted. The only number you can call is mine. You never leave it."
"What if I refuse?!" I dared, my voice trembling with rage.
He took a step toward me, and the height difference between us became more blatant than ever. His shadow enveloped me. "You don't refuse," he simply said. "The world you've entered is dangerous. The contract isn't just your life, Lyra, it's your protection. Be grateful."
He walked away, and I felt as if the room grew colder. He cast a final glance at the room, then at me. "Sleep. Tomorrow, your training begins."
The door closed behind him with a dull thud, followed by the echoing click of a lock. I was alone, a prisoner in a luxurious room, facing the first night of my new life.