That night, Evie slept like a baby.
Her body was utterly spent, and Rohmir had been right—the mattress he had provided was in a league of its own. It cradled her like a cloud, unlike the stiff, lumpy thing she had suffered on before. She stretched lazily as the morning sun spilled a golden glow across the bedroom, painting everything in warm light.
For a brief moment, she allowed herself to bask in the comfort of it all. Then reality came rushing back.
The vision.
She sat up, rubbing her temple as memories of last night tumbled through her mind. After they had experienced that haunting scene together, Rohmir had retreated to his room without a word. That was unusual. He was always composed, always smug, always one step ahead of her. But last night, she had seen something else—something fragile.
And that woman in the vision… was she the lover he had killed?
Evie bit her lip. His face had been the same back then as it was now, untouched by time. But his body had been different, slightly smaller, more human. Yet, there was no mistaking it. That had been him.
She swallowed the unease rising in her throat. This was a complication she didn't need.
Shoving the thoughts aside, she headed to the bathroom and took a long, scalding shower. The water pounded against her skin, washing away the lingering sensations of last night's pleasure—and the sharp sting of regret.
Yes, regret.
She couldn't afford to make this mistake again. She had let herself get too close, too quickly. The bond between them was already unnatural, already forcing an intimacy she hadn't fully agreed to. And now? Now there were feelings tangled in it.
No.
She needed to break the bond as soon as possible. And more importantly—she could not sleep with Rohmir again. There were too many unanswered questions, too many dark secrets lurking beneath his perfect exterior. What the hell had she been thinking, letting herself get carried away with someone she had met just days ago?
Evie scolded herself as she got dressed. She wasn't this person. She wasn't reckless.
She found a carton of juice in the fridge, downed a glass in one go, and grabbed her keys. She had work to do.
The bookstore was a welcome distraction. She threw herself into the work—cleaning, restocking, rearranging shelves—but her mind refused to stay quiet.
What if the vision had triggered something in Rohmir? What if he remembered her now? That woman from his past.
Evie clenched her jaw, sweeping the floor with unnecessary force. She needed to stop obsessing. She needed answers.
And that's exactly why she had agreed to this meeting.
By the time she locked up the bookstore and got into her car, her nerves were in full rebellion.
What if the preson she was meeting told her something she didn't want to hear? What if Rohmir was really a murderer? What if breaking the bond was more dangerous than keeping it?
The drive to the café took thirty minutes. Thirty long minutes of overthinking and mentally preparing for the worst.
When she arrived, she spotted him immediately.
He didn't blend in.
Dressed in a crisp black suit, he exuded authority in a way that had nothing to do with good looks. In fact, he wasn't particularly handsome—blonde hair, black-rimmed glasses, and sharp features that gave him an air of calculation rather than charm. But there was something about him that commanded attention.
And he was staring straight at her.
Evie swallowed the lump in her throat and approached the table.
"Sit down, Evie. We have much to discuss."
She hesitated. The way he said her name made her skin crawl. Still, she pulled out the chair and sat, keeping her posture stiff.
The waitress appeared, but Evie waved her off. She had no appetite.
"Thank you for taking the time to come," the man said smoothly.
She raised an eyebrow. "As if I had a choice."
His lips curled in amusement. "Fair enough."
"Who are you?" she asked bluntly.
"That's not important. What matters is who he is."
Rohmir.
Evie crossed her arms. "Then start talking."
The man leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. "We know that Rohmir has come into your servitude. And we are here to help you with him."
Her stomach twisted. "We?"
"The organization I work for. We've been monitoring Rohmir since he was first summoned. He's dangerous, Evie. Every single person he has served has met an untimely end." He tilted his head. "Surely, you wouldn't want to share their fate."
Cold fear trickled down her spine.
"And what do you propose I do?" she asked, keeping her voice even.
"Give us the book. We'll take care of him."
Evie stiffened. "And the bond?"
"We'll handle that as well. You won't have to worry about him anymore."
Her fingers curled into her lap. "The bond is only broken by my death, isn't it?"
The man didn't blink. "Your life would be safer with us than with him."
That wasn't a no.
Evie's pulse pounded in her ears. She didn't trust Rohmir—but she trusted this man even less.
"And what exactly would you do with him?" she pressed.
"That's on a need-to-know basis."
"So I don't need to know."
"Correct."
She let out a slow breath. "I thought you said you had information for me."
"I do." He smiled thinly. "What do you know about him?"
Evie stared at him. "You're the one claiming to have all the answers. You tell me how to break this bond without killing me."
For the first time, his confidence wavered. He hadn't expected resistance.
"You would have to come to our facility," he said carefully. "With the book. There, we could show you."
Evie almost laughed. "You really thought I'd just hand him over to you, didn't you?"
His expression darkened. "We also provide compensation."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're offering me money?"
"Yes. Ten million."
Evie tilted her head. "I could just ask Rohmir for fifty million. Why would I need your ten?"
The man's patience snapped. "He is dangerous, Evie. You have no idea what you're dealing with." His voice dropped to a hiss. "Wherever he goes, death follows. Do you really want that on your conscience?"
Her stomach twisted, but she refused to let him see it.
"You've wasted my time," she said coolly, standing up.
He grabbed her wrist, shoving a card into her palm.
"You will regret this." His grip tightened. "All his masters do."
Evie jerked her arm free and stormed out of the café. Her heart was pounding. She had learned nothing. No way to break the bond. No solid answers. Just more threats, more manipulation.
Back to square one. She exhaled sharply, shoving the card into her pocket. She had to figure this out. Soon. Because if what that man had said was true...
She might not have much time.