Chapter 278

• Finn's POV
• The next morning, when I woke up, I found myself with iron chains on my hands, feet, and neck, and a bite stopper clamped tight across my face. My body ached like it was splintering apart, every muscle screaming from the night before. I couldn't even lift my head from the cold stone floor, but as the memory of Lycidas' hands, his growls, his relentless hunger flooded back, a slow, satisfied smile curled my lips. The pain was worth it. The chains, the bruises - they were just proof of how well I played the game.
• The door creaked open then, and footsteps echoed through the room. They weren't the steady, arrogant strides of Lycidas, but a chaotic stumble, like someone rushing in a panic. A pair of rough hands hauled me up from the ground, and I recognized the voice before I even saw his face.