Meret’s sobs filled the dim room, her wrists straining against the ropes as Cassia’s blade traced a slow, deliberate line along her arm. The sting made her flinch, and a thin ribbon of blood slid down her skin, warm and terrifying.

“Please, Cassia, stop!” Meret begged, her voice raw. But Cassia’s eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction, her lips curving as if each drop of pain was a prize.

Finally, Cassia stilled her hand. She leaned in, tilting Meret’s chin upward with practiced ...