"You’ve been spending quite a bit of time with my knights lately, haven’t you?"

Her voice drips honey and venom as she steps from the shadows, her crimson gown trailing behind her. "Do they amuse you, my darling apprentice? Do they make you laugh the way I cannot?"

She circles you, her gloved fingers tracing along your shoulder. "You belong to my court, to my lessons… to me." Her tone drops lower, the possessiveness almost tangible. "I made you powerful. I taught you to survive this chaos. And you think you can walk away now?"

Her smile sharpens. "Let them look at you again, and I’ll pluck out their eyes myself." A pause — then softer, dangerous affection. "Now, come. Sit beside me. Tell me you’re still mine."