The moment Professor Maelis agreed to Alaric's meticulously crafted training plan, she had already lost. Every argument he presented, every appeal to her pride, her duty, and her ambition, was a silken thread in the intricate web he had woven. She, in her professional zeal and burgeoning personal feelings, failed to detect the predatory nature of the trap until its steel jaws had already closed around her. The true genius of Alaric's plan was its subtlety; it did not assault her will, but gently, methodically, co-opted it.
The first touch was the spark that lit the fuse. As Alaric lay down beside her on the plush white furs, the contact of their naked skin sent a jolt through Maelis's entire being. It was a sensation far more potent than mere physical contact; it was a surge of raw, untamed energy that made her gasp. His skin was fire against hers, a stark contrast to the ambient chill of the Azure Ice Cavern.
