Chapter 27

Sometimes I wonder how I could have been so stupid to take his hand. I had no control over my body or words. My weakness gave him the power to enter my mind and bend me to his will. Now I am trapped in Hell itself. I will never show weakness in front of the king again. I won’t give him the opportunity to use me.
Just like his eyes, the king’s heart is as black as night. His temper is like a volcano, always near erupting. The tiniest of movements or facial expressions can set off a mood swing which rages a storm on anyone unlucky enough to be nearby.
I have learned to tread carefully. The painful memories of the times I defied him haunt me, no matter how hard I try to lock them away. Simple things like refusing to go to dinner or not making eye contact when Lucifer speaks sends his rage building like deep water currents. With each beating I have received, my will to survive and make it out of here has weakened.
"Nice of you to join us, Miss Grace." The king’s deep, voice booms around the quiet room, causing a shiver of apprehension to run over my skin. A servant pulls one of the chairs away from the table before blending in with the background. I nod my head in greeting, afraid to speak and have my voice betray me.
The servants keep to the shadows, neither seen or heard. I see fear in their eyes but bravery too. They have withstood many cruel actions and now walk the halls as silent ghosts. The less attention they bring to themselves the less likely the king will call them out. I have heard the screams from the servants accused of not following the rules. Each high-pitched, frenzied shriek pierces my heart like a thousand knives. Their agony intensifies my fright. After a while, I learned to shut off my emotions and close my heart and mind to those around me. I am not sure how long I have been here now, maybe days, weeks, even months. Time means nothing to me anymore.
Although it pains me to witness the life they are forced to live, never knowing any love, I close my heart to protect my sanity.
"I would like you to meet my son Cole. He has been away taking care of business." He gestures to the young man seated to his left.
Keeping my mouth shut with a smile, I glance at his son. His eyes mirror his father’s, pure black pupils like the abyss of death. My spine turns to ice. The king has a son. Most probably with the same evil ways, I won’t be surprised if the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree. The bitterness in his gaze is like an extension of his fathers, laced with hatred. It spreads to his voice as he chides one of the servants for spilling some of the wine while he tries to pour it into the prince’s glass with shaky hands.
He has an uncanny resemblance to the Michaels. For a moment, I hope it is not the king’s son, but Chris pretending to be him to take me away from this place. However, hope is a fragile seed that never seems to grow here.
The room falls silent as the meal is served. The servant’s place platters of food on the table, different kinds of cooked meats, potatoes, and vegetables, plus a variety of bread. There is too much food for just the three of us. I feel guilty. One of the servants told me their daily meal was bread and water. The small appetite I had disappears at the thought.
Placing a small amount of food on my plate, I nibble at it, careful not to draw unwanted attention. The two men make small talk in a language I cannot understand or care to know. Their words mingle into one as my mind drifts off.
Although my new family and friends betrayed me, I miss them terribly. My heart is torn in two. No matter how much I argue with myself, I have forgiven them. I've never been one to hold a grudge, but I can’t figure out what their motives were. I just don’t understand why they did what they did.
The pain and suffering they caused is nothing compared to loneliness and helplessness I feel now. I want to go back to my life before I knew about magic and demons. How much simpler everything was back then.
After the two men are finished eating, I push my half full plate away and stare into space waiting to be dismissed. The king seems to find pleasure in making me feel uncomfortable, and the first few times it happened, he took great delight in watching me squirm in my seat. After this I willed myself to stop, he thrives on pain and misery, and I refuse to give him the satisfaction.
"Kayla, you have hardly eaten anything. You must keep your strength up for the wedding, my dear," the king says in his strange sing-song voice. His right elbow rests on the table, and a few strands of black hair fall into his face making him look more human.
The mention of a wedding gets my attention. The King’s mouth is turned up in half sneer, half smile and his eyes lack life. The look makes my skin crawl."Wedding?" I squeak, unable to form the words naturally. My stomach aches with tension. Fire flashes behind the king’s eyes before fading to their normal cold black.
"Yes, you are to marry Cole at the end of the month, when the moon is full." He waves his hand dismissively, as though he’s said something of little significance. My breaths come in small gasps. My heart hammers in my chest. The room spins. I feel sick.
The servants believed I was the one to make the realms fall. I hadn’t understood what they meant. Now I have an idea. He wants access to my mind and body so he can control my powers, and the wedding is his way in.
I jump to my feet. Pain bursts in my skull and I topple to my knees, pulling at my hair to make it stop. My head in my lap, I tug and whimper trying not to cry out.
A dark shadow flashes before me. The pain intensifies then stops, leaving me gasping for air.
"You will do as I say," he says, coldly, quietly and with no emotion. His black eyes drill into mine, daring me. I hold large chunks of my hair in both hands. My scalp burns. I was lucky this time. It could have been worse.
When he first brought me here, he told me I would never leave. I can still hear his haunting laugh at the notion. The feeling of being trapped weighs on my heart. With a wedding now looming over my head, another bolt has been added to my chance of freedom.
My legs shake as I struggle to my feet. I grip the back of the chair to steady my wobbling legs. I take a shuddering breath and walk out of the room with as much dignity as I can. I am surprised and relieved that no one stops or follows me as I head back to my room. The front door to freedom taunts me as it comes into view. Thinking better of trying to escape I continue down the dark corridors and into my room. The door is locked behind me. Confined to my room, a little more of my hope seeps away. I am trapped.