Chapter 22

" Nothing," I replied quickly, forcing myself to swallow the lump in my throat. Any sign of weakness and they might use it against me.

Once the glam girls were finished with me, I was escorted out of the house by the older women again. I was taken to an old carriage pulled by horses this time, not those hideous-looking creatures. The old wood creaked and groaned under my weight, and the smell of aged leather filled the air. The interior was dimly lit by a single lantern, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

The old women huffed as one of my captors appeared from behind the carriage. " I guess the House of Morganna is still good for something. I never thought she would make you look as good as she did." Why he said those things, I did not know because I looked hideous.

The horses pulled forward in a rush, and my corset pressed hard into my ribs. I could hardly breathe, and to make it worse, I didn’t know what awaited me tonight, or rather who awaited me.

Before I left the bathing chambers, I managed to retrieve the book underneath the sofa and hid it under my garments.

The carriage came to a halt in the courtyard of an old spooky castle that looked like death lingered within the shadows of the ruins. Everything was dark and grey. There wasn’t a flower or any greenery in sight. The darkness lingering over this place made the hairs on my body stand upright.

We climbed out of the carriage and walked up the darkened stone steps. My heart was beating like crazy. I didn’t want to become whatever these people were or did for a living.
" Whatever the king says is final. If he doesn’t want her, she is coming back with me," the older woman, who I assumed was Morganna, said to my captor.

" Oh, the king will take her. She still looks fresh and unbroken." The woman clenched her jaw but held her tongue as she stared at me with motionless eyes. I lifted my chin high and walked the last few steps right next to her.

As we approached the front entrance, the heavy doors creaked open, revealing an older woman with raven-black hair and a crooked nose that reminded me of a witch from a storybook. She had small, rounded glasses perched on the tip of her nose, and she peered over them with a cold, displeased expression.

" What brings you here this late?" she asked, her tone as icy as her gaze.

" We brought a little present for His Majesty," the blonde-haired man said, shoving me forward without a care.

The woman looked me up and down, her eyes narrowing as she took in my appearance. She huffed in clear disapproval. " Fine," she said shortly, gesturing for us to enter.

The man roughly removed my restraints, and I immediately rubbed my sore wrists, trying to ease the pain. As I took in my surroundings, I realized the castle was just as dark and foreboding as the rest of this place. The walls were made of old stone, and the only light came from flickering torches mounted on the walls. Everything about this place screamed centuries-old.

The blonde-haired man held out his hand expectantly to the woman. With a sigh, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small leather pouch that jingled with the sound of coins. She handed it over, and the man’s face lit up with a greedy smile as he opened the pouch to inspect his payment.

" Nice doing business with you, Madam Windfield," he said with a satisfied grin. The woman, now clearly identified as Madam Windfield, huffed again, clearly not enjoying the interaction.

" Come," she ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument. She led me down a long, dark stone hallway. The corridor seemed endless, with no doors in sight—just a straight, narrow path that filled me with a growing sense of dread.

At last, we reached an old wooden door with an arch above it. Without a word, she motioned for me to go inside. I hesitated, but the sharp look in her eyes told me I had no choice. The moment I stepped through the threshold, the door slammed shut behind me, and I heard the unmistakable sound of a lock clicking into place.

" This will serve as your quarters until the king decides whether he wishes to have you as his mistress or a maid."

" Mistress?" I echoed, taken aback by the suggestion.

" Yes, mistress," she confirmed. " To serve as his companion and to satisfy his needs. Surely you understand why you are here?"

Panic surged through me. I turned back to the door, pounding on it with my fists, screaming for someone—anyone—to let me out. But the only response I got was the echo of my own voice in the cold, empty room.

I should have slept soundly, but rest eluded me. Tossing and turning in the unfamiliar bed, I found no comfort. My thoughts raced, my mind refusing to settle, filled with apprehension about the meeting with the king. Judging by the eerie castle’s appearance, he didn't strike me as a good ruler.

Though the chamber offered more comfort than the dungeons of Valtor, with its proper bed and private bathroom, the reality of my situation hit hard. I felt fractured without Merilla, as if a part of me had been torn away. This loss weighed not only on my mind but also on my spirit. Though I should have been fighting tooth and nail against my captivity, I found myself lacking the will to resist.

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my troubled thoughts. I wondered why they bothered to knock when they held the key. After a brief pause, the door creaked open, revealing a young girl who appeared even younger than myself. She carried a tray with food, which she placed delicately on a nearby dresser.

" I was instructed to bring you food," she stated simply, her voice quiet and devoid of emotion. Without further comment, she turned and locked the door behind her, leaving me alone once more.

I approached the tray, eyeing the small bowl of stew and the slice of dry bread. Though my stomach should have growled with hunger, I found no appetite. I stared at the food for a moment before retreating back to the bed, lost in my thoughts.

Later that day, the same girl returned to draw a bath for me, her actions efficient and wordless, yet strangely comforting in their routine assistance.


*****


( Kaden )


" You fucking four were supposed to look over her!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the grand entryway of the castle as I kicked the massive oak table. Glass shattered on the glossy marble floor, the vase that once held fresh morning flowers now a mess of shards.

" We were outnumbered and had no other choice," Deon responded, his frustration evident as he pinched the bridge of his nose—a gesture that indicated his mounting stress.

" Outnumbered?" I retorted sharply. " You should have called for reinforcements. You knew how important this was!"

" Kaden," Mike interjected, stepping forward with a calming gesture. " We did everything we could in the heat of the moment. Yelling at us won't change what happened. Just calm down before…"

" Before what, Mike? Before I lose it and turn bad? Well, it’s too late for that. It already hap—" I cut myself off, the weight of guilt settling heavily on my shoulders. It was my responsibility. I was supposed to be there, but I woke up disoriented in the greenhouse. The last thing I remembered was preparing for the Elemental Games, then a splitting headache, and suddenly waking up alone.

" Why can’t I sense her? I gave her some of my energy. I should be able to feel her presence, unless..."

" Don’t give up hope," Zaden interrupted firmly. " She’s resilient. She's not gone."

" The energy connection only lasts for a limited time," Deon added, his voice low with concern. Leaning heavily against the staircase railing, I felt useless and overwhelmed.

" When I woke up tonight, after another episode with the darkness clouding my mind, I felt this sinking feeling in my gut. I can’t reach her anymore. It’s like there’s a barrier around her mind, blocking me out." The men exchanged looks of empathy, their expressions mirroring my own frustration and fear.

" We will find her, Kaden," Mike asserted, stepping closer. " No matter what."

I slammed my fist against the staircase railing, sparks of lightning crackling around my fingers. The others instinctively ducked, avoiding the bolts.

" Kaden, please," Mike urged cautiously, " consider that your unique bond with her might be complicating your ability to sense her."

" Round up the prisoners we captured," I instructed, trying to focus on actionable steps. " Interrogate them. We need to find out where she is."

" We don’t think they have her," Deon interjected calmly. " We advised her to run and hide."

" Then find out why they attacked us," I commanded, my voice tense with urgency. "Where they come from, what they want—leave no stone unturned. I don’t care how you get the answers, just get them."