Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Iwake up in an unfamiliar room, wrapped in a soft blanket. The bed is warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the wooden board I slept on in Anima. I sit up, blinking away the haze of sleep as I take in my surroundings.
I’m in a hexagonal shaped room, the walls and floor are made of a rich, warm wood. Green curtains cover a large window to my right, and they filter in gentle morning light. A chandelier, shaped like a delicate flower, hangs from the ceiling,
To my left, a fireplace crackles quietly, even after a long night, the flames burn and it warms the room nicely. A dark wooden desk sits nearby, papers and pens stacked neatly atop it.
This is an excess of luxury in comparison to my room at Anima.
My gaze gets sucked back to the window, how the warm light casts a pattern on the wooden floor.
I know it’s not the sun, but there was no such thing as warm light at Anima.
Nivraen only knows clouds and grey skies.
I must’ve travelled a lot further than I initially thought.
Two doors catch my eye; the one that Mrs Delalune disappeared through last night and another one a little more to the right. One of them leads to the hallway, time to find out what’s behind the other.
I sit up straight, throw the thick, cosy blanket away, and bring my bare legs towards the edge of the bed. A soft, plush carpet tickles the bottom of my feet and I can’t help but dig my toes into the material. I’ve never felt anything like this, at least not that I know of —
Wait.
My bare legs?
My arrival is a faraway memory, but I’m pretty sure I wore trousers and not this oversized shirt. Not sure how I feel about someone else changing my clothes for me, it’s a little weird and definitely concerning.
On the nightstand next to the bed is a small lamp, a glass of water and some pills with a small note next to it, telling me to take them in.
I drop the note, ignoring its instructions, and push myself up from the bed. I take one step forward, only for black dots to dance at the edge of my vision. I place my hand on the wall, closing my eyes as I take deep breaths to chase away the dizziness.
As the flood of saliva retreats from my mouth, I open my eyes and take another hesitant step, noticing how the room stops spinning and I get steadier with every step.
I reach the other door and say a quick little prayer that there won’t be any ugly surprises behind it, like some kind of torture room. I push down the handle, turn on the light and walk into a private bathroom. It has a toilet, sink and a rectangular shower cabin.
This room is far too luxurious for an inmate. I check the ceiling for cameras and tap against the mirror to see if there might be a hidden panel. But only my exhausted face stares back, the dark circles undeniably there.
Would Ami still think I’m pretty?
I nearly hear her scream, “Of course I do, silly!”
A faint, sad smile tugs at the corner of my lips, but it doesn’t reach my tearstreaked eyes. I blink rapidly, hoping to prevent a complete breakdown.
She would probably also tell me to enjoy this dreamy room for as long as it lasts. And she is totally right. I have made it out of Anima after five years of being stuck in that horrible place.
I won’t let my guard down as long as I’m still breathing, I know my life will end here, but a decent shower doesn’t sound bad right now.
I blink once, twice. Rub my eyes and blink again.
Maybe it is the lighting or the fact that I haven’t properly stared in the mirror in ages, but the colour of my eyes leans more towards a chestnut brown instead of the usual black brown.
Shuffling footsteps and hushed, too loud voices catch my attention and I turn towards the other door. Someone’s coming. I throw one more quick glance in the mirror, but my eyes look the same as they always do, and leave the bathroom.
My heart picks up its pace, my palms are sweaty and knees are wobbling. I wait, preparing myself for the worst. The voices go silent and it takes three excruciatingly long seconds for the door handle to move.
I might faint, here and now. Maybe that will make them come back another time?
The door opens and a tall woman stands in the opening.
Her dark brown hair is swept into a voluminous bun, with intricate braids woven through it.
Her deep coffee-coloured skin glows in the morning light.
She wears a sleeveless royal purple tunic embroidered with swirling patterns, cinched at the waist with a twisted rope belt that accentuates her hourglass figure.
She could be in her late twenties or in her mid-fifties. Either way, she is a far cry from the heavily equipped guard I was expecting.
She looks up from the papers in her hand - no shackles or weapons as far as I can see - and spots me standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
I prepare myself for shouting and scolding, but all she does is offer me a gentle smile.
“Ah! Hello there, young lady. Good to see you’re up on your feet, although I have to excuse myself for keeping you waiting,” She looks over her shoulder, nearly dropping the paperwork in her hands.
“One of my apprentices was running late, weren’t you, Aramis? ”
She raises a brow at him, turns around and enters the room.
If I thought the female was tall, Aramis is even taller, barely fitting through the door. But he is equally as stunning as she is, if not even more so. Saliva nearly piles up in my mouth again, but for a whole other reason this time.
Short, messy golden waves frame a freckled face, green eyes twinkling with mischief. He wears round glasses that give him an almost innocent look, but something tells me he’s anything but.
The woman drops the papers on the desk and starts rummaging through the large bag she’s carrying. My eyes are automatically drawn back to Aramis, only to see he is already taking me in from head to toe. He lingers in the doorway, but wakes up from his trance only to dip into a deep bow.
“My apologies for the delay, milady. I sincerely hope you haven’t been waiting too long.”
Oh. Oh.
Is there actually a chance that the first man I meet in this place isn’t a piece of shit? He is cute. Very cute, and polite. And somehow not staring at me like I’ve grown a third eye.
He wears a loose cobalt-blue sleeveless shirt tucked into matching trousers, brown combat boots laced snugly on his feet. His arms are folded behind his back, but I catch the hint of lean muscle in his shoulders.
Very, very cute indeed.
The woman moves until she’s next to me, breaking the trance Aramis put on me with his presence alone. I take a step back. She offers me an apologetic smile, before turning her gaze on Aramis. She shakes her head. “For moon’s sake, Aramis, stand up. We don’t have time for this.”
Her tone might have a hint of annoyance, but as I glance at Aramis’ blond head, I glimpse a hardly contained, amused smile. He doesn’t move an inch, as if she said nothing at all.
She sighs and rolls her eyes, before looking at me. “He’s waiting for you to tell him to rise, Maily. Since it’s you he offended, not me.”
My eyes widen. Offended? He didn’t offend me, quite the opposite actually. I’m the one who was gaping at him seconds ago, not the other way around. “Uh…you may rise…sir? If you, uh, want to, that is.”
A low chuckle escapes him as he straightens in one smooth motion, a teasing smile on his full lips. Not a cruel one to my surprise. He seems my age, maybe a little older and there’s something familiar about him, although I can’t put my finger to it.
“Sir…I like that.” He winks at me. A man, a hot one, winks. At me. What is going on?
“May I enter, my lady?” His green eyes glint playfully, as if he can actually hear my thoughts.
Althea narrows her eyes. “Don’t make me drag you in, Aramis.”
He raises his hands in surrender. “I know you love my chivalry, Althea, I’ll have to wait until the lady invites me in.”
Both gazes turn to me, one playful, the other exasperated. “You may come in?” I have to restrain from hitting myself in the face. Why did I make that sound like a question?
Aramis dips his head, biting his lip to hold back a smile.
He moves into the room, looking over his shoulder as he passes me.
Up close, his lashes are absurdly long, curling perfectly upward around those emerald green eyes.
There clings a scent to the air around him, one that I can only link with the cold outdoors, one of crisp snow and fresh pine.
“Thank you, milady, you’re too kind.” His voice sends shivers down my spine, the good kind of shivers for once. I don’t know if he’s mocking me or if this is genuinely how he speaks, but I can’t say I hate it.
Hands land on my shoulders, turning me gently and it takes everything in me not to back away. Althea releases me as soon as I am facing her, unaware of what her touch does to me.
Not everyone will hit or punish me and she seems nice, but I thought Dom looked kind in the beginning as well. Look where that got me.
“Good to see three days of sleep had at least some effect. You still look a little tired, but the dark circles under your eyes have lessened.” Wait.
Did she just say three days? “My name is Althea, I’m the head of the Healer’s Quadrant here at Moonveil.
I’ve been overseeing your care with Aramis while you were resting. ”
How can you sleep naturally for three days without waking up? That’s impossible!
My head spins again, an uneasy feeling settling deep in my bones. Did they sedate me and do all kinds of weird tests? Or torture me?
I don’t feel any pain, everything looks intact. But why are the walls closing in? Althea’s voice is a hum in my ears, the more I try to catch anything she says, the less I actually hear.
My knees tremble, but I keep it together. I have to. Showing weakness is not an option, not in a place that is unfamiliar to me. Not ever.