Chapter Thirty-Six
The Caged
It’s quiet when I wake. The sounds of trees rustling in the wind, birds chirping in the distance. The fresh smell of flowers and wisteria flowing around me, carried by the summer air. Peaceful. This is what I imagine peace feels like.
My eyes open to the bright ceiling, a mixture of stone and pale wood.
The canopy hanging off the four-poster bed is a soft gray, reminding me of home.
I take inventory of my body, and for once I actually feel good.
I feel fine. I lift my hand hesitantly, feeling for the crown, but there is nothing there.
I shoot out of bed, the linen falling around me revealing a black, silk nightdress.
Both hands tangle in my hair, but the only part that tells me it was ever there at all, are the tiny scabs across my scalp.
Tears pool in my eyes and my breath comes in quick pants.
“Nora?” Kassius’s voice is warm, like honey, as it flits around the room. I glance up to where he is lounging by the lit fireplace. “How are you feeling?” My hands fall from my head, my fingers tangling in the white strands.
“How long have I been asleep?” I croak .
“A little over a week.” He says hesitantly.
“Why?”
“You weren’t well. Your body was exhausted, as was your mind. You didn’t have control over your aether, and you became a danger to yourself. We had to put you in stasis to allow you to heal.”
“Stasis?”
“Just another word for those who are forced to sleep in order to heal both mentally and physically.” I nod and drop my hands in my lap. “What are you thinking about?” He asks softly. They drugged me. Just like him .
“Everything. Enzo, my mother, Tobias, you.” I recite as if I am reading off a list. “It’s hard to decipher what is real.” I admit. He smiles and stands, walking over to the end of the bed.
“You have a twin brother, and I am your uncle. Your mother died at the hands of Amaya. You have a magical aether called starlight. You are currently in Rakushia, under the watch of the Labisian King, Davenport. Your friends are here, Scarlett and Erik and Laenie.” He pauses as he takes in my furrowed brow.
“You are safe.” I nod, swallowing against the lump in my throat.
“I am going to go have some breakfast sent up for you, alright?” I nod again as he slowly leaves the room, leaving the door cracked.
My mind is reeling after Kassius leaves. My legs are crossed as I sit on the bed, my gaze fixed on the pale linen sheets. I have a brother. A twin brother. Rakushia. Tobias?
“Rosie?” My gaze snaps up as Nithe walks in, leaving the door open behind him.
“Stop calling me that.” I snap as he collapses on the foot of the bed like a dog. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure you don’t kill yourself or run.”
“Fuck off.” I surprise myself as the words leave my mouth, a gasp following. I don’t know why I feel so angry, so disturbed by his presence. I bite my lip and look away.
“I thought you’d be meek and quiet, but my gods you are vulgar.” He snorts, rolling onto his back.
“Leave me alone, Nithe.”
“Or what?” My eyes narrow and I can feel the electricity trickle through my veins before my peripherals turn white. I scare myself, my breath catching as I slam back into the headboard.
“I don’t understand.”I say, my voice more breath than sound.
“Maybe little witch is a better nickname than Rosie.” He snorts.
“I would like to be alone.” I clear my throat and look at him, trying to seem as demanding as possible, but I’m sure I look like a mess.
“Trust me, the last thing I want is to be here, but it will keep my father away.” He replies and I don’t miss the disgust in his voice at the mention of his father. Davenport didn’t seem like a kind man, giving me a weird sensation of repeating time. As if this is all something I have done before.
Because it is.
“Why would you need to keep your father away?”
“He isn’t kind, Elaenor. And if I stay by your side, he’ll leave you be.” His eyes glance down at my dress before returning to my face.
“So you are protecting me?” I say while pulling the blanket up higher around me.
“Unfortunately.” He sighs.
“I don’t need protection.” I mutter, crossing my arms. I am fully aware I may look childish, but I’m tired.
“You need more than most.” He snorts.
“Nithe–”
“Look, you just learned a fuck ton of information about your life, found out you have a twin, and found out more about how you almost died. You have been asleep for nine days. You have a lot–”
“I don’t need a babysitter! ”
“I don’t care.”
“What is your problem?” I snap.
“I am trying to help you, little witch.”
“I don’t want your help.” I spit, bringing my legs up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
“Look at me.” I don’t, keeping my gaze on the bed.
“Elaenor.” He says sharper this time. When I don’t look up, he sighs.
“I can’t even imagine what is going through your head, but I am trying to be your friend here.
I am trying to make sure you aren’t alone, or that you don’t do anything stupid. ” He says softly.
“What would I do?”
“You called out for him. In your sleep.” My eyes finally meet his and I can almost see sorrow crossing the bright irises.
“What?” I whisper.
“You cried for him, begging him to come. You woke up once. You were confused and said Tobias would come for you.”
“He will.” I say slowly, admitting it to myself. He will come for me, it’s just a matter of time.
“Do you want him to?” My mouth hangs open as I try to think of what to say. “It’s alright if you do.”
“I miss him.” I admit quietly. His eyes darken for a split second, black encompassing the amethyst irises. A blink and it’s gone. “I miss when he was kind. Right before the end, everything was back to normal.”
“Normal? How normal could any of it have been if he was abusing you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I shake my head.
“You can talk to me.”
“I don’t want to, Nithe. I would like to be left alone.” He’s silent for a second before he slides off the bed and walks to the door.
“Erik is right outside the door. There are guards in the hallway and at every exit. You can walk around, do whatever you want. They are here for your protection, not to trap you. You are not a prisoner here.” He says the last part with emphasis, as if he really wants me to believe it. But he’s wrong .
“It is still a prison, Nithe. Even if the accommodations are pretty and clean, I am still caged.”
“I know you have been caged your whole life, I know you don’t trust us, but I promise you, you are safe here. You don’t have to be scared or worried. Nothing will happen to you while you are here.” He doesn’t say another word before he leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
The silence hits me before everything else does. I can’t hear voices, or footsteps. I can’t even hear the trees rustling in the wind outside the open window. Everything is silent.
My footsteps are light as I slide off the bed and walk to the balcony, climbing through the open window. There is no wind, no animals. Nothing.
It feels stale.
Wrong.
I look across the land, green hills greeting me. But it isn’t the hills my attention is focused on, it’s the darkness creeping along the edge of the surrounding wall. As if it’s a mist slowly making its way across the land, but instead of white, it’s black. Swallowing everything whole.
My hands grip the railing as I focus on it. It takes shape, growing taller and taller. My heart skips a beat, my palms instantly sweaty, as the shape turns into Tobias.
His golden hair is short, groomed perfectly against his head. His armor is a deep black aside from the red rose imprinted on the front of his chest plate. His blue eyes are piercing as he stares at me, stares into my soul. He smiles, his white teeth blinding in the sun.
I blink and he’s gone. My heart stutters and I step back from the balcony, slamming into someone. I spin around, a scream lodged in my throat as I stare up at Tobias.
“Ela.” He whispers as my lips part. My blood hums in his presence, begging to get closer.
I am frozen where I stand, unable to move.
His hand lifts, the back of his knuckles brushing my cheek.
“I promise to come for you.” He whispers again before leaning down and pressing his cold lips to mine. I open my mouth to protest, but—
“Wake up!”
Sweat clings to my forehead as I shoot up, my pulse pounding in my ears. My eyes take a second to adjust to my surroundings, the pale wood and roaring fire.
“Elaenor, are you okay?” He says again, his voice close. I slowly turn my head to the left and see Nithe kneeling on the side of the bed, his brows furrowed.
“What?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“Are you okay?” I lift my hands as a tingling spreads through my fingers. No sparks appear but I can feel them. I nod and look back at him. His amethyst eyes are dark, almost black as he stares at me. “You were screaming in your sleep.”
“I had a bad dream.” I respond, lifting my hand to wipe the sweaty tendrils of hair out of my face.
“About what?” I shake my head and slide off the mattress, the floor icy under my bare feet. When did I fall back asleep? It was seconds. Only seconds had passed.
“Nothing.” I respond.
“Rosie—” He starts, but I cut him off.
“Please, Nithe. Please just go.”