Blood & Roses

Chapter 3

"She hasn't moved for five days, do you think she'll just die in her sleep?"
A shuffle of movement, then a sigh. "I don't know Ivy, I'm not even sure if she's in a coma."

"After that amount of venom, it wouldn't surprise me."

There was a pause. "Do you think Acacia would get rid of her if she doesn't wake up soon?"

Another shuffle of movement. "Mother is curious about the girl, but I don't know how long she can remain curious before her impatience makes a rash decision."

A cleared throat. "Let's hope Chase's efforts were worth it. It would be a shame to see the girl die after all this."

"Where is Chase anyway? I've barely seen him ever since he brought the uni here."
"He rushed in here to blame me for the state of the training room, but in the five seconds he was here, he didn't even acknowledge the girl." There was a hint of infliction in the voice.

A second sigh. "Strange. I know he's never interested in uni's but its odd he didn't even check up on her considering he put in so much effort to save her."

A creak in the floor. "You'll never know with Chase."
There was a pause, then—"Look, she moved."

More silence followed by a snort. "Guess she's alive after all."
"I'll get mother."

The silence was even more daunting than reality.

June kept her eyes closed, relishing in the darkness. She knew she needed to wake up, move, flex her aching joints, but exhaustion still wrapped around her. She didn't know where she was, what she was surrounded with, who was present, but she did know she didn't belong here.

She peeled her eyes open, blinking at the light that assaulted her pupils. She groaned in an unattractive manner, reaching for her sheets. Silk brushed her fingers, settling around her as light as a feather.

When her eyes had adjusted to the light, she felt her heart pound in her chest. She was centred on a gigantic, cream bed. Lace curtains hung with butterflies surrounded the corners of the bed, tracing dull rainbows around the room. A bear hide was positioned at her bed's feet, melting into the carpet. Great, arching glass windows were placed on each corner of the room, covered with lacy curtains that had been drawn. A fireplace beckoned from opposite the bedframe, however it was not flames blooming from the shadows, but a tree. Its truck carved into the place where the fire would well, trailing great tendrils up the centrepiece to spread onto the roof. Chandeliers lathered in gold hung from the ceiling, nearly overgrown from the trees vines.

"Pretty nice place for an outdated castle don't you think," a dry voice sounded from the left. June flinched, turning her neck sharply to identify the voice. She was rewarded with a sharp pain down her spine from the movement.

Gritting her teeth, her eyes fell on the ginger haired boy. He was sitting on a bench hovering below the window, looking out of place against the pale green pillows that surrounded him. He had replaced his black costume with normal, fitting clothes. Dark jeans paired with a thin sweater.

June couldn't help but stare. Her throat was parched and her stomach rolled from starvation. She wasn't even sure if she could speak without her voice cracking.

The boy, sensing her discomfort, nodded towards a silver tray on a side table next to June's bed. "Ivy made that for you. I suggest you eat it now before it goes cold."

June obeyed, not even bothering to ask who Ivy was. She tried her best not to tear into one of the sandwiches like a hawk would, although it took a lot of effort not to. After June had swallowed down several mouthfuls and a cup of tea, the boy spoke again.