Stuck With The Devil

To Ashes

What did he mean by Edward was leaving her to him? And why would he do so? What was she going to do while in his chamber? Wasn't she supposed to be in her chamber? Isadora's thoughts rang through her head as Elvis made a way for her to pass through.

She chose to just keep quiet and keep perceiving every situation. She knew many things would turn out to be what she didn't hope so she was partly prepared to not be too shocked when it happens.

Elvis slammed the door and only that sound instilled more fear in her chest. It was dark and quiet and that sound alone looked like it was coming from multiple places. She doubted if it was the echo of the castle but her mind quickly changed to something else.

The man offered her a chair to sit and he sat down in his bedchamber glaring at her before he stood up to sit on a chair across her. It was also dark in the room and the room was only lit with just a candle that was placed in the middle of the room. With that, there was no way she could tell what the room looked like.

Even though she could tell the man's face was directly facing hers but she couldn't tell if he was staring at her. The only thing that rang in her mind was if she was going to maintain her stay in the castle. The castle didn't feel like home. It felt like a home in the woods where many creatures even the unseen ones resides in. The fear of staying in the new castle being her new home was something she couldn't even bear to imagine.

"Milady, what are you thinking of right now?" Elvis asked her, his voice was smooth but it felt like if she decided to speak against the truth she would be eaten alive. The firmness in his voice was so suffocating but not enough to send chills down her spine.

"And why do you ask that of me?" She asked in response. Even though her voice seemed thick and masculine she couldn't do but swallow the excess saliva that resulted in straining her voice.

Though it was hard to spot his facial expression, the candlelight that was some metres away from Isadora helped her to at least read a bit of his emotion as he spoke, "Bold. But his lordship does not like bold women." He warned, "He burns them to ashes before they even have the gut to pull back a comeback."

Who was this Lord? She had been hearing a lot of funny but surprisingly remarks about him that at times she thought they just formulated words to keep her intrigued or something. Though she could believe if he was assumed to be wicked as they claimed it because her father was also wicked. This made her conclude that all old men are wicked.

After thinking of what he just said, Isadora let out a mocking laugh before she replied, "How many women has he burnt?" She surprisingly asked. Unaware that Elvis seemed to be awestruck. She continued, "Pardon me, Elvis. But verily, how many women has he burnt to death? Is he that scary? Or tell me, how many women do you think are bold? Doesn't this tells us that his lordship had never burnt one and all these are just made-up words?"

Elvis took his chair and this time he was sitting very close to her that Isadora could almost feel his breath on her face. At that moment, she felt like the time froze and every single thing had remained in a still position. She couldn't even tell if she was breathing as his proximity seemed to be over suffocating her.

No one had ever been this near to her except Oswald. No one had sat down, this close to her. She could feel their robes touching each other. No one had ever stared at her in this menacing way.

What did he want to say? Why did he have to be too close?

"And among the seventeen mistresses of my Lord, I indeed think it would be the most touching to see you in pain, given that you are the youngest his lordship ever tried."

Isadora initially thought she didn't hear him well. She thought he said seven but the echo of that word in the room made her understand. Understand that she had seventeen rivals. And does Elvis think he could scare her more? She had lived with an old man, her father whose attitude changed like a calm sea before the storm. Sometimes he could be vulnerable when he talks or kind but when he is angered or when he is serious, she knew what he could do and what she had gone through. And again, hadn't she gone through the wrath of the queens and princes? What else could scare her?!

The real fact was nothing in this world could terrify her and make her beg for help. Except it was about Oswald and Isaac. Oswald and Isaac were her only family and nothing else in this world could make her fall so easily. There could be no pain that would be worse than what she had ever gone through.

"Indeed." She smiled, though she tried to shove her head to the back to stop the man's breath that was touching her pale skin, her head slightly hit a restriction and she just realised there was a wooden dresser just behind her. Nevertheless, she didn't stop, "Your Lord would also be the first old man I would be inflicting pain on. Things bounce back and believe me to be a perfect bouncer."

"Well, that is interesting." He replied to her with emptiness boldly drawn on his face. "But due to who I am, I would warn you to stop your incredulous act. Not now. Not when you have no glimpse of his lordship yet."

"Yes yes. Be on and proceed." She said in a mocking voice.

"To not get on his wrong side, I would start first..."

Her ear twitched on whatever he wanted to say because it looked like whatever he wanted to say was important. His hands were attached to his laps as his eyes wavered from her chin up to her eyes. He was behaving like he wanted to say something he didn't want to say, "You are to answer this question, truthfully, it should have no negative answer because the outcome wouldn't be favourable. "

"What is it?"

"Have you ever laid with anyone?"

It came as a shock but why did he have to ask her? He should ask Oswald instead.