A Court Of Shadows and Sin

Chapter 9

Alieras POV

It's dark.

So dark I cannot tell whether or not my eyes are still closed or if it's just nighttime.

Where am I?

My chest rises and falls at all of the possibilities, though it slows as I feel the soft warm covers around me.

It can't be that bad if I'm in a nice bed right?

My mind flashes back to the last person I saw...
That smartass Illyrian with giant ass wings and dancing shadows.

We were on the beach, he was carrying me, he was running, and all of a sudden everything went black. He told me his name, what did he say it was again?

Aaron?

Adrian?

Austin?

I know it starts with an A..

I attempt to raise my head to get a better angle of the room but pain shoots through my every nerve at the effort.

Suck it up Aliera.

A deep breath leaves my body as I force myself to sit up, I beg my limbs to move as I swing the soft warm covers off of my body. A chill wafts over my skin, inviting goosebumps to claim my now weak, boney arms. I'm dressed in a short-sleeved silk nightgown that stops 3/4 of the way down my wobbly legs.

My feet find the icy floor as I pause, bracing myself to stand.

A soft whimper leaves my lips as I clutch the bed head, forcing my bruised but no longer bloody legs to stand. My chest releases an exhale as I take a minute to gather myself once again.

One step at a time, my shaky legs find their way in the dark towards the polished wooden door, light beaming from the small gap at the bottom. My trembling hands run along the door's carvings before settling on the door handle positioned to the lower right.

I turn it slowly, making little to no noise.

It's not locked..?

Maybe that Illyrian did help me.

I brace myself as I quickly swing it open but nothing happens... There's no one outside of it, no one pushing me back into the darkness.

A twinge of pain burns through me as I step outside of the door, shooting up through my right leg.

A frown plays on my lips as I walk into the dimly lit hallway, its illuminated by wall lamps that make a warm glow fill the space. As I walk down the long hallway I look from left to right at the multiple doors it possesses. There has to be at least 6 doors in this passageway alone.

I've never been in a place so polished and clean, I feel dirty looking at the impeccability of the high ceilings with stone walls to match.

I wonder along carelessly, not particularly caring that I may very well be in the hands of a killer.

If I was going to die I would have been dead by now.

My ears twitch up as voices echo throughout the hallway, coming from the opening of the entrance. A chill runs down my spine but I will not run, I'm done running and like I said, if these people wanted to hurt me they would have done it by now.

As I near the opening I start to turn the muffles of voices into actual words.

A females voice fills my ears,
'never have I ever walked in on Cassian having sex.'

Laughter erupts throughout the room as I lean against the closest wall, resting my pointed ear against it.

'Drink up you cockblockers!' A masculine voice retorts. More laughter fills the room as it vibrates against my trembling body.