Realm of Shadows

Chapter Seven

Days and days passed. I was brought food and water daily, but no one came to visit, and I was not being dragged anywhere. Some nights when I would lay awake staring up at the nothingness of the ceiling, I would listen to the conversation of the guards to see if Callian or anyone I knew was being brought up. I heard a single name or any mention of mortals trying to invade the realm.

On other nights when I was not trying to overhear a conversation, I would close my eyes and imagine what Callian, and I were doing in our post–marriage bliss. I tried to remember what his hands felt like on my skin, how his lips felt as they trailed kissed across my chest or the warmth of his hold at night; how I craved for that same warmth in this cold cell. When I finally manage to close my eyes and fall asleep, my head would be empty with no dreams, no nightmares.

I still wore the same nightgown I had worn the night before my wedding. It was once white now it was covered in dirt. I felt filthy like I was an animal being locked up at a carnival or a circus. At least no one chained me up after Lovena had released me. Although I could still fill the heavy chains wrapped around my wrist, the mere thought of being locked up again like that scared me.

It wasn't until one day after I brought a tray of cold meats and cheeses, the door opened, and I thought that I was going to be dragged into the throne room again. Maybe this time, the prince, or the king... whatever he was, was going to make me do something to him. Put me to use, but instead, Lovena walked through the door. I immediately relaxed.

She walked in with her hair still bright and blonde, and a smile on her face, but this time, she wore a pink dress that fell to the floor and sleeves that fell from her shoulders like silk.

"Oh, my mages, you look terrible," she says studying my features.

There was no point in arguing or fighting back with her because I knew it was true. I looked like I had slept in the horse stable for three weeks. Probably smelt like it too.

"Am I to be taken to the throne room again?" I simply asked. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she looked at me as if she did not know what she was talking about.

"The prince summoned you to the throne room?"

"That was prince Alexios!? He looks nothing like a prince, he looks more like a–"

"King?" I nodded. "Yes, we do all tell him that." She laughs to herself, but I did not laugh with her, it only made me more curious. "Now, before you ask any more of your questions, I have been sent to remove you from the horrible place."

My eyes widened. "I'm being set free?"

She hesitated as her face dropped, "No. Um, you're being moved."

"To another cell?"

"Oh no! Up into the castle! Requested by the prince himself." Her eyes glowed with excitement as she clapped her hands together. "Well come on then! I've set up a nice warm bath for you too."

I had no words. Why would the prince, the same man who threatened me days ago and proceed to throw me back into a cold cell want me to have a room in his palace?

Without any hesitation, Lovena grabbed my arm gently and began leading me out of the cell. I could have easily taken this opportunity to escape from her hold. She does not seem like the type that would be so eager to run in her heels or even run at all, but I did not take it. I simply followed her every step. Up those same staircases that I was dragged up before meeting the prince and down the same hallways. The difference was that when we made it to another set of stairs, she let go of me. I observed the staircase in the room we were in, it was still dark like the others, but there was a massive crystal chandelier hanging about us. Under my bare feet was a red carpet that surrounded the room and up the stairs.