House of Dreamers | book 1

𝐱𝐯𝐢

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔

𓆱

Ophelia locked herself in her room, hiding away from the castle. Anxiety thrummed through her being, holding her hostage in the large, plush bed. She'd piled blankets around her, keeping them wrapped around her body, hiding her face whenever someone knocked on her door. She'd ignore the way the door creaked on its hinges as the person entered, rummaged around or set something down, and left.

Sometimes, the person would enter, swathed in hints of pine and peace, and Ophelia knew that Caspian had entered the room. He never spoke to her, only sat on the edge of her bed. He'd never gotten close enough to touch her, allowing her the choice of closing that distance.

Ophelia never had.

Ophelia curled onto her side, squeezing her eyes shut. She'd barely eaten, barely drank. She stayed in bed, crying herself to sleep most nights, only to be greeted by nightmares of Eilonwy's death. A knock echoed through her room. Ophelia ignored it. The knock echoed through the room again. She continued to ignore it, pressing her pillow against her ears.

The knocking stopped. Ophelia's ears rang as she burrowed deeper into her bed, glad that the person had left her to her spiral.

The door slammed shut, rattling the very room around her.

Ophelia shoved herself up, heart thundering in her chest, breathing heavy.

Anneca stood in the entrance to the room, twisting the front of her simple gown in her hands. She watched Ophelia closely, her white eyes pinning her in place. "Little Deer has come into her power." The seer turned her bright eyes away from Ophelia. "And Little Deer has locked herself into her room." She walked around, looking at every surface. "You have something to do, Little Deer."

Ophelia opened her mouth. "I know you don't want to talk, so just listen. You have something you need to do. Do it. Little Deer, you are growing weaker the longer you hide yourself away. Go. Gather your strength for the transformation. You need to survive it."

Anneca turned towards the door, carefully pulling it open so that it didn't squeak. She looked back at Ophelia. "Weeping over something that was supposed to happen won't change what happened. There is no point." Ophelia grabbed a pillow, throwing it at the seer as she shut the door.

The pillow landed against the door harmlessly.

Ophelia stood up to retrieve the pillow, bending at the hips, freezing. The temperature had dropped, frost coating the wood of the floor. Ophelia straightened, keeping her back towards the window. "You get to stand there, living, breathing, while my mother now rots?" Eudoxia stood by the window, head dropped. Her white braids shielded her face from Ophelia.

Ophelia pressed her hand against the door. "You... You killed her." Eudoxia spoke softly. Ophelia tensed as Eudoxia looked up at her. "You killed my mother!" She screamed, flinging her hand out. Ice shot toward Ophelia, quicker than she could move. An ice shard speared her shoulder. Ophelia cried out. She pulled the spear from her shoulder, dropping it to the floor in front of her. Her hand shook as she slowly turned it, palm now stained crimson.

Her stomach rolled. Her eyes darted to Eudoxia, the girl stared, breathing heavily. "I should kill you," She hissed. "I should rip you apart." She lunged as Ophelia forced open the door. She ran down the hallway, hand pressed firmly against her shoulder.

Ophelia kept her gaze ahead of her. "Casp..." She panted, voice cracking. She swallowed, trying again. "Caspian!" She yelled, feeling the bite of Eudoxia's magic nip at her heels. The hallway in front of her remind vacant. Ophelia sobbed through her clenched teeth, pulling herself down the stairs. Her foot slipped, and she landed hard against her wounded shoulder. Ophelia cried out, lying on the cold floor of the foyer, mouth bleeding from the force of her chin meeting the steps.