Deal with the Devil - Fear the devils series book 1

Chapter 47

1200 A.D; France

As the first rays of dawn brushed the sky, Celine's light blonde hair framed her delicate features like a cascade of sunlight, cradled in a rare moment of peace. The weight of her past, though still present, did not haunt her dreams tonight. Opening her eyes, she realized a sense of ease, as if her problems had magically vanished. There was no grief, no pain - only peace. The echoes of the past linger in the air like faint whispers.

She was hit with confusion as she blinked open her eyes. She didn't understand what had happened. Her first thoughts wandered to Blade and her, in a hot pool, as she was paralyzed in her grief.

Then her inexplicable need to feel him inside of her as well as be near to him. She could not for the life of her explain what she'd done last night. She seemed to have been possessed or under a spell, as if this wasn't even her.

Ultimately, it made no difference. There she was, naked, on Blade's bed. Nevertheless, the room was empty. She sat up and sorted her thoughts for a few minutes while gazing at the wall.

The chamber was silent; Blade's absence was palpable. It was the same room where she had spent a fleeting night with him almost two millennia ago before being cast out into the harsh reality of the place where she was - in hell. Emotions swirled within her, a confusing mix of nostalgia, apprehension, and longing.

Her gaze fell upon the mannequin draped in an extravagant blue dress. The first thought she had as she looked at it was that looked like it was a fairytale dress, just like Cinderella's. She had no choice but to wear the dress, knowing Blade's influence.

The fabric enveloped her like a second skin. In the mirror, she saw a reflection that seemed plucked from a fairy tale - a vision of ethereal beauty, almost like a replica of Cinderella.

As she admired herself in the mirror, a gesture caught her eye - a beckoning from her reflection. She loathed this cursed mirror since it would hurt her by making her make-up and her hair. With trepidation, she approached. As expected, the mirror pulled at her hair with a gentle force that sent shivers down her spine. It hadn't been this forceful and hurting as she could remember the last time she was here.

When the mirror was done, and it let her go, she looked at herself again. Her reflection was flawless, her hair and makeup perfect as if done by magic.

Beside the door were glass slippers, a whimsical touch that irked her. Ignoring them, she attempted to leave the room, as she refused to dress exactly like the fairytale princess, only to find the door stubbornly sealed shut. With a resigned sigh, she slipped on the delicate shoes, their crystalline surface glinting in the light.

The door finally gave way when she tugged on the doorknob this time. Her eyes found a golden wagon shining in the darkness as soon as she opened it. A guy was waiting for her, grinning as though he'd known she would come. His words transported her into a world that resembled something from a fairy tale, and he talked to her in French.

Celine had enough of it and was about to step back and shut the door, but an unknown push from behind her made her almost fall to her knees. Turning around, the room was gone - only the man and her, in the middle of a forest. She sighed, and with no words, she stepped inside the wagon as the man opened the door for her.

The journey was a blur, with the castle looming on the hill like a vision of her dreams. The castle had similarities to Neuschwanstein. A castle like this had never existed; if it had, she would have read about it before she made a deal with Blade. This castle couldn't be real; they weren't in Germany.

As they drew closer to the castle, laughter and music filled the air, drawing her closer with each step. As the wagon halted, she stepped out of it and was stunned at the magnifying and huge castle.