The Awakening

Chapter Nine

After what felt like an eternity of rinsing and wringing, Brianne's pale brown pants and loose orange shirt were finally clean enough to pass muster. Throughout the ordeal, Avelon wore a persistent smirk, clearly enjoying Brianne's frustration.

Once presentable, Brianne suggested they return to the stables to continue their work. But as they arrived, they stopped short. The stables were under guard, and Balor stood waiting for them, his expression unreadable.

"Brace yourself," Brianne whispered, her voice barely audible as they stepped into the shadowed stables.

"For what?" Confusion laced Avelon's hushed tone, they had not done anything wrong.

Balor's presence loomed before them, his gaze tracking their every move. "Ah, the slaves deign to grace us with their presence," he drawled, his words thick with mockery. The air around them seemed to thicken, pressing down like a weight on Avelon's chest. She breathed deeply, refusing to allow Balor's affinity to rouse anxiety within her.

"We were just—" Avelon started, but the words faltered as an invisible force squeezed the breath from her lungs. Her eyes widened in silent panic, unable to speak against the crushing pressure.

Balor's cruel smile was all Avelon could see before she doubled over, gasping for air.

"You'll learn, Avelon," he sneered, his voice dripping with menace. "In my palace, you don't argue—you obey." He took a slow step closer, his threat lingering in air.

Instinctively, Avelon took a step back, but Brianne held her ground, her gaze defiant, even as her posture remained oddly compliant.

"Two fae," Balor mused, sweeping a hand through the air in a dismissive gesture, "as different as night and day, yet both doomed to the same fate." He clicked his tongue, and in an instant, the guards moved, closing in on Avelon.

Before she could react, they lifted her off her feet. The sudden motion made her feel small—insignificant.

"What's happening?" Avelon's voice cracked, the fear in her words far too evident. Her heart pounded against her chest as millions of scenarios ran through her mind. Balor's indifference to their lives was a stark reality which had her fear growing by the second. He did not care whether they lived or not.

""Your questions are unwelcome," Balor snapped, his voice low and dangerous. He narrowed his eyes, and his gaze darkened, sending an icy shiver down Avelon's spine. "However, your presence is required elsewhere."

Avelon's body untensed at his declaration, but only by a fraction. Her presence was needed, but for what? Silently, Avelon's gaze wandered to Brianne. She refused to meet Avelon's gaze, instead her focus remained on the stables before her. It was only then that the soft whining of the horses pierced the silence, a sound previously unnoticed by Avelon's overwhelmed senses.

A sharp sting of betrayal flashed in Avelon's eyes at the lack of acknowledgement or defence coming from Brianne. They had only just begun to find common ground. The feeling was quickly subdued by the realization that Brianne, bound by her own fear, could not stand against Balor- neither of them could. Avelon nodded to herself. She held no resentment against Brianne. Survival trumped loyalty when it came to Balor. They had both known what he was capable of and they both knew that he would kill her without second guessing the decision if she were to intervene.

Stifling the overwhelming urge creeping up her throat to plead for any help from her newfound friend, Avelon forcibly tore her gaze away from Brianne who had been nervously chewing her. The booming bootsteps of the guards overwhelmed the lingering whimpers of the horses and the thumping of Avelon's heart.