Shattered Innocence

IX

Lily
*WEAPON***
17 years old.

I heard the door creak open again. My heart raced, half-expecting it to be him returning to continue his cruel games. But instead, a woman slipped into the room, her presence immediately filling the space with an unsettling energy.

She stood beside me for a moment, her eyes piercing through the darkness, and I could feel her studying me, as if I were some exotic creature she had never seen before. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ward off the chill that had nothing to do with the air temperature.

"Look at you, all alone and lost," she said, her voice light but laced with a wicked undertone. "You really think you can fight him? You're not strong enough, you know."

I shot her a glare, refusing to let her words sink in. "What do you want?"

She smirked, an expression that held more mockery than sympathy. "I want to help you understand your place in this world. You're drowning in a sea of darkness, and it's only going to get worse if you don't start cooperating."

"I won't cooperate with him. Not now, not ever," I spat, my voice shaky but fierce.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," she replied, stepping closer, invading my space. "You see, my brother enjoys his games, but he's also practical. If you continue to resist him, it won't just be you who suffers. He has ways of ensuring compliance. Terrible ways."

I swallowed hard, trying to mask my fear. "You don't care about me."

"Care?" she laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "I don't need to care to enjoy the show. Watching you squirm is simply... delightful."

I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine. "Why are you even here?"

"Because, dear, it's time you face the truth." She tilted her head, her expression predatory. "You're not just a pawn in this game; you're the prize. And if you want to keep your precious family safe, you'd do well to start thinking strategically."

"By surrendering to your brother?" I shot back, venom lacing my words.

"By playing your cards right. Do you really think he wouldn't hurt your sisters? Your mother? You should have seen the way he looked at them." Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "I can see it in his eyes—the way he'd love to watch their blood spill. Their screams would be music to his ears."

I felt my stomach twist, a cold wave of dread washing over me. "You're lying."

"Am I?" She leaned in closer, her smile sharp enough to cut. "You think you have time to play the hero? You're living on borrowed time, and every second you hesitate, they draw nearer to the abyss. He enjoys making you suffer, but he also enjoys watching the ones you love writhe in pain. It would be a waste not to indulge, don't you think?"

I was still reeling from her words when she stepped even closer, her dark gaze fixed on me with a twisted curiosity. "You know, the truth is, I'm not here to threaten you. I'm just... fascinated. My brother—the one and only—actually brought a girl home." She laughed softly, but it was devoid of warmth. "It's shocking, isn't it? The monster took a liking to someone."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to gauge her intentions. "And what does that mean for me?"

"It means we're all curious about you. You see, my family has been trapped in his web of darkness for too long. We thrive on chaos, on fear. But now, you're here, and it feels... different. Like there's a chance for something unexpected." She leaned against the wall, folding her arms as if to consider me more carefully. "We all believe you might be the one to make him a little calmer. Well they believe that. Not me."