Bloodline of cursed thrones

CH 5

Eveline spent the next few days in a haze of uncertainty, her thoughts consumed by the weight of her new reality. Each creak of the castle at night sent shivers down her spine, and she found herself jumping at shadows, the flickering candlelight casting eerie shapes on the walls. Her mind raced with fragments of her past life, reminders of her execution and the darkness that had consumed her.

The echoes of the High Priest's warning replayed in her mind: "Even the strongest of queens can falter." Each time she recalled it, her heart quickened, a drumbeat of anxiety that reverberated through her. It felt as if the walls of her chamber were closing in, suffocating her in a grip of paranoia.

In moments of solitude, the thought of the demon lingered like a specter in the corners of her mind. She recalled the chilling encounter in the bath, the sensation of his hands trailing across her skin—a cruel caress that had filled her with both fear and a perverse thrill. The memory haunted her, and she often found herself glancing over her shoulder, half-expecting to see him lurking just out of sight.

One evening, as she prepared for bed, Eveline caught her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes looked different—wild, unsettled. The once-familiar features of the queen's face felt foreign to her. A shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the demon's words, how he had toyed with her as if she were nothing more than a plaything. "What do you want from me?" she whispered to her reflection, a plea that hung unanswered in the air.

The silence that followed felt oppressive, and she wrapped her arms around herself, searching for comfort that eluded her. It was then that she heard it—a soft whisper, barely audible, like a breeze rustling through leaves. Eveline's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding furiously. She strained to listen, but the voice faded, leaving only a lingering chill in the air.

With her heart racing, she paced her chamber, the flickering candles casting anxious shadows around her. She tried to rationalize her fear. It's just the wind, she told herself. Just the echoes of this old castle. Yet, deep down, she knew something darker lurked within the stone walls. Something that had a stake in her survival—or her demise.

That night, sleep eluded her. Instead, she found herself staring at the ceiling, the darkness feeling like a suffocating shroud. The whispers returned, more insistent now, a symphony of voices that clawed at her sanity. You are not safe. You cannot trust anyone. They all want to use you, to control you.

Eveline squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to silence the cacophony in her head. "Stop!" she cried, but the voices only grew louder, echoing her doubts and fears. She felt the suffocating grip of paranoia tightening around her throat. Would she become just another pawn in a game far beyond her understanding?

Suddenly, the candle flames flickered violently, as if stirred by an unseen force. Eveline's eyes shot open, and she turned to see a shadow moving in the corner of her chamber. A figure loomed, indistinct and swirling, barely more than a dark silhouette against the flickering light.

"Did you miss me, my dear?" The voice was smooth and seductive, sending a thrill of terror through her. It was the demon, a tantalizing mix of fear and fascination.

"I don't want anything to do with you!" Eveline snapped, her voice trembling with defiance. But her heart raced, betraying her fear.

"Ah, but you are bound to me now, sweet Eveline. As long as the royal blood runs in your veins, I will always be near." His tone was teasing, a whisper that slithered into her thoughts. "You can try to escape, but you can never truly be free."

Eveline's mind spun with possibilities. She had to find a way to rid herself of him, to break whatever bond had been forged between them. But the more she struggled against the fear, the more it consumed her. "Leave me alone!" she shouted, though deep down, she feared that her cries would not be enough to banish him from her thoughts or her life.