Shattered Innocence

XXX

Lily
*Better life***
17 years old.

I pressed my forehead against the glass, watching my sisters as they scrubbed the pool in the early morning light. From here, they looked so small, their movements sluggish and tired. They had been working harder than ever, with Death keeping them on a tight leash, allowing them even less time to rest. They were more like shadows than the lively girls I used to know, and it made me feel hollow. Helpless.

Being locked in here was its own kind of torment. I wanted so desperately to go out there, to help them, to even just talk to them for a moment. But the rules were clear. Irina or one of Death's men would be by soon to check on me, making sure I stayed in this room like some caged animal. Irina seemed to enjoy the power it gave her, her voice dripping with taunts and provocations each time she visited. I tried to block her out, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction, but each visit chipped away at me just a little more.

It was strange how quiet the house had become in the past two weeks. Death was constantly busy, handling whatever it was he deemed so important, and his absence left an eerie stillness that seeped into everything. The few times I saw him, he barely spoke, his face set in a cold, focused mask that I couldn't read. He would come in late at night, lay beside me, sometimes pulling me close to him in silence. And in the mornings, he'd leave tea by my bed before disappearing again.

He hadn't pushed me, hadn't done anything since that night. Part of me felt a quiet relief, a chance to catch my breath. But a darker part of me wondered if this was just a calm before the storm. He wasn't the type to forget or let things go, and the silence felt like a thread stretched too tight, just waiting to snap.

I forced myself to look back out at my sisters. Seeing them like this only fueled the anger that simmered under my skin. They didn't deserve this life, this suffering. And every day, I felt the weight of my decision pressing down on me.

As I watched my sisters, lost in thought, the door creaked open behind me, and I didn't have to turn to know it was Irina. Her footsteps were slow, deliberate, the smugness practically radiating off her as she approached. She loved these little visits, these opportunities to remind me of exactly how powerless I was.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. I didn't respond, keeping my gaze fixed on my sisters. Ignoring her had become my defense, a way to keep her from getting under my skin, but Irina wasn't the type to be easily discouraged.

She stepped closer, stopping just beside me, her eyes following my gaze to the scene outside. "It must be hard," she mused, her tone feigning sympathy. "Watching them work like that. Knowing that it's all because of you."

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay silent, but every word she spoke dug in like a knife. She leaned against the glass, a smirk playing on her lips. "Well, in case you were wondering about Death—he's been busy today. More than fifty Romanos wiped out in a single morning. They've nearly crushed the entire family. Quite a sight, I'm sure."

I felt a chill run down my spine, and I gripped my arms tightly to steady myself. Fifty people. Just like that, wiped out without a second thought. And he did it all with that same ruthlessness, the same detached calculation he used on everything. My mind flashed to that cold, focused look he'd worn recently. This was what it had been building to.

"Almost the entire Romanos family," Irina continued, clearly enjoying the effect her words were having on me. "Your precious Death is... unstoppable, it seems. But then, you already knew that, didn't you?"

I turned away, trying to block out her words, but she only chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll be back soon to tell you all about it himself. Or maybe he won't tell you anything at all. After all, you're just another part of his collection, aren't you?"