The Labyrinth of Negrastir

Prisoner

The foul smell in the tenebrous dungeon was beyond anything I had ever imagined.

Stains of urine, blood and stool covered the wet stone walls. It was stomach-churning, to say the least. I almost threw up.

I buried my head in my drawn-up knees, feeling the dampness of my tears against my skin.

Even though I tried to calm down my racing heart, it wouldn't. It was about to rip out of my chest.

If I made my unwavering determination clear and proved them wrong, would their attempts to force me into this marriage crumble?

I hoped so.

Maybe the Empress would lend me a hand. Perhaps she, too, knew the heartache of watching her spouse love another.

In that case, all I had to do was grit my teeth and bear through the growing thirst and hunger. I had to.

There was no room for failure. I didn't travel to the past to get married to that jerk.

A groan escaped from my lips when I least expected it. My hand instinctively flew to my chest as I winced in pain.

I looked down.

Every breath I took sent a searing pain through my chest. The wound was flaring up.

Everything had been fine just a few days ago, and I thought the bleeding had stopped for good. But now my dress was once again soaked with blood.

My time was running out. The unforgiving seconds slipped away like sand through my fingers. And I was still hopelessly far from finding the person I had come to the past for.

All I knew about the Demon God was that he was once a human named Vanir. His life before his transformation was marked by nothing but sorrow and misery.

The path that awaited him was a harrowing one – one filled with unheard-of agony that could break even the strongest soul and fuel him with an insatiable thirst for revenge against all of mankind.

That was his destiny and the will of the Heavenly Fathers.

"My lady!"

Glancing at the creaking staircase in the dark corner, I covered the bleeding wound with my auburn locks. It was Lara.

I let out a deep sigh, feeling the tension release from my shoulders. She came rushing to my cell.

Her green eyes were bloodshot and her nasal voice laced with genuine concern as she asked if I was all right. I cracked a bitter smile.

"Hey, I thought you said the Emperor liked me."

"He does miss! It's just that you... you've never talked back to him like this before, and- and he was so excited for you to be his daughter-in-law. He must've been so disappointed that he—"

"It's so funny. All of this... " I couldn't hide the smirk that started to form on my chapped lips. "I don't get why Hera would choose to live such a wretched life."

"What are you talking about, miss?"

"It's nothing," I said, smiling half-heartedly. "But if you're here to change my mind then forget all about it, Lara."

"But you must! You have no idea how miserable your life will be if—"

"And what about that Malachi guy or whatever? Why would he agree to this marriage when he clearly doesn't like me?"

"Oh, you bet he does, my lady! It's just that- that sneaky fox keeps messing with his head and- and talking trash about you! You guys were so in love until she showed up and got in the way!"