Enthrallment : The Twisted Trust

chapter 21: luminous night sky

My knee gave out, and I collapsed to the ground. I was feeling too many emotions that I couldn't decide which one to express, should I cry? Should I scream. But neither of them came out. It stayed inside me. A heavy weight pressing on my heart. Suffocating me.

I gripped the edge of my bed, digging my nails into the wood until they broke and started bleeding. Pain. I like this pain. It was better than the storm of emotions.

I kept clawing at the wood until there was no nail left. Exhausted, I lay my head on the cold floor, curling up with my knees close to my chest. Hugging myself , I drifted off to sleep on the cold lonely marble floor.

.....................................................

The beautiful lake shimmered under the glow of the white moon, which shone brightly in the luminous night sky. Its beauty was softened by the presence of black spots. Millions of stars glittered across the night sky, but their flawless light paled in comparison to the moon’s beauty. The scene was enchanting, a reminder that even imperfections can add to one’s allure.

That man,

He sat there with his legs in the lake, gazing at the moon. His perfect dimple in my view,  a smile so bright it reached his eyes. My heart melted at that sight. I wanted to treasure that smile, protect it, and shield the innocence behind that smile.

But then, blood seeped from his mouth, covering his face, hands, and clothes in red.

Suddenly, the lake turned black as an ominous dark moon took over, draining the shine from the night sky, leaving only heavy darkness and horror.

I reached out, trying to pull him away from the lake before it engulfed him.

But, as always,

I was too late.

🥀

There was a knock at the door, jolting me awake from the dreadful dream. I called out groggily, "Who?"

"It's Xavier," came the response.

"What do you want?" I asked, my tone filled with disinterest.

"The Seventh Prince has requested your presence in the hall."

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Requested?" I scoffed, mocking the word. "That monster doesn't request. He commands, and we're just his obedient pawns, forced to obey or die"

I don't know where this sudden courage came from, but I was done with politeness, done with keeping a low profile. Playing it safe had only led to betrayal and death.

There was silence from the other side of the door, as if he were weighing his next words carefully. Finally, Xavier spoke again, his voice gentle. "Miss Emelia, I’ll inform the prince that you’re unwell."

I had expected him to forcefully drag me to the hall, but instead, he offered unexpected kindness. A week ago, I might have been touched by such consideration, but now I knew better. Behind every act of kindness lurked a selfish motive.

I stood up and opened the door. Xavier was there, standing rigidly in his knight’s uniform. My gaze drifted to the sword at his side, its hilt adorned with the golden crest of the royal guard. Without acknowledging him further, I walked past and headed towards the hall.

In the center of the room stood a black sofa, and there he was—the Seventh Prince—seated casually with his golden hair catching the sunlight. His eyes were closed, a glass of red wine in hand, his legs crossed with a relaxed air of entitlement.

Descending the stairs, I deliberately placed my hand on the handrail, trailing it along the fresh red roses. Thorns pricked my skin, drawing blood, but I didn’t flinch. I welcomed the sting, letting the pain take me.

"Miss Emelia, be careful," Xavier warned from behind me.

I ignored him, continuing until I reached the last two steps. Pausing, I looked down at my hand. A thorn was embedded in my palm, blood welling up around it. My nails were already ragged and bloody, and now my hand throbbed with fresh pain. I was staring at the wound when I felt his gaze, burning with intensity.

I looked up and met the seventh's eyes—those same blood-red eyes, the colour of freshly spilled blood, fixed intently on my injured hand.