Loveless/ a POWERLESS fanfiction story

Chapter 31: Blair

"Try to rest, Miss Blair. If you need anything, I'll be just outside."

I nod absently into the void, not even glancing at the maid as she steps back. Without waiting for her to leave the bathroom entirely, I strip off my clothes and sink into the water. It's scalding hot, biting into my skin, but that's exactly what I need right now—for the heat to burn everything away, leaving behind nothing but emptiness.

"Burn it," I hiss, and Mary, keeping her eyes downcast, quickly gathers the bloodied, shredded fabric before slipping out the door. The sharp clatter of her heels fades, and finally, silence descends.

Grabbing a coarse sponge, I scrub at my skin with fervor, as if trying to erase not just the grime but every trace of the past few days. My hands turn red from the blistering water and my relentless efforts, but I don't care. The pain is oddly satisfying—a reminder that I'm still alive. I want to wash away the forest, the stench of dampness, sweat, death. The nightmare of this wretched week.

My treacherous mind conjures an image: a snarling wolf guarding its prey.

No, not a prey. Sadie. My Sadie.

I clutch my shoulders, curling into a ball with my bruised knees drawn to my chest. The water steams around me, the air thick with the scent of lavender, sandalwood, and rosemary oils. But even their soothing fragrance can't mask the memory of decay, death, and the damp earth of the forest. It clings to me like a second skin, a stench embedded deep in my memory.

The pads of my fingers are wrinkled, and I think of her skin—soft, like honey. What is it like now? Cold. Pale.

I close my eyes, seeking solace, but all I see is her.

I thought I would suffer when she left me to run off with Braxton. But fate, with its cruel sense of humor, just took her from both of us. Braxton must be as broken as I am, as her parents—parents who sent their daughter on these Trials to prove her strength and devotion to Ilia, only to now be forced to set her young body on fire. We are all broken. And she... she feels nothing.

Just a week ago, we lay on my bed together. Her thick hair spilled over the pillows, and I tried to catch the lavender scent she loved so much. I looked at her then and thought: Unbeatable. She's unbeatable.

I thought our friendship was forever, and now all I can do is mourn her. And Braxton? He doesn't even have that privilege —his love for her was a secret.

I trail my fingers through the water, watching as ripples expand outward, and I think of Braxton. He lost her too, but he doesn't have the right to grieve openly. Their love was kept in shadows, while everyone knew about our sisterhood. His pain must remain locked away, unspoken, buried like everything they shared.

My sobs echo softly in the steam-filled bathroom. I sink deeper into the water, trying to disappear into its warmth, but it doesn't help. The water cools, and I can't bring myself to leave. Instead, I slip under completely, letting the world become quiet and muted. I force my heart to slow, desperate to halt the torrent of thoughts, even for a moment.

But even here, beneath the surface, I hear her voice, see her face, and know that I will never, ever be able to let her go.