Fatal Fascinations

Chapter 24: The Painful Truth

Rose's POV:

It was dawn by the time I reached the castle in all its glory. The morning light illuminated the golden spires of Avolire, making it look like Heaven's castle.

After what I had just undergone, I treated it as Heaven's castle.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I made my way around the castle, keeping to the tree line until I could find the garden door and slip inside. My black hair stuck to the side of my face, glued there by a layer of sweat and soot.

As much as I wanted to shout my arrival, I had no strength left. And no one could see me like this. I barely had any clothes on, thanks to my fire. The velvet dress was nothing more than scraps of fabric clinging to small parts of my body. There was barely enough fabric to cover the most important areas, let alone my legs and back.

Surprisingly, the cold wind which sifted through my hair did not chill me. I burned brightly, my body warmer than it had ever been.

Finally, I spotted the small garden door, covered in vines and green residue. Limping towards it, I tugged on the iron handle and to my relief, the door creaked open.

I tensed at the blackness of the hallway, but fumbled my way down the darkened corridor, wincing as my bruised and bloodied bare feet tapped the cold marble floor.

No one in the castle was awake yet. Not even the servants.

Leaning against the wall, I took a minute to catch my breath. It took everything in me not to slump down onto the floor and sleep. My eyes watered through the strain of keeping them open.

Pushing myself off the wall, I struggled forward. My body felt as if it were going to cave in on itself. The lack of food and dehydration, combined with the sleepless nights and energy my fire used had left me completely drained to the point of breaking.

But I'm here. I'm safe. I reminded myself. Astrid and Jace are long gone by now. They can't hurt me.

Finally, I made it to the stairs which led up towards my room. I needed to throw on decent clothes before I announced my arrival. The dress had ripped down the middle, leaving two panels of fabric flopping lazily against my breasts, almost exposing them entirely.

On my hands and knees, I crawled up the steps inch by inch. When I reached the top, I pressed my forehead to the cold floor, grateful for the temporary relief it brought to my throbbing head.

Stumbling, I made it down the hallway and into my room, my vision doubling once I reached the door.

Incoherently, I sputtered as I opened the door to my room, mumbling things to myself.

It was all over once I saw my bed. The white, fluffy duvet beckoned me like a siren to sailors. Just a minute. Just rest for only a second.

I closed the door, expelling a groan of frustration, anger, and exhaustion.

Gently, I let my body rest on the bed, savoring the relief it brought to my stiff muscles and heavy heart. My eyelids were extremely heavy and I blinked very slowly.

Sleep called me as I was forcibly dragged under, my body finally giving in on itself.

I barely woke in the following hours, though I tried to pry my subconscious from sleep. Tossing and turning about the duvet, I vaguely remembered a blanket then something warm and wet pressing against my face, calming my body.

Still, my body would not let me wake until it was satisfied and recuperated, and I was forced to endure the nightmares which spun themselves through my head.