To Love (Enchantress of Desire)

Chapter 8

I woke up in a dark room with a single door for me to open. The door was silver, a weaved design clearly accented in gold across the frame. The shimmer on the door seemed to come from nowhere, the antique trim defying the darkness with its light. Odd, in my opinion, but hey, I was in a game. I maneuvered towards it, cautiously, unaware of what was inside of it.

As I finally approached the door, I pulled away from its handle.

I took sharp breaths in and out. 'It's just a game. There's no danger in playing.'

My hand shook as I pressed my fingers against the cold metal door knob.

When I stepped into the next room, the door behind me slammed shut and disappeared. I took a deep breath before stepping forward. I only won The Game twice. Most of the time, it was Sage or Zolona who won The Game, but between the two of them, Sage always came out on top. Maybe it would be different with a new player on the field.

I looked at the room around me. It was Zolona's throne room. It was so familiar I knew I couldn't be wrong. The colors seemed more distorted in reds and blacks-- something that never happened before-- and an almost magical aura lingered in it. Claw marks scraped the walls around me that once were embedded with a zig-zag design, and even the smell of the room was surreal. Copper? Zinc? Maybe iron? It smelled stuffy like an attic.

To my surprise, someone sat in Zolona's throne I couldn't recognize. I knew the serum took memories of the players for the experiences, but I didn't know who the hell this woman was.

She wore a huge black crown with dark red jewels. In her hand, she held a sword with a black hilt covered in blood. The black laced dress capturing all of her curves clashed against the ruby high heels and the fishnet leggings she wore underneath. She had a scar across her cheek and her smile was tainted with blood red lipstick. Her pale, almost ice-white, skin striked against her deep, dark blue eyes surrounded by the gloom of black eyeshadow. Coffee hued hair angled towards her face and she had bangs pushed to the side, slightly covering one of her eyes.

Her beauty wasn't human-- almost like a 'Mary Sue' Zolona told me about in stories. The beauty of this woman had a supernatural feel to it, even despite her one facial flaw. She looked to be in her late twenties, but the gaze she gave me was etched with a calculated and cold wisdom-- something that most people my age lacked.

She wasn't Zolona. I was sure about that. Zolona didn't have blue eyes. Her face wasn't as pale as this woman's, not to mention that Zolona didn't have that scar. I captured all of her appearance and seared it into my memory. Zolona might have known something about her I didn't.

The woman's eyes glared towards me. "So, you're the girl I've been hearing so much about."

Her voice was sophisticated, carrying a regal tone. The words naturally flowed from her throat. She was calmer than I was, yet there was something about her I didn't trust. Maybe it was the smile on her face. Maybe it was my gut.

"Who are you?" I stood there in confusion, waiting for the woman's answer.

The woman laughed. "You don't remember, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" I raised an eyebrow. My stomach churned from her words.

"Well, this is only a game, for now," the woman said.

"Is this a part of it?" I asked.

"That's up for you to decide." the woman chuckled.

'No, obviously The Game is trying to trick me, but if it is, what challenge is in this room?'

Wheels in my head spun.

"If you're looking for what challenge to do, it's to find your way out of this," the woman informed.