Thorned Shadow [+18]
Chapter 10

Darkness. Cold. Fear.

Her eyes were covered with fabric that she could not even peek out from. Her hands were tied behind her on the chair she was sitting on. The room was cold, too cold, as if someone had pushed her in a room full of ice. Her fear had come and gone.

“Please don’t touch me.” Her voice was a whisper at the male who entered the room. She was so tired, from having her hands tied to the posts, her body stretched against the shackles that held her up.

“I will not but my mate will.” The male spoke, a chuckle escaping him as a beautiful female walked inside the iron room, gaping at Cerelia whose body was covered in dried blood.

The five males before had taken their sweet time entering her body one by one before burning it with the iron rod they loved so much. She had cried and screamed until her voice disappeared and she hung there until they were done.

Her mind, her feelings, her soul had hid behind the darkness that coated every inch of her heart. They feared the silence that crawled in her mind, staking claim while the male’s and females did as they wished.

The female in front of her knelt on the ground and a silent sob escaped Cerelia’s parted lips, the only sound she could make before the female pushed her fingers into Cerelia. The silence came crawling back into her mind, the sob choking up her throat disappeared. She closed her mouth, closed her eyes, allowing her body to breathe and not feel.

The silence crawled up her body but Cerelia pushed and pushed it away. She would not fall for the silence, would not allow it to give the peace she craved. She was not going to be the girl from her past, couldn’t allow it.

The fae had taken her. She didn’t know how long it had been, she couldn’t count when they talked so loud and hissed slurs at her that made her flinch every second, but they had blindfolded her, and she had felt three pairs of hands on her but heard ten voices in the ice cold room.

Ice cold room. It made her remember the moments she didn’t want too. That she hated so much.

She had stayed silent, her lips only parted to say three words. Don’t touch me. They did not touch her.

“Tell me, you little witch.” A male spoke so closely to her ear she moved her body away, trying to hide. “Do you really think war will end with a marriage?”

She did not answer.

A hand snaked around her throat. ”Please-”

“Yes please don’t touch me" the man chuckled mimicking her feared voice as his fingers tightened around her throat. “Answer me and I’ll remove my hand.”

She didn’t even know what he had asked. “What did you ask?” She breathed out, digging her nails into her palms behind her back.

“Do you really think war will end with a marriage?”

“No.” She spoke softly, his hand loosening slightly the only indication he was surprised by her answer. “It can fix something though.” He moved his hand away from her and she let out a shuddering breath.

“You expect to change the Fae who are born and known for war?” The male chuckled harshly behind her. “You are as stupid as the witches are, if you think marrying our king will change your fate.” She felt him move closer. “You will be dead.” She felt another hand moving up under her dress. “But we will enjoy you. I have heard the witches love to moan.”

Cerelia screamed as the silence in her mind became a barrier to her heart. The silence invaded her body, choking out the scream as she felt hands on her legs, rising and rising. She could feel the tears falling from her eyes as her head moved backwards, her eyes shut tightly though she could not see their faces.

She became the lifeless doll as she felt their hands in between her thighs, touching and poking her skin. “Moan for me.”

“Moan for me.” The strange male whispered softly into her ear. He was doing something to her body that nobody ever did.

Cerelia forced the images out of her mind, hearing a vicious snarl before something wet splattered onto her face. She gasped, scenting blood.

She was moaning, as he had asked several times, his cock working in a sensual slow movement that made her want to wrap her hands around his shoulder, to feel the male who made love to her strange body.

“Don’t stop…” her lips parted as another moan escaped her lips, her body arching even on the bed she lay.

He grunted in what she scented as pain and blood as his body stopped moving inside of her. He fell down onto her and she opened her eyes, staring at a blooded neck where a head was supposed to be. She screamed in terror.

Cerelia felt someone opening the rope behind her, before the scent of Pine and Snow embraced her. She choked back a sob, as he pulled the blindfold away from her eyes. She blinked into the darkness and the warmth as he ran his gaze over her face.

She felt her own blood drying as she released her nails from her palm, pulling her hands closer to her body. Erix was so close, standing too close for her to breath as she lifted her hands up, massaging her wrists slowly, her mind blank of any thought. She did not talk, did not flinch as he snarled at the blood. She could have sworn the darkness curled around them, as if it would keep her safe.

Erix didn’t touch her but he didn’t need to with how close he was standing, his golden eyes not glowing with amusement but in violence. The darkness around them peeled away and she watched slowly as it crawled up his arm before blinking out completely.

Her lips parted and her cheeks were still wet tears, as she stared at the dead bodies around her. “Don’t look at them.” He gritted his teeth, pushing his arm away from the chair she was sitting on. “Let’s go.” His hands fisted beside him.

She did not say a word as she moved her feet, that sickening feeling clawing up her throat as she stood up. Cerelia swayed on her feet and instantly a gentle hand curled around her waist, holding her up. Before she could open her mouth, Erix lifted her up into his arms. “I got you.”

Three simple words was all he said as he stormed out of the empty room. She closed her eyes, his scent pushing the fear inside of her down the black hole.

He was holding her and she was not screaming.

Cerelia felt the cold breeze on her face, the wind blowing through her hair that had fallen out of the loose braid. She didn’t open her eyes, listening to Erix’s heartbeat which pounded in his chest with every step he took through the Kingdom.

That is the witch queen.

Poor thing.

Someone hurt her?

Who would do such a cruel thing?

I heard my boy say she’s been nothing but kind to Cadmus though he’s nervous for his first role as a guard.

She’s innocent in this war.

The maids say they see her walking through the castle and that she acknowledges them.

I hope she becomes a queen.

I think she’s horrid.

I think she is acting like a victim with the King.

She shut out the voices, she blocked out Erix’s snarl, a promise of death to whoever spoke wrongly of her.

“What happened?!”

A cry begged to escape her lips as she heard Emrys worried words. She opened her eyes to see Erix pulling her slightly towards his body, as if he could shield her away from the castle and its wandering eyes. Emrys stood beside Agatha who had her mouth covered with her hands, a shock look on her face. Aideen was hissing, a dagger in her hands and Emrys had dropped his cane.

She pressed a hand against Erix’s chest, not thinking as he looked down at her. She didn’t need to say the words but he understood as he lowered her onto the ground, being a wall behind her back.

He kept his hands to himself as Emrys looked at her blood covered body. “Are they dead?” Three words he said to Erix who barely moved an inch as he answered. Beheaded. Ripped their hearts out with my bare hands.

She kept her body from shuddering as she looked at the High Witch. “I wish to return back to the witch’s lands.” Her voice was hoarse, reminding her of the day she escaped the dungeons. ”Please.”

She felt Erix’s fingers on her lower back, as he curled his hands into fists, pushing them in front of himself, as if needing to touch her, to tell her no.

She ignored it, keeping her eyes on the High Witch.

“I’ll pack your bags.” Aideen said.

Erix snarled. Aideen hissed at him. Emrys stared at Erix. Agatha stared at her.

“Your engagement is tomorrow.” She said softly with a saddened look on her face.

Even after today, even after being touched again, for her body to be used by others, she still had to get married. She could have sworn Erix let out a breath relief that brushed against her neck.

“It was your job to protect her.” Agatha raged at Erix, glaring at the male who stood behind her. “If you want the two kingdoms to unite as one, do your duty to your crown, Fae.” She spat the word out with disgust. “As she is doing hers.” Without another word, Agatha grabbed Aideen by the arm and pulled her out of the castle. Aideen followed.

Cerelia was once again the only witch surrounded by fae.

“Child…” there was nothing to say, no apology to offer.

“I need to bathe.” She said softly, moving. Her shoulder brushed against Erix who followed her. She didn’t say a word, as she wrapped her arms around her cold body, shivering slightly as she walked in the warm hallways. Erix stood behind her, matching every step she took, a wall in case she fell again.

She did not say a word even as she dragged her body up the stairs, to see Cadmus staring at her. “Cerelia…” His lips parted in shock.

Erix snarled at him. He closed his mouth immediately, blinking at Erix who pushed past Cadmus, blocking him from Cerelia’s view and he opened the door. She blindly walked under his arm and into the hallway, dragging her feet towards her room.

She needed to scrub her skin, to remove their touch from her body. Cerelia walked into her room, stumbling backwards in slight shock. Her back touched Erix’s who was so close to her. She moved forward, as she saw Katara standing there with Nyota.

“Are you okay?” Katara questioned, her eyes filled with worry as she saw the blood splattered on her face.

Cerelia saw Nyota walk to the washroom and heard the water pouring into the tub a second later. She let out a breath, forcing a small smile to appear on her face. “I am fine.” She was not.

“I brought Aideen back to the castle safely because the fae will not hurt me. I am of their kind, just from a different realm.” Katara was rambling. “And when I was coming back to you, I saw Erix storming off. I came back to the castle to tell Emrys but then Nyota said you were back in the castle so I thought you’d like some girl time.”

In another world, Katara could have been her friend, in a world where Cerelia was not so broken and she could be free.

“I would like to be alone.” She said as Nyota silently walked into her closet, and returned with a cotton night dress. She didn’t say a word to Nyota and Nyota did not speak either, as if understand she wanted silence.

“I-okay.” Katara smiled at her again a little before turning her gaze to Erix. Cerelia left them, walking towards the washroom.

“Not now, Katara.” Erix forced the words out of his mouth. Cerelia felt his stare on her back as she took the night dress from Nyota’s hands, a grateful smile on her face. She closed the door with a soft click, leaving the three people in her room to do whatever they wished.

Cerelia pulled the blue gown off her body, throwing it into the corner. She would never wear that again. A sob escaped her lips as she climbed into the burning water. Pressing her hands onto her face, she cried in the tub, hoping the pouring water muted her sobbing.

She was disgusting, and utterly a stupid fool to not be able to fight back. The crown was a disguise. She was not worthy of being a queen who was touched by many. A queen was someone who was strong. She was not strong.

She was weak.

Cerelia reached out, twisting the faucet off. She laid her head back, and moved down the tub before letting the water cover her face, her whole body. She stopped breathing, wishing her breath was truly taken away from her. Her throat burned under the water, but she did not move.

“The Queen made me kill the girl I was in love with.” She heard Erix’s voice, a muffled sound in her mind as she pushed her body out of the boiling water, gasping for breath. He continued to talk and she could hear him shift, as if he was sitting outside the washroom door. “She didn’t want anyone I cared about to live so I stopped feeling. She didn’t like to share me with anyone.”

The king shared her with everyone.

Cerelia pushed the wet hair strands from her face as he talked. “I became her killer, killing the people who even looked at me. She was jealous and afraid I would run away though I was bound to her and the king. He never paid attention to me, not as she forced me to be her son’s guard.”

The king always paid attention to her.

She scrubbed her body, roughly.

“I didn’t want to live for a while, a long while and no matter what I did, she wouldn’t allow me to end my own life.”

Cerelia had killed herself too many times to know death would never free her from the King’s touch.

“I want you to get out of there, Cerelia.” He turned on his knees and she heard every sound, every breath he took. “Give the kingdom, the witches even, someone to look up to. We may be broken but together we can be whole to the world.” He spoke softly, as if he needed to hear those words himself.

“I’ll take it all seriously now. I won’t leave your side until you push me out the window yourself.” She giggled a little and he exhaled deeply. “Just come out of there so I know you’re more than fine.”

Erix was caring, he was rough from what she had seen him with Katara, but Karara liked that. He was gentle and carefree with the children, as if he didn’t allow his mind to overrule his body. He pushed the darkest parts out of him, allowing a happy side to be shown to the kingdom.

She couldn’t do that because she had no happy moments and whatever ten years she had spent with Zemira, she had forgotten it all.

“The book says, to be normal, I need to make a friend.” He blurted out suddenly. “Be my friend, Cerelia and I’ll be yours. Two fuck ups from Wisteria can be friends, can’t they?” He was reaching out to her.

She stared at her hands. The king had watched as the queen had cut her hands up before burning them. For slapping the king across the face.

“It also says I need to be warm and approachable so you can teach me that.”

“You have to stop snarling at Emrys.” Her voice was a whisper but he heard it.

Erix chuckled. “If you come out of there, I’ll promise to be nice to him.”

She didn’t answer him as she started washing her hair. When she had scrubbed between her legs, her thighs and her neck as hard as she could, Cerelia climbed out of the tub, wrapping a towel around her body. She pulled the drain blocker out of the tub, letting the water swirl through the drain before she dried her body and her hair before slipping the cotton dress down her body.

Cerelia pulled open the washroom door to see Erix standing in front of it. He ran his golden eyes down her body, and she did not turn away from it as he lifted his gaze to her face. “The old witch left you a gown to wear tomorrow for the engagement.” His voice was low as he watched her, waiting for her to say something.

“Will there be people?” She asked stupidly.

His eyes softened a little. “I’ll be there.” He didn’t need to say anything else because she knew what he meant. He was going to be the wall behind her back, making sure she stood tall and did not crumble in front of others.

Erix took a step back, and then another, allowing her to move out of the washroom doorway. She saw Nyota walk into the room but stopped immediately, glancing at Erix and then at Cerelia. “Shall I come back later?” She asked politely.

“Yes.”

“No. It’s fine.” Cerelia said just as Erix said yes. She didn’t look back at him as she looked at Nyota. “What usually happens during an engagement party?”

“I can tell you that.” Erix mumbled behind her.

“The couple walk in together. They dance. They talk to people. They put rings on. They cut a nice big fancy cake. And then they go to sleep.” Nyota listed all the things in boredom. “Honestly, Cerelia, it’s just a party for people to dress prettily.”

“I do not know how to dance.”

“Well I have nothing to do right now, so I can show you?” Erix offered, moving to the left a little so he could see her face as she turned to look at him. “Nyota, why don’t you go bring one of the music-”

“I’d like to sleep, Erix.” Cerelia said softly so only he could hear. He blinked down at her. “I’m tired.” She was exhausted, and her body was so numb, she would fall over any second. She hadn’t slept the day she had woken up unconscious after a week.

He watched her before nodding his head. “Friends can sleep beside each other, right?” He looked at Nyota, raising an eyebrow and Cerelia turned to look at Nyota who was nodding her head. “This bed is big enough.” He looked at the bed.

Nyota immediately excused herself, leaving her alone with Erix who pulled away the blankets on the bed, fluffed out the pillows. “You are not sleeping here.” Cerelia crossed her arms.

“Why not?” Because she did not sleep in a bed.

“Erix, I’m going to be fine.” She sighed as he turned to face her. “Your castle is well protected, right?” He nodded but his body was stiff. “And I think Cadmus would love to protect me in case anything happens.”

Erix snarled.

She blinked.

He was snarling at her? She had said nothing wrong.

“I’ll sleep outside the room then.” He offered. She could have sworn she saw hope in his eyes, as if she would allow him to sleep there.

“Katara must be waiting for you.” She said instead, wishing to be alone. He frowned, as if remembering Katara was here. “You should go to her. I’ll be fine.” She walked towards bed slowly. “Friends have trust in each other. So trust me when I say I’m fine.”

“I’m never going to trust you when you say that.” He answered her instead, fisting his hands behind his back. “But as your friend, I’ll give you your space.” He took a step closer to her, as if wanting to say something but she felt him brush against her shoulder as he walked around her.

“I also want you up early so I can teach you how to dance.”