Thorned Shadow [+18]
Chapter 12

“I don’t want to go inside.” She pleaded to Cadmus and Nyota who had both walked her through the halls, a big grin on their faces that didn’t disappear even now as they all stopped a few feet away from the dining room.

Nyota had woken her up in the morning with a loud gasp which had made Cadmus run to her room and Cerelia to jump up in bed. She had been wide eyed, staring at Cadmus and Nyota who were both staring at her with their mouths open.

She remembered every single detail from last night and she had groaned at them, for whatever reason they had gaped at her, and covered herself with blankets. Thankfully no pounding headache had formed but for the first time she felt her mind and body feeling a lot clearer than usual.

Nyota and Cadmus had started laughing at that moment.

“Can you scent what I can, Nyota?”

“Happiness. Genuine happiness-”

Nyota hadn’t been able to finish her words when Cerelia had thrown a pillow at her. Nyota had claimed Erix’s scent was stronger as if he had stayed the night. Cerelia had thrown another pillow when Nyota had indicated that all the people in the party had seen them sneak off, some had even followed them, to see the future king and Queen holding hands and that the witch queen was laughing.

She had told them to get out. For the first time, she hadn’t scrubbed her body clean and had not washed her skin for hours under the warm water. Instead, she had applied some perfumed liquid to her wrists, and left her hair that was curly as it was.

Nyota had talked about how people had loved the party, while she had gotten dressed in a simple black A-line gown that was flowing enough for her to move in. She had stuck to her flat shoes, allowing Nyota to apply red paint to her lips and Nyota had said she didn’t need any cream to conceal the dark spots under her eyes since they were disappearing.

She was sleeping.

“Yes you are. I need my daily drama.” Nyota stood behind her, pressing her hands on her back. Cerelia did not stiffen, a part of her knowing Nyota was not going to harm her. “Off you go.” Nyota pushed her forward, Cadmus grinning and laughing.

They stopped beside the door, where the two silent guards grinned at her before opening the door. Breathing out softly, after sending a glare to Cadmus and Nyota, she walked inside.

Erix was watching every step she took but she did not meet his gaze as she smiled at Emrys. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, indeed, child!” He beamed happily from his seat as she walked around Erix’s chair and towards her own. She pulled the chair out, smiling at Katara who smiled in return, before sitting down on her chair. “You’ve set a wonderful impression on the Fae, darling.” Emrys talked, a big grin on his face.

“I have?” She returned his smile as the food was brought in.

“Yes yes-” He waved his hand. “They definitely liked your idea of making a market for chocolates only.” He chuckled.

“How are you?” Erix questioned, his voice low but everyone heard it.

“Fine, thank you.” She said politely without looking at him, reaching out to pick up the toasted bread.

“Fine?” He scoffed.

Nyota snickered before hiding behind the pillar immediately.

“Is she supposed to feel any different, Erix?” Katara questioned, filling her plate up with food.

“No.” He muttered, and she could feel his eyes on the side of her face. She glanced at Emrys who was grinning up at them both like a happy parent. “She drank a lot of alcohol last night which is why I’m asking.” He answered, reaching out for the same bowl of strawberries as she did.

She pulled her hands back immediately. “I don’t remember a lot from last night.” She lied, keeping her back straight.

“Cerelia.” He said her name with the same intensity she remembered from yesterday when she had asked him to repeat it again and again. She was so stupid. “Why are you not looking at me?”

She turned her face and looked at him. His eyebrows were furrowed, the scar slicing through his eye seemed to stand out more as his golden eyes glowed at her. “Why do your eyes glow?” She questioned before turning her face away and taking the bowl of cut strawberries after he was done with it.

“They do?” Katara questioned. “Look at me.” Erix must have looked at her as Cerelia kept her eyes on Katara who frowned. “They’re not glowing.”

Cerelia looked at Erix to see his eyes were indeed glowing. “Yes they are.”

“Stop looking at my eyes.” Erix muttered, shoving strawberries into his mouth. The same mouth that had kissed her softly on her forehead.

She looked away.

“What will I be doing today, Emrys?” She asked before putting a strawberry slice in her mouth. Erix was watching her, she could feel his gaze like a brand on the side of her face but she did not look.

“You have the days to yourself now, child.” He smiled at her, picking up a sweet bun. “After the engagement, you are welcome to do whatever you wish.”

“When will the wedding be?” Katara asked him.

Emrys looked at Cerelia first and then at Erix. “When they are ready to be married. The engagement proves to the witches and the fae that an alliance has formed. When they choose to get married, that is up to them.”

“So weeks?”

“So years?” She blurted out as Erix said weeks.

Emrys chuckled. “That is up to you two to decide.”

She didn’t say a word and neither did she look at him as she ate her breakfast slowly. The silence was suffocating until Erix coughed awkwardly. “Would you like me to show you how to use a sword?” His words were directed at Cerelia.

She lifted her gaze from her plate and towards him. “What will I need to learn that for?”

He shrugged his shoulders, lifting a strawberry to his lips. “To defend yourself.” He plopped the strawberry into his lips and she stared at them for a second too long before lifting her gaze to his eyes.

“Okay.”

He turned to look at Katara. “Would you like to come with us?”

Katara glanced at Cerelia, a frown on her face before she smiled at Erix. “No. I think I’ll just be in your room.” She pushed her chair back and before he could say another word, she left the dining room.

“She’s upset.” Cerelia said.

“You would not even believe what she’s upset over.” Erix muttered before pushing his chair back and standing up. “I’ll meet you in the gardens at the back. Well known for privacy.” He said and before she could say anything he walked out, following Katara.

Cerelia slumped in her seat, running her hands through her hair and letting out a sigh.

“Is everything alright, child?”

She looked at Emrys, startled and completely forgetting he was sitting there. Cerelia sat up properly. “Yes-” She answered before sighing again. “No. I’ve never really done anything. I mean you said I can do whatever I wish to do with my day, but I’ve never had that opportunity before.”

He smiled softly. “What do you like to do? What interests you?”

She would hear the music playing so loud on winter solstice every year in the dungeons, one song playing over and over again which she had sung to herself. She liked to sing. It calmed her body like Erix’s scent did.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“I can teach you how to cook.” Nyota spoke from beside the pillars. She walked closer to the table and Emrys pulled out a chair for her. She thanked him as she sat opposite Cerelia. “You can meet the kitchen maids. I can introduce them to you tonight, after you learn how to grip a sword.” She smirked at her, making poor Emrys cough, and forced himself to excuse the room.

Nyota continued before Cerelia could ask what she meant. “Annalise is really good at baking. She does these classes with us maids at night. You can join us. See if that interests you.”

“I’d like that very much.” Cerelia smiled. Maybe she could learn how to cook for herself. She picked up a sweet bun, pulling a piece off it before standing up. “It’s my first time seeing the gardens.” She said as Nyota stood up as well. Cerelia put the piece of bread into her mouth, the sweet texture melting instantly.

“Yes.“Nyota fanned her face. “You’ll have all the privacy to recreate whatever happened last night.”

“Nothing happened!” Cerelia frowned at Nyota who ran out of the room telling Cadmus to run away.

Letting out a dramatic sigh, she walked out of the dining room, eating the sweet bun slowly and enjoying every piece as she pointed to the garden doors by guards.

Cerelia stopped beside the open door, seeing Erix. He did not wear a tunic, just a simple pair of his usual black pants.

His body was built differently than any male she could compare him to. His dark hair was left open, the wind breezing through it as he spun around, the sword in his hands that danced with darkness. He plunged the sword into a figure of darkness before beheading the figure who instantly evaporated.

Cerelia did not move. She couldn’t breath as her body hummed in response to his. She wanted to walk out, to touch his chest, to read the words written on his chest. Ink was tattooed on his body, swirling up and behind his shoulder. Her lips parted as she exhaled softly. Something was definitely wrong with her.

Erix turned, as if feeling her gaze. He stood up straight and she blinked, breaking out of a trance. Silently, she walked into the garden that was blocked off with a large tall wall further away.

Flowers bloomed on either side of her as she walked on the grass towards him, to the clearing surrounded by every sort of colourful flower.

Erix held the sword out. “Hold this.” He muttered.

She wrapped her fingers that brushed against his own around the hilt and she held the heavy sword. “You expect me to spin this around just like you did a couple of seconds ago?”

He chuckled, watching as she held the sword out with both of her hands. “No. I expect you to learn how to balance your weight with the sword.” He grabbed her hand and spread her fingers around the hilt, to a better grip. “If you hold it like this, your thumb won’t be stuck under your other fingers which could cramp with every move you do.”

“It’s going to take me a century to learn this.”

“Good thing we don’t age.” He winked, and she tried to keep the smile away from her face but failed. “Now turn.” He waited for her to turn towards the figure of darkness that had appeared where he had slayed the other one.

Moving his arms around her body, his chest pressed against hers, she lifted the sword in her hands. “You’re awfully touchy today.” She blurted out as his hands curled around hers on the sword.

His breath warmed her neck as he spoke. “If you remembered last night, you’d understand why.”

“Ah.” She nodded her head, focusing on the figure in front of her. “Should I be happy I don’t remember it?” Did he regret touching her when she had thrown herself into his arms?

“The opposite of happy.” He angled the sword towards the figure that moved closer to her. Instinctively she pressed her back against him. “It’s not going to attack you.” He said softly. “I’m just going to teach you where to stab the sword if you can’t behead a Fae.”

She nodded, not moving away from the closeness of his body. “Is Katara upset because of last night?” The way she spoke indicated she had done something with him but she hadn’t, other than wasting his time.

“You could say that.” He pushed the sword into the darkness’ heart.

“Would you like me to apologise to her?”

“Why would you do that?”

“I’m assuming she smelled my scent on you.” From when he had lifted her up, or became a wall behind her back again.

“Your scent has been consuming me lately.” He breathed out, twisting the sword into the figure that slowly dissolved.

Cerelia did not speak. She could hear her heart beating the same way his heart did, rapidly. “if you twist the blade inside their heart or any part of the body, it causes more damage than just pushing the sword in. It’ll take longer to heal, making them weak while you kill them.” Every word was softly spoken against her neck.

“Your heart is racing.” She blurted out, lowering the sword in their hands.

“I could say the same about you, Cerelia.” Her name was a purr, as if it was so normal to stretch her name and say it so softly with the amount of intensity that made her heart clench. “You’re a very bad liar.” He pulled his hands away from hers and she held the sword alone.

Erix did not move from his spot behind her. She forgot how to breathe. “You remember everything from last night.”

“I do not.”

“So you don’t remember that I lifted you in my arms? Or what you asked of me before I left?”

Will I replace love? Like the way you and Katara love each other? Will I ever replace that?

Cerelia turned around, knowing her body was humming to his, singing the same song his mind sang, it was completely wrong. So wrong. She took a step back, again and again, putting enough space in between them that chills ran up her body when his warmth disappeared. “Is there anything else to learn?”

“There is a lot to learn.” He took a step towards her but she took a step backwards. “What’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?” He frowned.

She straightened her back, shaking her head once. “I think you should not touch me again.” His touch made her body want to turn into a puddle. Every single time. “I think I’d like to go out into the kingdom today.”

“Why and why?”

She didn’t answer his first question. “Maybe I can interact with Fae. I’ll take Cadmus with me, and a few other guards in case anything happens but I know where to strike now.” She raised her eyes from his bare chest and looked up at him. He was glaring. She ignored it. “Tomorrow I think I will visit the Witches. I have spent time with the Fae but do not even know my own kind.”

She didn’t know if she had any magic like the children had. Was she born with it? Did Agatha take her magic before taking her to another realm? Or did she not have any? What was her full name? Who was her father? Does she have any cousins, any sisters or brothers?

Cerelia knew nothing.

“Cadmus.” Erix snarled as if only picking out the name she said from everything. He walked towards her, standing inches away from her body but surprisingly she did not flinch. “I’ll go with you.”

Her fingers itched to reach out, to touch him, but she fisted her hands besides herself. “You should spend some time with Katara. I feel she may need you to be with her right now.” Again she took a step backwards. “You might understand how it feels to be in a realm where nobody knows you.” She looked up at him, staring into the eyes that glowed. “She’s in your world, Erix.”

He watched as her lips parted and she exhaled a breath. His eyes darkened but she didn’t remove her eyes from his. He took a step towards her, and another. She raised her hands to stop him, pressing them against his bare chest. Her fingers tingle, something bright unfurling from the darkness in her mind.

Cerelia felt his lips on her forehead, lingering for a second too long before he disappeared in the darkness that embraced him. She let out a shuddering breath, standing in the garden herself.

☆☆☆

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Annalise warned behind her.

“Live a little, Ann.” Nyota said excitedly though her voice was no louder than a whisper as she stood in front of Cerelia, a cloak covering her face. Cerelia pressed her hand on Nyota’s shoulder, trying to look over it to see if the males had stopped chasing them.

She had panicked of course, not feeling the safety of the castle on her skin as they had walked out of the castle, wearing clothes of a maid and cloaks belonging to other maids who apparently would always return to their homes.

Nyota had introduced her to Annalise who had been so nervous, she had dropped all the flour onto the floor when Cerelia had smiled at her. Cerelia had apologised many times, getting down on her knees and lifting the tin but the flour had all been wasted. The maids had looked at her, of all ages and sizes, and she was on the verge of panicking when Nyota had said Cerelia would make it up to them by going to buy them more flour.

The maids had instantly said no to Nyota, saying they already had a lot of flour in the storage rooms but Cerelia had agreed, saying of course she would. They had left the castle, on hunt of getting flour from the markets that were definitely closed during the evenings. Instead, they were meeting Aideen at an Inn.

Cerelia felt adventurous.

“I really think if we return back to the castle now, nobody would say anything to us. The gates will close on us, in a few hours.” Annalise panicked behind her.

Annalise was a beautiful timid maid, who reminded Cerelia of herself. She wondered if her voice was always full of fear at anything new and crazy in her life.

Cerelia turned to look at her slowly, lifting her cloak a little to show her face. “They will not close the gates to me, Annalise. Please do not be afraid. Nyota will not take me anywhere I do not belong.” She promised the beautiful maid.

Annalise sighed as Cerelia faced forward again. “When it comes to eating her girlfriend out, Nyota forgets who is with her.”

Cerelia coughed as Nyota gaped at Annalise. “Annalise, have you been watching me?”

Annalise blurted out a no quickly just as Nyota said it was clear to go.

Together the three females stood up and walked together. Cerelia could hear the music, the loud thumping music from a large building, Nyota walked too. The streets were empty except for a few people who walked into the open door.

“Don’t speak to anyone.” Nyota said, claiming she needed an instant fix from Aideen who was waiting for her in one of the rooms.

“How long will you be?” Annalise questioned as Cerelia followed Nyota through the open door and into the brightly lit Inn. She saw people dancing, others drinking out of a large mug and others talking in their seats as they ate.

“I’m sure you can time me, Annalise.” Nyota grinned as she lowered her cloak slowly before disappearing into the crowd.

“Walk in will ya? Or ya just going to stand there all night?” A large male with a roughly cut beard called from behind the bar where he served males and females.

“I think he’s speaking to us.” Annalise said softly behind her.

“We should sit while we wait.” Cerelia answered back in the same softness before she walked to one of the empty tables, not looking at the large males who ate their chicken with a lot of roughness. She pulled out the chair, claiming it immediately as a female chewing something annoyingly walked up to them.

“What would you like to eat or drink?” She held out a pen in her hand, tapping it against her palm.

Cerelia looked at Annalise, her own heart pounding in her chest but she felt alive, she felt like she was doing something wrong and it brought a big smile on her face, though no one would be able to see it.

“Water.” Annalise’s voice squeaked and before Cerelia could answer, the female in the shortest dress she had ever seen, walked away from them.

Before Cerelia could tell Annalise that they would be fine, she heard the males behind her speaking.

“We should take war to the castle instead.” The male grunted and she heard him slurping his drink.

“Yeah!”

“They don’t care about us anyway!” Another added.

The people around her turned, facing the male behind her. She turned around a little, her body completely still as she saw the male eating his food, a disgusted look on his face before he looked up at the people who were watching him and the other male eat.

“What do you say?” He lifted the large mug up into the air. “Should we kill the king and the witch?” He laughed before taking a large gulp of the drink before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as the others cheered. “He doesn’t care about us, does he? All he cares about fucking the other fae while marrying a witch!”

“Another fuckable female for him.”

“The witch’s ass is something I’d like to pound into!”

She shut out their words that made her skin crawl. “Why do you say that?” Her voice was steady and nothing like the shaking breath of fear that escaped Annalise.

The males turned, facing her. The one who spoke of war, scoffed. “Lady, mind your own business. The king will take good care of you females but the males-” The male spat on the ground disgustingly. “He spits on us.”

“Why?” She questioned again.

They peered at her, as if wondering if she really wanted to know. The man scooped up mashed potatoes before shoving them into his mouth as he spoke. “He forces us to train our bodies on empty stomachs.”

“I see a plate of food right in front of you.”

Annalise sucked in a breath as the male glared at her. “I speak of war you are unaware of, female.” He scoffed again, swallowing the food in his mouth. “The witches have more land than us, yet they are less in numbers. Our bodies have been trained for war, but instead the king and Queen sit in their castle, fucking.”

“I hardly doubt that is all they do.” She blurted out, feeling heat rising to her cheeks. They definitely did not do that.

“You know nothing.” Another one spoke. “The witches are dangerous.” He shook his head, the dark blue eyes shining with hate. “They will not hand over their land if their queen opens her legs for the king.”

“You speak very disrespectfully about a female.” Her voice was hard, though a part of her knew the males could crush her skull with one slap.

They laughed. “This is not about males and females.”

Another shrugged his shoulders. “Our king is marrying a Queen for the sake of stopping war? I replace that hard to believe. They both have appeared 500 years later, claiming their thrones with a sudden urge to stop war?”

“May I speak freely?” She asked softly, as she turned her body towards them.

The male who had started the conversations, lifted his drink up at her and then drank it. She took that as her sign to speak. “I fear that you males have no idea what to do with your life if it is not war.” They narrowed their eyes on her. “Not only the Fae, I speak of the witches as well.” The music had slowly died out. “I think you have been born into a life where all you have known is how to fight.”

“You expect us to sit around with the witches and drink tea?”

“They’ll poison us!” A few of them shouted.

“What is your point, lady?” The male asked, pushing his plate away as the female with the short dress came and placed a glass of water on their table.

“What if there was something else you could wake up to instead of war? Will that not be better?”

“Look at us.” The male said. “Do you think we know anything other than protecting the kingdom?”

She could see their muscles in her arms, the roughness in their eyes as if they had seen thousands of people die. “I think we could try.”

“We know nothing about our king.” One of them spoke.

“Or the queen.” Another added.

Cerelia realised something that moment as she stared at the males. Erix and herself were strangers to their people. They knew nothing of the male who claimed the throne, or the queen who was marrying their king. They were oblivious to everything.

“Would you speak kindly of the king and Queen if you knew them better?”

“I’d definitely bend the queen and give her as much kindn-”

“Stop.”

Cerelia stood up slowly and she looked at the males who looked disgusted with themselves. “I think you should be ashamed of the way you speak so derogatory of your future queen.”

The male who had started the conversation turned to the male who had made her skin crawl. Without wasting a second, the male slapped the other smaller male, making Cerelia flinch backwards. “Apologise.”

The smaller in size male knelt on the ground, mumbling a sorry.

“You should express yourself in a better way.” She turned to look at the male who had slapped the other one. “I understand where you come from.” She did because they truly knew nothing about her or the Erix. “I hope you get to know the queen and king.”

Without saying another word, Cerelia turned her back straight and saw Nyota and Aideen watching her. She smiled at herself, keeping her head high, her face covered, Cerelia walked out of the Inn.

“I don’t know what to say..” Nyota said behind her, her hand wrapped around Aideen’s hand. Annalise had lifted her hood up a little, letting the wind blow on her face. She smiled.

“I definitely saw a queen.” Aideen chuckled, following them as they headed back to the castle.

Cerelia looked at Aideen. “Really?”

A part of knew the males could kill her and she wouldn’t be able to defend themselves but she also understood them. She wouldn’t trust someone without knowing them. She was slowly trusting Erix though she was friendly with everyone.

“I know what I need to do though.” Cerelia spoke as they walked up the empty roads. They waited for her to speak. “I think tomorrow, the witches and fae should meet up. Maybe, Erix could tell his story to them.” If he was ready that was. She turned around, facing the three females as she walked backwards. “I think I would be ready to tell them. For Sasha and Asha,” she looked at Aideen who was smiling at her. “For the witches and their magic. I would tell them my story if it means there’s no more war.”

She would speak of every horror if it meant children were saved from giving up their magic. If the Fae would stop attacking them. She would speak so the fae understood that she had no ill intentions towards them.

“I think you’re going to be a wonderful queen.” Annalise said, with a smile on her face.

Cerelia lifted her cloak, letting it fall back as she breathed in the cold air. “I feel different, like I am not supposed to be inside the castles.”

“Different, huh?” Nyota wiggled her eyebrows. “Does this have anything to do with Erix feeling you up this morning in the gardens? I think pretty much every maid was watching out of the windows.”

Cerelia laughed but it wasn’t Erix. He definitely had a big part in it, because he was pushing her, making her want things she never dreamed of wanting. He was forcing her to say stuff she would never say, but there was something else that had clicked inside of her when she had seen Annalise.

Annalise made her want to step out of her comfort zone, to go out into the world to fix it, to become more than a broken girl.

“Cloaks up.” Nyota said, lifting her cloak over her head as the castle came into view. Cerelia didn’t lift her cloak, knowing the guards would instantly allow her in. Aideen kissed Nyota under the cloak before hesitantly pulling away and saying she would return tomorrow if a day was arranged.

Cerelia faced the castle, a smile on her face as she hurried towards the gates, wanting to speak to Emrys, so he could arrange for them to tell their stories. Maybe it would help or maybe it wouldn’t. She was willing to take the risk.

Instantly the gates opened wide, the guards gaping at her but she grinned, running towards the castle. “Emrys!” She called the moment she stepped into the castle.

“Cerelia!” Nyota called out in fear.

Cerelia’s body was slammed against the wall, a gasp escaping her at the hand around her throat. Her lips parted in fear as Erix glared at her.

“Let her go, boy!” Emrys growled at him.

Erix snarled in her face. She closed her eyes tightly, his scent suffocating her as her heart raced. She couldn’t breathe and not because he had a hand around her throat.

Images flashed in her mind and she pushed them away, shoving them behind the door of steel in her mind.

“Where the fuck were you?!” His words were a snarl, completely like a beast ready to rip its prey away. “LOOK AT ME!”

She opened her eyes, feeling the traitorous tears warming her skin as they slid down her face. Her body trembled at his voice but he didn’t care that she was crying. “Where. The. Fuck. Were. You.” He demanded an answer, pressing a hand against the wall and leaning down towards her.

She could have sworn he sniffed her.

She couldn’t answer. No words formed on her tongue.

“Erix!” Katara called out to him. “Let go of her!”

He turned his head, snarling at Katara as she tried to pull him away. Instantly Katara let go of him, maybe in fear but Cerelia couldn’t sense anything.

He was going to kill her. She had been so wrong about his touches, had thought they were friends, and had thought that maybe there was a possibility of him being- she was wrong though. So wrong.

“Erix..” She breathed out his name, feeling his scent wrap around every inch of her skin, as if wanting to calm her. Emrys was shouting at him, Katara was pulling him away, but he didn’t move, didn’t even look as if he was breathing. “I don’t want to die.” She said softly, her voice a plea of forgiveness or whatever he wanted.

It loosened his hand before pulling away, blinking in horror. Erix stumbled backwards as she pressed her body against the wall, sucking in a breath. Instantly the darkness appeared, and he stepped into it, disappearing as the darkness sucked him in.

“I am sorry, Cerelia.” Emrys spoke softly, worried.

She felt the silence in her mind crawling closer to her heart as she pressed a hand against it. Her heart felt like it was shattering, and she held back a sob, feeling everyone’s eyes on her.

I think you’re going to be a wonderful queen.

Annalise’s words slammed into her mind, echoing louder and louder, powering over the shattering of her heart. “I-” her voice was too quiet as she spoke. “Emrys, they don’t know us.” She whispered, looking at the male who was holding himself up on the cane that he had hit Erix with several times. He was looking at her confused.

“She means,” Annalise spoke, wiping the tears from her face. “She’d like to tell her story to the Fae and the witches. The king can as well if he wants too. We- the queen, was speaking with the Fae and they said they don’t know the King or the Queen. Cerelia thinks it would be a good idea to share her story with them, so they would understand her.” Annalise explained her thoughts.

Emrys was looking at her. He nodded, once, twice. “I’ll gather the people up whenever you want.”

Cerelia pushed herself away from the wall, held her head up and walked away from them. They didn’t say a word, not a single one as she walked through the hallway silently. Cerelia wiped her face forcefully, begging the tears to stop sliding down her face, begging her heart to stop shattering as she didn’t stop walking.

Cadmus opened the door for her, his voice muffled in her mind as he questioned her, asking something she couldn’t make sense of as she walked into her room. Cerelia closed the door she had always left open.