Page 8 of Ocean of Silver

The green-eyed guard disappeared the moment the King left the monitor room, so I was led up here by my previous torturer. “A maid is being fetched for you. You are to bathe before you meet with Tezya.”

“So I’m not a prisoner anymore?” I had to ask. I couldn’t believe that after all that time spent in the dungeons, I’d just be let out.

He looked at me with disgust. “You will always be a prisoner, Tennebrisian scum.”

I turned to him, ignoring his comment, and swallowed down my pride, my hands pressed against my throat. “Please, can I have water and food?” My stomach turned in on itself. The bread I got from the nice guard had long left me, and my throat was so scratchy it burned with each inhale.

He scuffed. “Just be thankful I’m not throwing you back in that damn cell. You don’t belong in our society. Your blood is tainted with the Dark.”

He turned and slammed the door in my face, leaving me entirely alone. But at least I wasn’t surrounded by darkness anymore, and the cool draft from the dungeon was no longer hugging my skin. It was warm and comforting in this room, despite my body crawling with a sweeping sensation of danger.

It was strange to be in a normal room after so much time locked away. Just being able to stand again felt foreign. Chandeliers illuminated the space, filling the room with buzzing electricity. There wasn’t a candle or torch anywhere. There wasn’t even a fireplace.

I knew that Lux contrasted greatly with Tennebris in most ways. While Tennebris clung to the dark and olden traditions, Lux conceded to the new. They embraced technology and electricity and didn’t seem to have any sort of shortage with either, but it was still a shock to see it in person.

I slowly walked over to the only window in the room, my legs aching and cramping with each step. I had to sit down, just standing felt taxing on my body, nonetheless walking. I sank into the off-white chair that was perched in front of it.

My fingers curled around the ivory curtains, and only then did I notice myself—how out of place I was. My fingers were covered in dirt and looked wrong against the cleanliness of the fabric. I pulled the material aside abruptly, not wanting to stare at any part of my body any longer than I had to. I just wanted to look outside, to see Lux for the first time. A scream of surprise escaped my parched, cracked lips as I was blinded by the light now streaming in. I slammed my dirty hand over my eyes to shield them.

The sun. I’d seen glimpses of its rays every day, but to have a full, unshielded view of it… I didn’t know how long it’d been since I had felt its warmth. Even through the thick window, I could imagine how it used to feel running under it in Tennebris each morning. I inched closer to the window, wanting to feel its warmth on my skin, wanting to know if it’d be different here than in the Dark Kingdom. My fingers trembled around the edge of the window sill, feeling for the latch to open it, but there was none. It was glued shut. Still closing my eyes, unused to the brightness, I pressed my forehead against the cool window pane and sighed heavily.

“Good morning, my dear,” a thick female voice sounded from behind me. I lifted my head and noticed a brown smear imprinted on the glass from where I was leaning into it.

“H-hello,” I said hesitantly, taking in the older female before me. She was slightly plump, which was a bit unusual for an Advenian, but somehow still came across as frail. Her black hair was peppered with gray, and a few wrinkles were etched around her eyes and the corners of her mouth. She must be ancient to be showing signs of aging.

The woman curtsied awkwardly in a way that made it appear like she’d never done it before. “I will be your maid while you’re at the castle.” That was when I noticed the zero branded onto her left wrist.

I suddenly felt awkward that she was bowing to me. Did she not know why I was here? That I was a prisoner? She clearly must know something was off by my appearance alone. “Please, that’s not necessary,” I said softly as she rose from her curtsey. A loud pop resonated in her knee. “My name is Scotlind, but you can call me Scottie.”

I quickly covered my mouth as I let out a small gasp. The words had slipped out of me before I could stop them. Was I supposed to tell people my name? Did the people of Lux know anything about me? That a nix named Scottie used to be the Dark Princess? All I knew was that the King saidno oneshould know who I really was. I assumed that meant not telling people my real name. He also said that I was supposed to train with that beautiful stranger from earlier, and no one was to know about that either. I prayed to Pylemo that I didn’t just condemn this woman for revealing a part of me.

I internally groaned as I came to the realization that I still had to pretend I was a nix. That yet again, I had to hide who I was. At least it was better than rotting in that cage.

The woman gave me a knowing smile that seemed genuine as it reached her eyes—her green eyes. I never knew I could find such comfort in a single color before.

“I’m Patricia,” she started as she hobbled over to me. “And there’s no need to worry. I am aware of who you are, my dear. I would have had to be informed of you if I’m to care for you, wouldn’t I? Now, let’s get you cleaned up. You are to meet with Tezya to learn of your new arrangements.”

I kept staring into Patricia’s eyes as she slowly made her way across the shiny floor. If she fell, I think her bones would snap, even with the extra cushion surrounding them. She noticed my assessment and halted. “What is it?” Patricia grumbled, and I swore her voice sounded deeper, huskier at that moment.

I brushed it away. “Nothing,” I replied. “It’s just… your eyes… They remind me of someone from my hom—” I paused, stopping myself mid-sentence. I almost called Tennebris my home, and to be honest, I didn’t know which Kingdom I belonged to anymore. I don’t belong to either of them. “They remind me of someone that I miss,” I settled on saying.

A half smile grew on her wrinkled face as she winked at me. “A cute boy, perhaps?”

“Yes,” I laughed, knowing that Peter would be smiling to hear me say that, “but it’s not like that. He is… I mean… he was a friend.”

“Once a friend, always a friend. Come on, dear. We don’t have much time.” She finished her way across the floor and stopped mere inches from me as she gently reached for my arm to lead me toward the bathing room.

I planted my feet on the ground. “Could I have some food?” I choked out. I felt disgusting in every way possible, and to be clean again sounded like a fantasy that would never come true, but I needed food, or I was going to collapse.

She looked sympathetic as she said, “I’m sorry, but there is no food in your chambers. I was given instructions to clean you up. The sooner we do so, the sooner you may dine with Tezya.”

Dine with Tezya.I couldn’t hide the disappointment from my face as I let her lead me toward the bathing room. I didn’t want todinewith anyone from Lux, but I figured this person would be informing me of my training with the white-haired stranger. Whoever he was, he better have food, or I would throw a fit or pass out. Whichever happened first.

I froze once I saw what awaited me inside the bathing room. A tub. A beautiful white bathtub with silver faucets. The bath was large enough to fit two people but still felt too small. Too suffocating.

It was still an enclosed, circular prison that would be filled with water. Patricia bent over, grasping the side of the bath for support as she turned the faucet to its side. Water poured out in a heavy stream. Steam and heat instantly spiraled and twirled around the water, clinging to it for life. I didn’t have time to be impressed that the heat of the water was immediate.

I stepped backward, hitting the wall so hard that the mirror above the sink clamored. My throat closed up. I wanted to scream. I opened my mouth to do just that, but nothing came out. I couldn’t. I couldn’t relive that horrid memory. It was bad enough that a version of it came into my nightmares each night, but this… I couldn’t face it.

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