Page 26 of Grotesque Love

I lift the cup to my lips, hesitating for a moment before taking a small sip of the cool liquid.

“Best take them, Miss,” he says nodding to my fist where the tablets are nestled.

I jerk my head in response.Shit.I shouldn’t have said anything.

Ireallydon’t want to take these tablets. I shift the covers, uncomfortable. Maybe I can just take one? That might not be so bad?

A loud bang sounds from outside causing us both to jump, and I spill some of the water.

“What the—” The groundsman rushes to the window and peers through the small gap in the curtains, looking for the source of the disturbance outside.

Seizing the opportunity, I drop the tablets into my lap before readjusting the covers and mime placing the pills into my mouth as he starts to turn back around.

I shudder, pantomime swallowing, and take a large gulp of water. I suppress a grimace, forcing myself to finish it under the groundsman’s watchful gaze. As I set the cup back on the bedside table, a wave of guilt washes over me.

What if I really do need the medicine to get better?

I hate them. They make everything cloudy, fuzzy. I’m not myself here.

But…am I hurting myself by missing two doses today? Am I making everything worse? Is that even possible?

The groundsman’s eyes never leave mine, and there’s a knowing glint in there that makes me recoil.

“Thank you,” I manage to say, my voice sounding distant and muffled in my own ears.

He nods, his lips quirking into a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Rest well, Miss. I’ll be just outside if you need anything.”

With that, he turns and exits the room, leaving me alone.

I lie back against the pillows, feeling my heart thumping in my throat. My thoughts drift and I struggle to stay awake, but there’s no fighting the exhaustion I feel all the way to my core.

S

Our little treasure was doing so well.

I was proud of her for not taking the medicine. It was poisoning her mind, weakening her so that the lord of the manor could keep her under his control.

The groundskeeper, Lord Clifton’s little minion, was lazy with his duties but tonight he didn’t make the same mistake twice, standing over her until she took the pills.

I hated having to watch her wilt under his insistence. It didn’t matter that the sun had long since set and the magic bonds had weakened, I remained watching over her and waiting.

When it looked like there was no way out of her having to take the medication, I created a distraction, knocking one of the roof tiles free and sending it crashing to the ground below.

Clever girl used my little diversion to hide the medication and then pretended to take it.

Such a good girl.

I can’t wait to tell her how perfect she was. How strong she was.

Jas reported back that she ate the soup, which pleased me greatly, but having to watch her almost take those vile concoctions again tonight broke my heart.

We’re doing our utmost to help her. We’re trying to encourage her to eat. To explore. To fight her bonds, the ones that keep her prisoner in her mind, while her body is trapped in her room or the solarium like a dying plant. It feels like everytime we take one step forward, it’s followed by three steps back.

There has to be more that we can do.

Some way to stop the groundskeeper from giving her more medicine.

We just need a little more time.

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