Page 3 of A Kingdom so Crimson

Isat in the wash basin until the water cooled completely, chilling my body temperature to send goosebumps up and down my body. A slight knock hit the door, ushering me out of my daze. I stepped out, dripping water on the wood floors, and quickly put on my robe. My feet stung against the cool floor as I walked to the door and unlatched the lock to see Aoife smiling brightly, holding a beautiful icy blue gown.

At least Aoife could soften my dampened heart.

"Good afternoon, dear," she said, sliding past me and setting the dress down on my hard bed, which had covers so thin that they barely kept in warmth. "I don't have much time before I need to help prepare for dinner, but I wanted to see how your evaluation went today?"

I sighed and smiled at her, not wanting the anger to pick up again. "The usual."

Her eyes widened in alarm. "You're bleeding, my lady," Aoife said, pointing to my arm that had turned my robe red. "Darius is going too hard on you," she huffed with as much anger as her kind heart could take. She patted the seat next to my decayingvanity Jesri found for me from an abandoned warehouse and pulled my sleeve up, exposing several other slashes too stubborn to leave, lingering as scars and memories of failure. "Let me patch you up really quick."

She gathered the bandages and ointment, worn with use, and pushed my skin tight, pressing the salve into the cut. Pain zinged up my arm, waking me out of my murky depression. She wrapped the bandage tightly, hiding the rest of my scars and emotions with it. I thanked her as she gathered her things, quickly placing a kiss on my cheek.

"I'll be back soon to help prepare you for dinner tonight," she said, with excitement in her eyes before quickly leaving and clicking the door shut.

As I approached the bed, my fingertips brushed the soft, delicate fabric of the icy blue dress she had meticulously laid out for me. The serenity of the moment was abruptly shattered by a sharp, impatient knock on the door. It swung open before I could react, revealing Calum standing there with a mischievous grin, a glint of mischief dancing in his golden eyes. He was clearly up to something.

A surge of anger coursed through me, and I felt my eyes narrow instinctively at the sight of him. "Get out," I hissed, my voice low and laced with irritation. I pointed firmly at the door, battling to keep my frustration in check—I had no desire to deal with him right now.

But Calum ignored my command, closing the door behind him and leaning casually against its frame. He raised his hands in a mock gesture of surrender, his smile never wavering. "I've been thinking about what you said, and you're right," he began, his voice smooth, as if he hadn't noticed my anger. "You haven't had any fun in a long time. And tomorrow, you turn eighteen," he paused, his smile widening, deepening the dimples in his cheeks."So, before you retort, let's go have some fun," he stated, his tone dripping with mischievous confidence.

I furrowed my brows, my arms instinctively crossing over my chest as I suddenly became acutely aware of my vulnerability, still dressed only in my robe. "Like Jesri wouldeverallow that—especiallytonight."

Calum's grin didn't falter for a second. "He won't know," he said smoothly, his voice full of reckless assurance. "Jesri's too busy welcoming his highly favored guest, and dinner isn't for another two hours. I promise we'll be back long before anyone even notices we're gone."

I glared at him, hating how tempting his offer sounded. My gaze drifted to the window, where the sky was beginning to take on the rich, deep hues of sunset.

With a resigned sigh, I felt myself caving in before I could find the will to resist. "Fine," I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. "Wait outside—I need to change."

His grin widened triumphantly, and without another word, he slipped out the door.

"Tyran," I muttered under my breath, incredulous that I was going along with this.

The grimy and filthy town was far more repulsive than I had imagined. The air was heavy and saturated with the stench of lingering bodies and the sickly scent of alcohol. Cal had made it clear that this was not theusualpart of town but a place where we could go unnoticed, away from prying eyes that might report back to Jesri.

As the sky darkened, the lingering chill of winter's end still hung in the air, making me grateful for my choice of long sleeves and pants. Cal seemed in high spirits, greeting several drunkards in the dim alleyways who eyed me with inappropriate pleasure. Laughing, he pushed them off before taking my arm and hurrying us into a run-down tavern. The place reeked of sweat and sea salt as if filled with men who had just washed up on shore from long voyages.

Scattered tables cluttered the entrance, leading to a long, wooden bar stained with what looked like blood. I tried to hold my head high amidst the crowd's raucous laughter and mindless drinking.

"What about this is fun, Cal?" I seethed, staying close to his side as more men turned to look at me like a prize.

Cal slung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close. "It's fun because you're rebelling," he whispered into my ear, steering me towards the bar where a large, husky man with a thick black beard stood.

I swallowed nervously, glancing down the long table where several women leaned uncomfortably close to sweaty men, holding them tightly. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around myself.

What kind of crowd had Calum dragged me into?

"Two dullers," Calum ordered from the bartender behind the table as we sat down on the rickety chairs. The bartender nodded and turned to fill two small stone cups with a golden liquid.

"Dullers?" I asked, feeling repulsed as I eyed the dirty cup placed in front of me.

"Just drink it, El. Live a little," Calum encouraged, raising his cup in a toast. "To rebellion."

Reluctantly, I picked up the sticky stone cup and lifted it. Calum quickly downed his drink in one gulp, shutting his eyesand hissing before breaking into a grin, waiting for me to follow suit.

I eyed the cup warily, contemplating whether to take a sip. Just as I raised it to my lips, someone knocked my arm, sending the golden liquid splashing all over me.

I yelped in surprise as Calum hissed and cursed at the man responsible.

"Apologies," the man said beside me, his tone making it clear he wasn't.

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