Page 5 of A Kingdom so Crimson

"I presume that means this man will also be staying for the party?" I asked, glancing down at the glittering gown.

She nodded.

I clenched my teeth, exhaling sharply through my nose as I struggled to keep my anger in check. Jesri would always be the predator, ready to pounce on and exploit any opportunity that promised him wealth or fame.

Just a week after I turned twelve, Jesri put me on display before a crowd of potential elite suitors and handlers, each oneevaluating whether I wasworthyof being their pupil. He forced me to showcase my abilities in swordplay, marksmanship, combat, and etiquette. The experience was deeply humiliating, driving me into the woods in tears until I had no more to shed.

Yet, to Jesri's furious disappointment, every handler rejected me, citing my youth and naivety as reasons I was not fit for their plans.

This rejection ignited a fury in Jesri until he became terrifying and relentless. He threw himself wholly into my training with a newfound intensity, his demands for perfection growing harsher each day.

His promise to present me to another suitor when the time was right did little to ease the torment I endured. And any mistake or failure in my performance was met with brutal punishment, which carved a painful map of scars across my body—each one a reminder of his unyielding control. But the pain wasn't just physical; it was an assault on my soul, on who I needed to be. He pulled the strings and forced me into absolute obedience, enforcing his will and extinguishing any trace of my anger or selfish desires with the dreams he took that faded away with my short childhood.

And year after grueling year, I grew numb to the things I once enjoyed and became even more naive than I was during my initial evaluation. Jesri's harshness never wavered; he pushed me to the brink of collapse or unconsciousness from lack of food and strength, claiming it wasgoodfor my soul, and banned me from any outings outside the estate, insisting that I would sully Cal's reputation.

Jesri always had an excuse to make my life a torment. His endless evaluations were designed not just to test my limits but purely for his pleasure to see me struggle and obey. He continued this relentless regimen until he got what he wanted.Now, six years later, his promise still looms over me, and I have a sickening sense that tonight, he might finally achieve his goal.

The thought of demonstrating my skills before the man we are to dine with tonight made my stomach churn. This man was another pawn in Jesri's scheme, someone Jesri intended to use to fulfill his own desires. I flared my nostrils, shoving the unsettling thoughts aside as I tried to ground myself in the present.

Aoife helped me into my buttery white dress, which hugged me in all the right places. The skirt was inked with bright rose, lilac, and gold threads, woven to appear like tiny flowers at the hem. The sleeves puffed out ever so slightly with a tight bodice and a lower-than-normal neckline, tempting any suitor's eyes to linger longer than usual—one of Jesri's demands.

She sat me down in front of the vanity, spraying a clean-smelling perfume that drowned out the grime, and started weaving my long, dark, auburn hair into a low bun. She placed white flower buds throughout that brightened my gray-blue eyes. She powdered my lips with a hint of pink, helping my tan skin settle evenly around my freckled nose and keeping the dark hunger circles at bay. I glanced at her through the faded mirror, tilting my chin to the side to see her handiwork, hiding my scars with her touch.

"I'll never know how you make me appear beautiful," I said, pushing away some stranded pieces of hair too stubborn to stay in place.

She squeezed my shoulders, "Your beauty has always been there, darling."

My stomach rumbled with anticipation as the rich aroma of roasted meat drifted up the staircase, making my mouth water.

I will eat well tonight!

As I turned the corner and descended towards the source of the mouthwatering scent, I found Calum slumped in an armchair, absorbed in a book. He was dressed in his formal attire, but his white shirt was left unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of his sculpted chest and tempting me to touch him. I quickly dismissed the thought, recognizing it as his ploy to distract me. His warm eyes shifted from his book to meet mine, and he smiled with a bewitching charm.

With a click of his tongue in appraisal, he closed his book and walked over to me, his gaze lingering on my neckline. He acted as if nothing had happened earlier, fully aware that we both needed to maintain this façade if we wanted to avoid severe punishment.

"You're meant to be my escort, not gawk at me like I'm your next meal," I remarked, rolling my eyes, upset that he had taken me there forfun.

"But you get to look atmelike dinner?" he purred, flirtatiously. "I saw you gawking," he said, pulling me to his side. I clenched my jaw, willing myself not to linger on his touch. We walked down the hall to the dining room, our heels clicking against the marble floor as anxiety blared into my soul.

It had been six years since I last talked to a suitor. Six. Why now? Why waitsolong?

Calum reached out, ready to open the door. "Best behave tonight, El," he said with a scowl, flaring his hand across my eyes, acting like a Magic and looking at me knowingly. "Or elseallthis training will have been for nothing."

I dramatically rolled my eyes and forced my face into a graceful smile, fluttering my lashes at him. "Perhaps this is where I actually getrealfun," I mocked.

He shook his head, narrowing his eyes. "Thatwasfun before you messed it all up," he grumbled before bringing my hand to his soft lips. "Now show this mentor what you're made of," he whispered, giving me a wink before pushing the doors open.

Warm golden light flooded our view of the polished dining room. The long mahogany table stretched out with delicate white and purple flowers on each end. The freshly cleaned and shimmering crystal chandelier made the candlelight dance along the walls. The glassware that was set out was our finest china, with flecks of gold speckled throughout and used only to impress.

Jesri's dark eyes met mine.Behave,he said.

Praying he didn't know we had just snuck out before the most important dinner of his life.

Jesri rose from his seat, accompanied by a strikingly handsome man who, surprisingly, was much younger than I expected. His eyes were a vibrant seafoam green, and they locked onto mine with an intensity that made my cheeks flush. I swallowed my anxiety and lifted my chin, trying to maintain composure.

Jesri was dressed in his dark, regal suit with navy accents, and his dark hair slicked back meticulously. Jesri and Calum exuded a captivating elegance that made heads turn, drawing admiration from both men and women alike. Their commanding presence and ambition for status were evident in the way people were drawn to their influence, mostly because of the pride they got from it.

"Sir Calum Archenon, my nephew," Jesri said, breaking the silence and gesturing toward us as Calum guided me to our assigned seats. Calum inclined his head respectfully toward the man.

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