Page 11 of Cursed

Titus and his brothers stalked the halls, and I was only protected by the sigils that had been cast over my doors. Their voices were a low murmur as they spoke in the hallway. They could have been shouting, or beating on the door… but the protective spells muffled their voices. Muffled everything.

Those same spells that kept them from spying on me through my mirrors— But I still wasn’t sure if they were able to keep Bastian from haunting my dreams with his dark magic.

I didn’t trust them.

How could I, after what they had done?

Memories of what had happened were seared into my mind.

So many regrets.

I bit down hard on my cheek to keep my sobs at bay. There was nothing I could do about any of it now.

I’d burned all the photos Bastian had taken that night.

The humiliating photos that had sealed my fate and turned me into a prisoner…

I shook my head and rubbed my hand over my cheeks to wipe away my tears.

No.

Titus was right.

It was my fault.

I should never have given in. But worst of all— I should never have trusted them.

Foolish little bird.

Lucian had allowed me some small freedoms inside the house… I could visit the library, but the threat of seeing Titus again had kept me in my room. Seeing him had only reminded me of the hold he still had on me. One that I thought I had been able to shake loose from my system… But my body was stupid, and as much as he disgusted me— I craved his touch and the ecstasy that had rushed through me when the Romano brothers had bent me to their dark will.

All of them.

“Stupid,” I muttered.

A knock at my door echoed in the room, and I let out a yelp and clutched at the drapes. I hadn’t asked for anything— Who—

I pulled the drapes aside just a little so that I could see the door.

“What—” I called out. My voice shook, and I swallowed hard to clear my throat before I called out again. “Who is it?”

The knob turned, and the door opened. I shrank back, but then relaxed as I saw the face of the servant who usually brought my meals.

I wish I knew their names— Anyone’s name… But they never answered my questions or stayed to talk.

“Miss Velez,” the woman said. Her voice, as usual, was cold and detached and her eyes didn’t meet mine as she entered the room. “Master Lucian has summoned you to his study.”

My heart stuttered at the mention of his name. I fought the urge to snap back at her, I knew better.

“I— I have?”

She inclined her head. “Someone will come and fetch you in an hour’s time. Be ready.”

My grip on the heavy drape tightened. “Ready— for what?”

She didn’t reply. She simply turned on her heel and walked out of the room without a backward glance. The door closed behind her with a decisiveclick.

“Thanks,” I muttered to the silent room.

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