Page 20 of Tainted Serenity

“If you obey me. Your master,” he spits out before talking again. “I promise to keep her out of harm’s way.”

And at that moment, as a deep desperation washes over me, I will myself to believe him—anything to make the excruciating pain affecting me both mentally and physically subside. I close my eyes, knowing what life-changing decision I will have to take. If Arthur can keep her safe, then I will gladly suffer through the very torments of hell for her.

My feelings for her are boundless, and I would do anything to protect her from harm’s way—anything for her not to suffer the same way I do.

With a deep breath, I try to gather my thoughts, if only to prevent the shortness of breath from taking me, knowing that I am at last selling my soul to the devil himself.

And I would fucking sell my soul away without complaint for her, my precious little doll.

I give him a determined nod. “Then we have a deal.”

Chapter 8

Naya

Where are you, mylove?

I have waited a long while for you.

Where does your soul currently reside, my darling?

Mine is inconsistent without you gracing my presence. Aching, hurting, breaking apart into millions of shattered glass shards.

Where are you, my wonder?

It’s been too long without you.

The ache inside my chest is pulling taut, stretching my heart until it feels as if it will break. Without Grey, the demons scream inside my head, making me restless and losing all sanity I have left. He kept the demons at bay, and now I’m left standing alone, forced to fight for myself all over again. But I must say, it felt good to have someone care about me, showing such genuine concern for me the way he did.

And now it’s all gone.

My stomach is compressed harshly by a bandage, making it hard for me to breathe as the woman behind me tightens the laces, working her way down.

“Don’t be so fucking rough,” I mutter as the tightening becomes increasingly worse.

Dressed in a black and white dress that resembles something of a maid’s attire, her hands continue to work with precision to tighten the fabric. It’s as if she has done this thousands of times before, yet her hands are weathered by time, her eyes full of exhaustion only a widow can feel.

In the mirror in front of me, I keep track of every movement she makes, watching her intently. The mirror takes up the entire wall, capturing the pastel blue paint that creates a calming atmosphere, despite the tension lingering in the air. Dresses and accessories hang on one of the walls, while the opposite one is completely empty, offering a neutral balance to the surroundings.

As if the woman can feel my eyes on her through the glass, her eyebrows raise as she stares back at me. I swear I see a smile hint at her lips the moment she ties the last part of the lace with more force than necessary. A groan escapes me, the fabric pressing against the bandage around my wound while I glare daggers at her. If I knew Arthur didn’t survey all the rooms through the surveillance cameras, I might just have made her regret all her hurtful actions.

The maid works in silence, not daring to say anything as she prods and fixes me as if I am some dress-up toy. The dress looks ridiculous with a constructive navy blue corset that clasps the waist with an impractical tightness, stealing the breath from me. I fucking despise this dress with its lower part in frills that reaches just above the knees, making me look like a dress-up doll.

As a result of inadequate sleep, dark circles cling to the underside of my eyes, and I feel dead inside, as if there’s no life behind my irises.

I’m fighting with all I have left to keep my head above water and not let everything that transpired at Dankworth Institute weigh me down, but it’s nearly impossible with crashing waves overwhelming me. That place has put a shackle around my foot, making me weigh a thousand pounds more, as I slowly drift to the bottom of the ocean I’m desperately trying to escape from.

Smile, and be a good and obedient girl.

I’ve played these games before, but it is much worse now.

There’s nothing left within me, making me a deadly weapon for the cause. Those who have nothing left are the most lethal ones, and nothing can stop them from erupting chaos to rain down. Because in the chaos is where they thrive, with nothing left to lose.

I have already lost everyone who ever meant something to me, and the realization of that leaves a deep scar in my soul. One I’m not sure will ever heal.

A knock on the door shatters the silence soaring through the space, making me flinch as a silhouette enters the room, and his appearance causes fear to sink into me like a violent beast. Arthur Grimhill stares at me as one would stare at a trophy they have just won, with so much greediness and admiration, yet something so predatory it has my mouth drying up. His gaze is as dead as ever, black eyes as he takes in my presence, and I try with everything I have to keep meeting his gaze in the mirror. Everything inside me tells me to look away, not let him look into my eyes to see my tainted soul, but I can’t show my weakness any more than I already have.

“The perfect doll,” he mumbles to himself as he approaches me.

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