Page 64 of Cages and Crowns
“He will.” I say slowly, admitting it to myself. He will come for me, it’s just a matter of time.
“Do you want him to?” My mouth hangs open as I try to think of what to say. “It’s alright if you do.”
“I miss him.” I admit quietly. His eyes darken for a split second, black encompassing the amethyst irises. A blink and it’s gone. “I miss when he was kind. Right before the end, everything was back to normal.”
“Normal? How normal could any of it have been if he was abusing you?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I shake my head.
“You can talk to me.”
“I don’t want to, Nithe. I would like to be left alone.” He’s silent for a second before he slides off the bed and walks to the door.
“Erik is right outside the door. There are guards in the hallway and at every exit. You can walk around, do whatever you want. They are here for your protection, not to trap you. You are not a prisoner here.” He says the last part with emphasis, as if he really wants me to believe it. But he’s wrong.
“It is still a prison, Nithe. Even if the accommodations are pretty and clean, I am still caged.”
“I know you have been caged your whole life, I know you don’t trust us, but I promise you, you are safe here. You don’t have to be scared or worried. Nothing will happen to you while you are here.” He doesn’t say another word before he leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
The silence hits me before everything else does. I can’t hear voices, or footsteps. I can’t even hear the trees rustling in the wind outside the open window. Everything is silent.
My footsteps are light as I slide off the bed and walk to the balcony, climbing through the open window. There is no wind, no animals. Nothing.
It feels stale.
Wrong.
I look across the land, green hills greeting me. But it isn’t the hills my attention is focused on, it’s the darkness creeping along the edge of the surrounding wall. As if it’s a mist slowly making its way across the land, but instead of white, it’s black. Swallowing everything whole.
My hands grip the railing as I focus on it. It takes shape, growing taller and taller. My heart skips a beat, my palms instantly sweaty, as the shape turns into Tobias.
His golden hair is short, groomed perfectly against his head. His armor is a deep black aside from the red rose imprinted on the front of his chest plate. His blue eyes are piercing as he stares at me, stares into my soul. He smiles, his white teeth blinding in the sun.
I blink and he’s gone. My heart stutters and I step back from the balcony, slamming into someone. I spin around, a scream lodged in my throat as I stare up at Tobias.
“Ela.” He whispers as my lips part. My blood hums in his presence, begging to get closer. I am frozen where I stand, unable to move. His hand lifts, the back of his knuckles brushing my cheek. “I promise to come for you.” Hewhispers again before leaning down and pressing his cold lips to mine. I open my mouth to protest, but—
“Wake up!”
Sweat clings to my forehead as I shoot up, my pulse pounding in my ears. My eyes take a second to adjust to my surroundings, the pale wood and roaring fire.
“Elaenor, are you okay?” He says again, his voice close. I slowly turn my head to the left and see Nithe kneeling on the side of the bed, his brows furrowed.
“What?” I ask, my voice hoarse.
“Are you okay?” I lift my hands as a tingling spreads through my fingers. No sparks appear but I can feel them. I nod and look back at him. His amethyst eyes are dark, almost black as he stares at me. “You were screaming in your sleep.”
“I had a bad dream.” I respond, lifting my hand to wipe the sweaty tendrils of hair out of my face.
“About what?” I shake my head and slide off the mattress, the floor icy under my bare feet. When did I fall back asleep? It was seconds. Only seconds had passed.
“Nothing.” I respond.
“Rosie—” He starts, but I cut him off.
“Please, Nithe. Please just go.”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
