Page 116 of Her Dark Promise

He sucked in a breath and dipped the spoon in the soup and brought it to my lips. It tasted heavenly. He was right… I was starving. We all sat there in silence as he fed me every last drop. When it was finished, I got up, brought my bottle of venin to my lips, and drank deeply.

I could see Soren out of the corner of my eyes as he stared at the bottle. I walked over to him and sat on his lap. Running my hand through his hair and the other brought the bottle up to his face. “No no Soren. You can’t have any of this.” I then whispered in his ear, “It will kill you and I can’t have that, can I? Your brother might try to kill me again.”

I took another swig from the bottle. Laughing when a little more fell down my chin, licking the juice from my fingers. He was staring at me, so I asked, “What’s wrong with you?” When he still didn’t say anything, I pouted. “You’re no fun.”

I set my eyes on Callum and he sat up a little straighter, ready for whatever I was going to throw at him. “My little bird. Always there for me. Always ready to please.” I slipped my dress down my shoulder until my breast was out, making a show of it. I always loved the way he looked at me. Like I was the main course and he would never tire of me. Just like he was now, roaming his eyes up and down the length of me, slightly moving forward, his cock straining in his pants. “After all these years Callum and yet you still are so ready for me when I haven’t even touched you.”

“Your grace, I will want you until my last dying breath. Nothing you could do or say would change that.” He always knew what to say.

“So smooth.”

I stood up, sat on the side of the table, and ate a few grapes, my stomach recoiling from it, having not had anything of substance for quite a long time, and spit it back onto the platter.

“How about you hand me that glass so I can feed you more soup.” I looked over to see Bastian reaching his hand out, ready to take away my cup.

I narrowed my eyes on him. “If you think I haven’t forgotten your treachery, then you would be sorely mistaken.”

“Your grace…” He stopped moving for a moment before resuming unfaltering, “I am sorry, truly. I wasn’t in my right mind.”

“And you think that I care. You know what? Nevermind! I don’t feel like talking about that right now.” He was sullying my joyous mood!

“Your joyous mood?” Callum asked.

“Oops, did I say that aloud?” I looked around and every single face was scrunched in worry, concern, or a mix of both. “Enough. You are all stifling.”

I left the room without another word.

I needed the fresh air licking and caressing my bare skin. I wholly enjoyed being naked, reveled in the feeling it gave me. Especially under the rays of the moon, though the moon wasn’t currently out. I guess the fog would have to do.

I stumbled out of the back doors, and stopped only to take a swig out of the bottle, but found it empty. I tossed the bottle down, shattering at my feet. I looked down at the beautiful broken pieces of the glass glistening. Without thinking I brought my foot down on top of the pieces.

Nothing.

I stretched my arms high above my head, giggling at the tingling sensation the poison gave me. I had never had this much in my system before, maybe, it would finally do its job and kill me.

I wriggled my feet, laughed at the shards shredding the bottom of my feet, and took off, running around to the side of the castle. I passed by the greenhouse, past the treeline, and into the woods. I didn’t have to walk long before I saw the archway made naturally by the forest over a millenia. Flowers lined the arch, and the petals would fall during the spring, casting a soft pink on the floor bed. Like something out of a dream.

I slowed my pace and walked through the arch leading to my paradise. The sounds of the waterfall lapping at the water below it, causing a constant rippling effect along the top of the water. The pond was large enough that it would take a few minutes of swimming to reach the other side of it. The water had an ethereal color to it; a beautiful blue-green hue. There were large boulders surrounding parts of it around the cliff.

I could never reach the top or get a glimpse of what was beyond my confinement. It was part of the border of my lands.

I cast those thoughts away and focused back on my paradise. My skin had bumps running along it from the cold, frigid air; the fog made it seem even colder. I was still high from venin’s effects, my head spinning, my skin singing.

I climbed up one of the boulders and looked down. I stretched my arms out and fell.

I hit the surface of the water hard and the wind was knocked from me. I closed my mouth and opened my eyes. Stared down into its depths, wondering exactly how far down it went. I had never tried.

No matter, I could stay here forever. I started running out of air and swam up, taking a deep breath when I reached the surface. I laid back and floated, loving the way the water felt against my skin. I could always depend on my little pond to stay at the perfect temperature year-round, having spelled it years ago.

The floating feeling is what I can only imagine what death is like. Maybe that is why I loved coming out here. It was the closest thing that I could get to actual death. The elusive minx. How much had I screamed for the release of ending it? How many times had I been on my knees crying out andprayingto a false god? Because if he were real, he wouldn’t allow me to suffer as I had. I was a devoted follower andifhe were real then he wouldn’t do this to me.

They say he only puts his children through the worst of it if they are the strongest and it was just a bunch of bullshit. My last time talking to him was also the last time that I would get on my knees for a man.

I am now my own god.

I shut my eyes and cast all those thoughts out of my mind, and Venin was still doing her job of getting rid of anything that displeased me. I watched as flowers floated above me, dancing in the soft breeze. Flowers? I laughed at the absurdity, but didn’t want to move and have them go away.

I moved my arms back and forth in slow rhythmic movements until I could make out the moon. How long have I been out here? Did I go down for breakfast or was it dinner? Oh well…

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