Page 64 of Her Dark Promise

I could feel emotions of awe, shock, love, sadness, happiness; an array of feelings all bottled into one and all for this experience. It was overwhelming, and I soon followed suit, with tears slowly forming in my eyes. I couldn’t help it. I sank to my knees and just watched the water reach my fingers and then retract, only to do the same dance over and over again.

Is this what was out there?Thisis what I had been missing?

What brought me joy a moment ago brought nothing but pain. And regret. And then the anger was back. I would never see this for myself. Never experience this for myself. I thought that I would be able to see the world through his mind, but it was just another reminder of something that I would never have.

I left his mind abruptly and sank back on my knees, sitting there as he caught his breath, drained from me going inside of his mind.

“Did you find what it was you were looking for?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“Was that the ocean?”

“Yes, that particular mass of water is located in France’s southern region. That was my first time seeing it, and it was magnificent.”

The past hit me violently, the way it often did. Everything I’d lost then, and everything that never was. If I had never discovered my magic, never met Circe… Though it wouldn’t have mattered, I would have been married off to whomever my father wished and been stuck in another type of prison. Forced to fuck and produce more heirs, continuing the cycle.

I didn’t wish to talk about it, so I asked, “What is your question?”

He was learning quickly as he didn’t push the conversation further and answered my question, “I thought I had more time. I am not prepared.”

Lies, Circe sang.

“I do not enjoy being lied to, scholar.”

“It is not necessarily a lie, rather, I have too many to narrow it down to only one.”

“Tick tock. When I leave this room our deal is over.”

“What is your name?” He said without wasting another moment.

I was dumbfounded once again. Would I ever not be at a loss for words around this male?

“Out of everything that you could possibly ask,thatis what you wish to know?”

“I have been wondering about your name ever since I was ten years old.”

I gripped the poster of the bed and said without turning around, “That is information you don’t need to be privy to. You will only ever address me asyour graceoryour majesty, so my name is irrelevant.”

“But–”

“I don’t need to explain myself to an impudent boy like yourself and—”

“Stop calling me boy. You know my name. You’re not that old, anyway.”

“I am far older than you can comprehend.”

He narrowed his eyes, not in anger but in thought.

“Is that why you don’t consider yourself a human? I thought it was your magic,” and then panicked, “That’s not my question.”

He sat back, crossed his arms, and stared at me some more.

I lifted my eyes to the ceiling, tired. I was so tired.

“If that is all, then I will take my leave.”

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