Chapter 6

The soft caress of the warm light jolted Lily awake. Her skin was drenched in sweat and her heart was punching its cage furiously. Lily's cheeks flared as her breaths became more heavy. Scenes from last night resurfaced and she immediately darted her terrified eyes across the unfamiliar room and the scent of roses danced inside her nostrils. Her father was nowhere to be found. The interior was far from the houses she has been to. She shifted from her position and sat up to explore the room. The warmth comforted her, the rapid beating of her heart went down and she dragged the sleeves of her clothes across her face. She flinched, she was no longer wearing her gown. The fabric was smooth and almost looked like a robe. It gave off a pinkish sheen and clung to her waist loosely. Her hair was combed neatly and she saw no traces of the blood from last night. Lily let out a sigh of relief. A small smile graced her lips as she stretched her arms. Her father had not found her, it seems. If he did, she wouldn't have slept soundly through the night as she was sure he would do things to her.

'Oh right. I should thank the person who saved me'

"Shut up! You'll wake up the miss!", a voice screeched.

"Ow! Get your filthy hands off my face!", the high-pitched voice rang once again.

"Shush!"

Voices from outside the room alerted her and she silently got up from the soft matress. She grabbed a nearby vase and gripped it tightly. Black terrified orbs roamed the room in search for an exit. Her feet swiftly glided through the smooth dark floor. She came face-to-face with a wide, rectangular, paper-like surface that had flowy strokes of gold and framed with oak wood.

"It's like a painting" Her tiny voice marveled at the sight of it, praising its beauty as her fingertips poked the smooth 'painting'.

Lily ran her slender hand across its face after she placed tne vase on the floor. The sounds seemed to come from beyond this paper but, she saw no shadows. She pressed her ears on the surface, desperate to hear any sound that would confirm someone was indeed outside her room. Her lips formed a frown as she was met with silence. She retracted her ears and let out a sigh.

"Miss is awake!", a voice shrieked.

Lily let out a small gasp, someone was definitely standing beyond this painting. But why was there no shadow? She cleared her throat and carressed the 'painting' once more.

"Goo-", she was cut off when the 'painting' was slid away and revealed an opening.

"Good morning, miss!" A girl no more than five stood cheerfully with a smile.

The girl's short hair that framed her face, was an unusual shade of the sunset's orange sky. Her bright, azure eyes stared at Lily and sparkled in admiration. The clothes she wore was unfamiliar to Lily, but also similar to the robe she was wrapped in. The girl's robe was painted with calm, green strokes of the swirling wind and on her waist settled a sash with the color of the leaves during summer. She looked no more than ten and her small hands carried a tray with cups on top. Lily, who was lost in thought, blinked her eyes rapidly as the girl's face was suddenly in front of her. She stammered back as the girl's curious eyes devoured her whole being. A smile appeared on the girl's mouth, revealing a tiny fang.

"The miss is so pretty!", the girl squealed.

"Wh-who are you?", Lily asked.

The girl flinched and widened her eyes in realization. She let out a sound between a shriek and a gasp while covering her lips with her nimble hand.

"I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Xiang Wei!" Her voice dripped with pride as she threw Lily a dazzling smile.

"Xiang Wei, what just happened to the painting? And who saved me?"

"Young miss, that is a door and not a painting", the mellow voice interjected.

Lily shifted her gaze from the girl to a teenage boy wrapped in a black robe. The boy stood there with his arms folded over each other. His ash orbs glinted as he returned the stare she gave him and his eyebrow raised slightly. Black strands of hair that crowned his head softened as the sunlight patted it. His skin tinted with a bit of orange seemed to glow under the tender yellow light and Lily couldn't help but feel jealous of his complexion. His lips then curved into a taunting smile, not matching the soft summer of his voice.

"It seems that the Lord has picked up an uneducated rat and an ugly one at that", he mused.

"Liar! The miss is very pretty! You should shut that thorny mouth of yours-"

"Oh my, is the young miss offended? I'm sorry", he said playfully.

The boy unfolded his arms and shoved Xiang Wei aside. A squeak left from the girl's lips as her balance tipped and fell on the floor with a thud. The cups shattered and the sound echoed through her ears. Lily stared at her shaking hands, she took her bottom lip under her teeth to stop it from trembling. This boy reminded her of the town, her home. Sadly, home wasn't that pleasant for her and it wasn't very welcoming either. He stood before her and bent to reach her cold ears.

"I thought rats couldn't understand the human language. To be frank, I am quite surprised", his voice dripped with mockery.

The boy in black stared at her trembling form and scrunched his face in disgust. Xiang Wei rubbed her head and stood up.

"You brute! Just because your Master's first familiar doesn't mean you can say anything as you please", Xiang Wei declared angrily.

"Oh? If I'm not allowed then why do you think the Lord hasn't graced us with his presence to reprimand me?", he laughed.

"You-You imbecile!"

He turned his back as he continued cackling and sent a cold gaze to Lily's form. Just the image of the trembling woman set his mind on edge and heart on a raging fire. While he could hear Xiang Wei spitting curses at him, he ignored and relished her voice. After all, it was rare to hear her say something to him. His eyes didn't soften even when he saw drops of tears had stained the wooden floor or when he saw how her back hunched as she cried.

"Xiang Wei, do show our guest outside immediately. We have no need of a shivering rat under this neat roof"

"But it's still winter! And the Master brought her in here! How could you be so disrespectful?", Xiang Wei huffed.

"I could care less. I'm sure the Lord sees her of no importance as he had not personally checked in on her. Now if you may, lesser rank familiar, lead her outside", his cold and absolute voice shattered the young girl's face.

"I...."

Xiang Wei's tear-stained face turned to Lily while the boy remains unmoved. Tears overflowed from her black orbs and her throat tightened as she struggled to form a word. Lily's dark hair fell from her back and slid past her slender shoulders. She had escaped from her hell, there was no way she would willingly let herself burn in the fiery pits of her suffering again. Lily had to do everything to at least stay here, where her family would never find her for a while. Her thoughts wandered to her older brother. "He'd be fine", she had told herself. Her brother was someone who could win anyone's heart, he could survive even if she's gone. She would surely fine a way to meet him in the future. Still, the boy's words cut through her chest and ripped her heart out. The glass shards once again pierced the beating organ and stabbed it repeatedly. The hot tears ran down her cheeks and created circles on the brown wooden floor.

"Please..... I want to stay", she croaked.

Xiang Wei rubbed her back with her comforting hand as she remained in that position, begging to let her live with them and their Lord. Lily was not sure if their Lord would let her remain here, but she needed to convince this boy first.

"Huh? Is the rat yearning for the comfort of the fine things here?", the boy muttered as he slammed his feet on the floor.

Lily flinched at the sound and looked at the boy. His eyes were filled with malice and disgust, as if looking at a pathetic thing. Her heart increased its pace as he took light steps towards her. Dread's icy touch froze Lily's legs and the frost climbed up to her arms and neck. All she could hear was his footsteps and all she could feel was Xiang Wei's tightening hold on her clothes. Lily's terrified eyes met with his sharp and angry ones.

"You disgust me. Either you get out or I will personally drag you out of here", he threatened

"But I-"

Lily stopped herself from speaking further. The look in his eyes made her veins run cold and freeze her blood. She could see her father in his eyes. The insanity mixed with anger made time to stop for her. Her hands grew colder and became numb, her fingers couldn't even move.

"It seems like you want to be dragged out of here. It is my pleasure, bitch", he smiled.

Suddenly, the air was blocked from her throat and a cold flesh gripped her neck. She was shocked from the strength his body exerted and had the air knocked out of her lungs. The hold tightened as she was lifted off the ground, Xiang Wei held on to her garments as she pleaded for mercy on Lily's behalf. The boy got even more annoyed and held on to her throat with an iron grip. His eyes smiled wickedly as he met her horrified ones. Lily spluttered some barely audible words and Xiang Wei cried even more.

"Xiaohe, let her go! Let her go!", the girl punched his chest.

The boy sent a glare to Xiang Wei's way and that was enough to stop her from doing anything more. Xiaohe hissed at the woman he was strangling. Her face was distorted as tears and snot covered her face. He lightened his grip and the woman fell on the floor with a loud thud.

"A filthy rat like you doesn't deserve a place in this household", he spat.

Lily heaved in air like an old woman. She took in large heaps of air fast, scared that she would feel his hand around her neck again. She touched her neck with her cold and trembling hands. The red bruise smoldered her milky neck like a collar. It was ugly and alarming. Xiaohe grabbed her wrist roughly and with the same pressure he applied on her neck. He dragged her unwilling body even if she was still trying to catch some air. Lily's face scraped the floor and it squeaked as he nonchalantly strode through the hallway. The pain erupted flames on her nose and eyes, she attempted to stand up on her feet but he tugged her forward and she fell again. She could hear Xiang Wei's helpless cries and her heart ached even more. Her nose burned and her body began to feel as if firecrackers exploded on them. Her face had turned red and some spots even bled from the dragging. Her clothes had become messy and the ribbon tying the robe together had become undone. Only the thin top and pants had protected her dignity.  She hissed and closed her eyes tighter.

"Endure it, vermin. I gave you a choice and you chose this, just what you deserve", he muttered.

She could hear the door opening and if she could, she would've let out a sigh in relief. The chilly air tore through the thin fabric of what's left on her and made her shiver. Xiaohe laughed at her form. He had not planned to stop there and he had found her pathetic self funny. He strode through the pile of snow and Lily screamed in agony. The cold snow had seared her open wounds and she could feel it sizzle. Xiang Wei's voice had become distant now as her ears got buried in the snow.

Lily realized she was being discarded again. This realization had summoned a fresh wave of tears and it got buried in the cold winter. Her fear of her father returned. What if he was still out there? Wandering to look for her? Who knows what he'd do once he gets his dirty hands on her? Suddenly the grip on her wrist loosened and dropped her arm on the bleak snow. She panted as she raised her head to look up at Xiaohe. The boy's face held no expression as he turned his heel and walked on the path back to the house. Lily could tell that she was farely distant from the house. She let out a cry as the solemn winter rendered her motionless. She had the robe on but it wasn't tied together anymore, the wind was free to blow and freeze her heart. Her fingertips began to hurt like that one time she touched an ice shard back when she was five years old. There were no more tears left to shed and her skin crackled from the pain.

'You are worthless! I wish I hadn't given birth to a demon like you!'

'It is your job as a woman to spread your legs for a man. If you can't even do something as simple as that, leave!'

'Look at her being a whore. I can't believe the Woods household had nursed a woman like her'

These voices laughed at rang in her head as her eyelashes fluttered against the cold. Her hair was cluttered and coated with thick snow. Lily was dying. She didn't want to die here alone. She wanted to live a free life with her brother and away from that suffocating town. She wanted to travel and learn a lot of things she couldn't learn within the cages of her hometown. She wanted to live. She moved her almost paralyzed fingers and grasped the crunchy snow. Her chapped lips parted and uttered a desperate plea.

"Help me", she whispered as her eyelids began to close.

The cold covered her eyes and a single tear fled from its gates.

******

A fox mask hovered over her clammy face. Its white surface painted with gentle strokes of red gave it a mysterious aura. Her breathing was faint when the man placed a hand over her. Red strands flew as the wind assaulted the snow. His pitch-black robe embroidered with gold folded smoothly as he bent to carry her in his strong arms. He could feel her shiver a little and he landed a soft kiss on her hair. She nuzzled her face on his sturdy chest and whined when she felt it was cold. The freezing temperature didn't bother him even if his robe was barely covering him. But what bothered him was his love dying in the cold and the thrashing beast inside him demanding to be released from its confines.