Chapter 4 Cold

SOMEWHERE IN SE-DIA

"His Highness told you not to kill her."

"It's a good thing she's not dead then." He shrugged with an unbothered expression on his face, as he twirled the silver dagger in his grasp that he had used on Seraphina not even a day ago.

"And also not to hurt her." Cinthia harrumphed like a child throwing a tantrum, before slumping in her seat.

"And with a silver dagger!? For fuck's sake Ian, what were you thinking!?"

She exclaimed.

"Thinking of ways I wanted to kill her, but yet could not." He replied simply, his eyes not leaving the shinning blade.

"You really have to get over your hatred for her kind, because His highness said that she's going to be around for a really long time." Cinthia emphasized on the 'long time' just to be annoying.

Ian suddenly stopped twirling the silver dagger, and sharply turned his dead eyes on Cinthia who sat back on her chair, with a wary gulp.

"If you don't shut it, I might have to plunge this into that hole you call mouth." He gritted.

"That wouldn't be the first time you'd be making that threat." She said, obviously trying to test the waters. As fast as the light, Ian threw his dagger straight at her, but before it could pierce her skin, she disappeared, leaving a trail of white smoke behind, only to reappear on the chair next to the one she had been occupying. The dagger remained in motion until it hit a wall and got stuck in.

"Seriously Ian, that was close!" She exclaimed, staring at him with budged eyes.

With an ice cold glare, he said,

"Unfortunately not close enough." He opened his palm, and the dagger wiggled on the wall, dislodging itself from it, before it flew back to his palm.

"You heartless bastard!" She glared harshly at him, before disappearing again, leaving a cloud of white smoke behind.

"Brat." He grumbled underneath his breath. He didn't know why he still let her live despite being so disrespectful to him.

***

Cold.

I felt cold.

Bone breaking pain. It felt as though a thousand needles were piercing through my skin repeatedly.

I tried to pull my eyes open, but it was proving to be a very difficult task. I was in total darkness. It felt as though I was falling through a bottomless pit of spikes. I tried to open my eyes a couple more times, and when I was finally able to, I gasped.

Where was I? It would have looked like any normal looking bedroom you'd come across, if it didn't look like it was owned by a royal. Like I was in some sort of a castle or a mansion of some sort. So different from what I was familiar with. How did I get here? What happened? I tried to sit up, but the sharp pain I felt in my left shoulder had me lying back down, as a pained groan left my lips.

"Fuck!" I cried out in pain. Flashes of what actually happened came to mind, and I felt cold all over again, like I had been dipped in ice water. Sam, Chloe and Mr Gaiter were dead? It was like a dream. I felt a tear slip down the side of my eyes and to my ears, and before I knew it, I turned full on sob mode. They were dead. He killed them. I'd never see them again. I remembered how Sam's head rolled on the floor after being separated from her body and I squeezed my eyes shut trying to shut the flashes out. The flashes of how Chloe's neck was slit. The memories were painful. It was physically painful having to revisit them.

I caused that. I was a curse. Only a curse would bring such bad luck upon anyone. And the villagers? Their screams. Painful screams. It still rang in my head like it was only just happening. Such a traumatic experience.

I remembered how that armoured man had held Mr Gaiter's head in his hand like it was a plate of food, and I just suddenly couldn't take it anymore. I rolled over on the bed despite how much pain attacked me every-fucking-where, and wretched my guts out on the floor by the side of the bed. I deserved this. I deserved every single pain I was going through. Even much worse. I deserved torture.

Did that monster abduct me? It was a surprise to me that I was still alive. Or was I dead? Or probably dreaming? If I was kidnapped by that monster, I expected to be in a smelly dungeon of some sorts, chained to a wall, and left to rot, and not in a room that could only belong to a royal.

"You're awake." I jerked my head up from the bed, and my wide teary eyes landed on the figure of a woman. I wiped the side of my mouth, warily watching the soft smile on her face as she advanced in on me. I managed to sit up, and move backwards with great difficulty away from her advancing figure.

"Hey." She called in a soft almost whisper like voice, gesturing to me that she was harmless with her hands held up for me to see. Like that could actually make me suddenly feel at ease and trusting towards her.

"I won't hurt you." That voice could lull anyone to sleep. She sat down on the edge of the bed, after taking in the mess I caused, her smile not once dimming.

I looked at her dazed, as if I was in a trance. Strangely, her presence was warm and serene. Her green eyes stayed trained on me, with the smile not leaving them, as her hand reached for me.

"Don't be afraid, I won't harm you." She was dressed very regally, and she was so beautiful with long and wavy brown hair. She looked the definition of a princess, although I had never seen a princess before.

"You were comatose for a very long time, I was beginning to believe that you wouldn't wake up." She stated lowly, as her right palm came to rest on my head and stroked lovingly. Who was she? Why wasn't I moving away from her? Why did it feel like I was being pulled in by her aura, making me find it hard to draw away from her. Was she to be trusted? Why was I suddenly feeling so trusting?

"I won't harm you, and I won't let anyone harm you.... again. Don't worry, your ease around me is as a result of my blood running through your veins. In due time, it will wear off." Her smile widened at me. It was as if she read my mind. If that was even real. Was it possible?

"Can you read my mind?" I asked her warily, before swallowing hard. My throat felt parched. Too dry.