Fatal Injury

Where are you?"

That voice—it was so familiar. As the person came into view, my heart clenched.

"Natasha," I managed to whisper, though exhaustion weighed down every fiber of my being.

She stared at me with an unreadable expression before her gaze hardened. "Mrs. Kuiro said you should come up and start your work."

Oh Lord, please protect me from harm.

Ely, hurry up now, a voice whispered inside me.

Well, here goes nothing.

A maid approached, shoving a towel and a bucket of water into my hands. "Mop from upstairs to the kitchen," she ordered before disappearing down the hall.

I glanced at the massive duplex—fifteen rooms, two kitchens, two living rooms, and a grand dining area. The workload was overwhelming, but I was used to it.

No time to waste, Ely. Get moving.

Cleaning itself wasn't the problem. But with my bruised back, aching limbs, and battered hands, every motion sent sharp waves of pain through me.

An hour passed before I finished the top floor and moved onto the stairs. Sunlight streamed through the large window, signaling daytime—meaning any moment now, they could wake up.

I sighed internally and kept scrubbing.

Moments later, a door creaked open.

"Mary, up now."

My mother's voice.

My blood ran cold. My heart pounded erratically as an eerie sensation crawled over my skin.

Slowly, I made my way to her room, my body trembling. What had I done this time?

I stood by the door, waiting, dreading the command I knew was coming. A few seconds later, it came.

"Mary, we'll be leaving today. Make sure nothing—and I mean nothing—happens to Anamis."

The way she said those words sent shivers down my spine.

"Yes, ma," I answered weakly.

"Louder," she barked.

"Yes, ma!" I forced out.

"Good. Now scurry off."

I turned and left. My fists clenched at my sides.

I despised following my sister's orders. If my parents were cruel, then Anamis was Lucifer himself.

Once, she had thrown me into a gutter, pressing her foot against my head as I struggled, laughing as I drowned.

"Finally, I'm finished," I muttered after scrubbing the kitchen floor, dumping the dirty water outside.

"Elyria, you've been summoned," Natasha informed me before disappearing into the dining room.

My stomach clenched.

I stepped inside to find them all seated, their laughter filling the grand hall.

"Ah, Mary, come over," my father instructed casually.

I obeyed, forcing my steps to remain steady.

He tossed the remnants of his meal onto the floor—half-chewed bones, scraps of soup, bits of meat already nibbled on by our dog, Rander.

"Eat."

The word echoed in my skull. My hands clenched at my sides, but resistance was futile.

I knelt, scooping the leftovers into my mouth. The taste of saliva, oil, and cold meat churned my stomach, but I swallowed it all.

Once finished, I bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Master Kuiro, for the meal."

Laughter erupted around the table as they dismissed me like a stray dog.

I turned to leave, but Anamis's voice sliced through the air.

"Oh, Mary, come here now!"

I hurried outside to find her standing beside a massive slab of raw beef, blood still dripping onto the floor.

"Come closer," she said with eerie calmness.

I hesitated. I already knew what was coming, but defying her wasn't an option.

"Eat," she snarled, her grin stretching too wide.

I opened my mouth to plead, but before I could finish, she shoved my face into the bloodied meat.

"My, my," she chuckled, watching me struggle.

"Sebastian, hold her for me," she ordered.

In an instant, I was restrained by a brute twice my size.

"Follow me," she commanded, her voice dripping with amusement.

I begged for mercy, but it fell on deaf ears.

She led me to the grand staircase and nodded to Sebastian.

He released me.

Pain shot through me as I crashed onto the cold marble steps. I gasped, attempting to rise, but she moved swiftly.

A sharp thud—agony exploded in my palm.

I screamed.

My right hand was pinned to the floor, a knife buried deep within my flesh.

Tears blurred my vision as my body trembled violently.

"Your screams are music to my ears, Mary," Anamis cooed, pressing her foot onto my bleeding wound.

"Ahh—ahhh!"

A sob tore through me. My vision swam as she twisted her heel, grinding the blade deeper.

"Eyes up."

I barely managed to lift my head, just in time to see her reach for my hair.

With a swift yank, she pulled my golden locks taut and dragged the knife through them.

"No—no, please!"

My shrieks filled the air as my hair was hacked away, strands falling like dead leaves.

My body sagged as she forced me up the stairs, her grip never loosening.

At the top, she flung me to the ground.

"Get up."

I obeyed on instinct, my body moving before my mind could register the pain.

A twisted smile spread across her lips as she reached for my shirt.

And then—

She let go.

I fell.

The world blurred.

A sharp, agonizing crash as my body struck the cold, merciless ground.

Pain. Blinding, unbearable pain.

Above me, her laughter echoed.

"Oops."

My vision darkened, the room spinning as consciousness slipped away.

The last thing I heard before everything went black was the sound of hurried footsteps—voices shouting in panic.

And then, nothing.