Dark Promise, Talia Jager [i like reading books .TXT] 📗
- Author: Talia Jager
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“Hey!” I narrowed my eyes. “If anyone is pathetic, it’s you. You can’t even make your own decisions. Your father dictates your life.”
Varwik held up his hand. “Enough! We all know looks can be deceiving, Kallan. I’ll give you some time to think about it, but you know what I want from you.”
Neither of us spoke, but I could read the fury just below the surface in Kallan. My anger had dissipated into something akin to despair.
Varwik called for Lena, and she appeared in the doorway immediately. It was like everyone in the place was at his total command. She took her place beside him. “Yes, my king?”
“Take her away.”
Lena took me by the arm—not hard, but her fingers dug in where I was bruised and blackened. I winced. “Hey, you don’t have to force me. I’ll gladly go with you to get away from these two.”
With a nod, she let go of me, and I followed her silently back to my room.
Once we were in front of the door, I turned to her. “I’ve been thinking. Why were you allowed out when I saw you at the mall? It seems too coincidental.”
“I can come and go as I please, so it’s really not that strange. I enjoy being out among humans.” She pulled the clip out of her hair, letting the mass of blonde fall around her face. Her eyes looked tired, and her face was drawn.
“What? Why would he let you leave? I thought you said you were here against your will?”
“If I do not return, Varwik has promised to kill my family.” Her statement was so matter-of-fact.
I stared at her in disbelief. This just kept getting worse and worse. I couldn’t imagine living like that. “Your family? How could he be so cruel?”
“He’s really not that bad,” Lena told me with a careless gesture. “He’ll eventually grow tired of me and let me go. He’s used to getting his way, and he uses any means to get it.”
“I don’t even know how you can stand being in the same room with him.” I shuddered.
“It was hard at first, but once I got to know him better, I realized he was actually lonely and enjoys my company. Believe me, there are worse fates.” She paused, and then touched my hand. “You must consider the consequences of your decision.”
“Yeah, I get it,” I said wearily. “Say yes or die. Nice choice. But I can find another way out.”
“There is no other way. Get some sleep, Oleander.” She opened the door to my room and motioned for me to step inside.
The lock bolted shut behind me, and my shoulders sagged. Another day in paradise.
Chapter Thirteen
I lay in the bed and stared at the ceiling. Marry him or die. What kind of crap was that? I was not marrying him, but I certainly didn’t want to die. There had to be another way out of this.
What was my ability? It would work out pretty nicely if it was the ability to teleport. I closed my eyes and willed myself to be home. Please, oh please, work. But when I opened my eyes, I was still in the cell, lying on the small bed. Damn it!
What else could it be? I racked my brain for anything I knew about faeries from folklore and myth. Azura could manipulate the wind, and I think I’d read before that conjuring elements was common. I focused on the wall and commanded it to burn down. Nothing happened. I jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet, I stared at the water, trying to make it do something, but nothing happened.
It was then I noticed the mirror had been replaced. Someone must have fixed it while I was at dinner the night before.
Frustrated, I organized the toiletries from largest to smallest. One of the towels was off-center, and it was driving me nuts. I straightened it and looked around the bathroom. “There,” I said to myself.
But the satisfaction didn’t last long.
I made my way to the closet where all the gowns were hanging and organized them by color and length, hoping that would make me feel better. Every dress was stunning and must have cost a fortune. I ran my hands over the different types of fabric and wondered if Lena had picked them out.
Thinking of Lena brought an entire wave of self-loathing that hit hard. I felt so alone. No one here was nice, and as stupid as that sounded, my feelings were hurt.
I sobbed, rushing to the dresser. Brush lined up to the edge of wood. I opened the top drawer—hair supplies. I began organizing them by size, color, and purpose, all the while, tears coming harder and faster, and my sobs becoming louder.
I pulled open the next drawer—undergarments. I tried to fold them all, but they were silk, and the material was too slick, so they kept falling off of each other. When I couldn’t wrangle them into submission, I collapsed to the floor, a complete mess.
Ever since I was a little girl, I needed organization or else I would get stressed out. It felt a little like giving in, though, this mad cleaning. Like I was accepting my fate, and that was not what I was doing. This was not my room; it was my prison.
Fatigue finally set in. I picked myself up off the floor. I changed from my flowy pink gown and into a long cotton nightgown. I crawled into bed and pulled the soft tan blanket up to my chin. The tears silently fell down my cheeks.
Adam, I’ll find a way home to you. Closing my eyes, I let the sleep come.
“Hey, beautiful.”
I spun around and came face-to-face with Adam. We were standing on my front porch. “Adam! You’re here.” I covered his face in small, fluttery kisses. “You’ll never believe where I’ve been.”
He put his strong arms around me. “It’ll be okay. I’ll never let you out of my sight again.”
“I was so scared,” I told him, looking into his loving, green eyes.
“I know. You’re safe now.” He cupped my face and kissed me softly, his lips like velvet. “Let’s go up to your room.”
Taking his hand, I led him to my room where we lay on my bed, his arm draped over me. I closed my eyes and murmured, “Never let me go.”
“I won’t,” he promised.
When I opened my eyes again, I was alone in my cell of a room. Tears filled my eyes once again, and I turned over to bury my face in the pillow as I sobbed. I don’t know how long I stayed there before the door opened.
“Why are you still in bed?” Lena snapped. “It’s almost time for dinner.”
“Dinner?” Time was so screwed up…or I was. I put the pillow over my head and mumbled, “Leave me alone.”
Lena grabbed the pillow and tossed it towards the other side of the room. “You need to get it together and do what is asked of you. I don’t think you comprehend how serious this is. He will kill you and not think twice about it.”
“I can’t believe that’s my only choice!” I yelled back.
“Well, it is.”
I wished I still had my pillow so I could throw it at her. Or something harder would be good. “I’ll find another option.”
“Marry him! You will grow to accept this life,” Lena reassured me.
“No,” I said stubbornly. “I will not marry someone I don’t love. They’ll have to kill me.”
“It won’t be that easy. You need to think of your loved ones.” She lowered her voice. “They can get to your family, your friends, your boyfriend.”
I looked at her in horror. “Why would they do that? Varwik said one of his options was to kill me, why wouldn’t he just do that?”
“I don’t know. I’m just saying he can, and he might use that to convince you. He wants power more than he wants you dead. He is known to be cruel when he thinks it’s called for.”
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to have dinner with those creeps again. I didn’t ever want to see either one of them ever again. I felt sick to my stomach and curled up in a ball, my head on the cool mattress.
“Playing sick won’t help. Get dressed and come out.”
“I’m not playing. Just leave me alone.”
I heard Lena’s dress ruffle as she left the room, the door closing softly behind her. I shut my eyes and willed sleep to come.
A few minutes later, the door opened. Peeking out from the covers, I saw Lena was back with a small cup. She held it out. “It’ll help your stomach.”
I met her eyes. “They won’t just let me be sick?”
She didn’t answer.
I took the cup from her and drank it. Within a minute, my stomach was feeling better. I handed the cup back to Lena and sat up. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Oleander, you only have a short time and your life could be over. Don’t allow that time to be miserable.”
I looked at Lena for a moment, considering her words. “It’s just so unfair. It’s hard to see the positive in this situation.”
“Life takes many twists and turns. Follow your path and be open to change. I know it’s not easy, but life is a wonderful gift.”
“I’m a prisoner. How can that be wonderful?”
“Get dressed. I’ll be waiting outside.” Lena practically floated out the door. I had no idea how she could be happy in her current life. I could not accept my fate that easily.
I dragged myself out of bed, used the bathroom, and rummaged through the closet. I refused to wear any of the black dresses. I didn’t want to look like I fit in. After dressing in a coral-colored strapless dress, I stepped out into the hallway.
The scent of garlic filled the air as we descended down the long staircase. The aroma made my mouth water. We entered the dining room to find Varwik sitting at the head of the table as usual. His son was to his right. Once again, as soon as I saw him, my wings gave a little flutter. He didn’t look up until I sat down. When he did, I noticed his wings did the same. Very odd that I had no control over the movement. I wondered if it meant something.
Kallan held my gaze for a few seconds and then looked back down at his food. His face was impossible to read. I wondered what he was thinking.
“Feeling better, Oleander?” Varwik asked in a
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