His words struck. My expression faltered, just enough to show the sting, and Gadriel saw it.
He pressed on cruelly. “The choice can be yours, then. Who shall I select? Leya? Rosette? Imogen?”
I didn’t answer. My hands curled into fists at my sides. If he left me here, I’d be trapped, cut off from any chance at freedom. Six months would pass like a second sentence. Half a year in this gilded prison, and what had I truly gained? I was still caged. Still silenced.
Gadriel must’ve sensed the shift in me, because his tone softened. He reached for me.
“Odessa,” he said, drawing me closer. “It’s only because you’re so valuable to me that I won’t risk putting you in harm’s way.”
I looked up at him steadily. “As your favored, it is my duty to serve. What danger could there be if I’m surrounded by your guards from dawn until dusk?”
He sighed.
It was clear then. No matter what I said, Gadriel would never truly see me. Not beyond what I was to him.
“Promise me you’ll at least think about it,” I said, the words carefully crafted.
He leaned in, kissed me softly, and whispered, “No.”
The panic in my eyes was genuine this time. The chain around my waist was proving itself to be rather unbreakable.
4
Torhiel,the land of devils, was where my mother had been born. It was a truth I would carry to my grave.
If anyone ever discovered that secret ran through my veins, we’d both be condemned. I don’t think she ever meant for me to find out. But during one of her episodes, she began to chant a strange poem in a lilting voice. She danced barefoot at the edge of the dying forest behind our cottage, her mind lost to something far beyond reach.
The ballad chilled me, every word etched into my memory:
In shadows deep, where ancient whispers roar,
My life, my soul, my spirit, are cursed forevermore.
Home by blood, Mother by oath, her dark secrets are stored,
In death, I return to Torhiel once more, settling her score.
I winced and massaged my temples in slow, steady circles. The contraceptive tonic from the brewmasters always left me drained, my mind dulled and aching. After returning from Gadriel’s chambers just before dawn, I’d spent the early chimes pacing my room, turning over every possible angle of his upcoming departure from Hyrall. His refusalto bring me had become more than a disappointment, it was a deadline, and it loomed closer with every breath.
Still, I tried to see it not as a setback. The more I thought about it, the more I realized, this was the closest I’d ever been to freedom here. If I could just convince Gadriel to take me, even under the guise of servitude, I might be able to reach the outskirts, pass through Brier Len, and vanish into the wild. I’d heard there were places in the woods where no man dared tread.
Hidden places. Free places.
That’s where I’d run first.
I glanced out the window toward the western tower. My day was about to begin, measured, as always, by the ringing of the castle’s bell tower. Each deep chime dictated my schedule: bathing, breakfast, reading, lunch, afternoon activities, supper, the courtesan quarters, service, and sleep.
It only sharpened the edge of the loneliness I already carried.
The next bell was moments from tolling. Soon, the guard outside would arrive to escort me to the dining hall. In a rush, I reached for an inkwell and a sheet of parchment. With swift, practiced strokes of the quill, I penned a short note, scanned it once, then folded it cleanly. I tapped on the door before slipping the note underneath on the stone floor.
Sir Karst’s armor rattled as he crouched to retrieve the note, followed by the crinkle of parchment and a sharp exhale. I pressed my ear to the wooden door and caught the fading echo of his footsteps. Satisfied, I settled into my chair and waited.
Ten minutes later, the door unlocked. A kitchen servant stepped inside, balancing a platter. Her hands trembled as she set it down on the table, eyes fixed on the floor. The staff was still uneasy, likely haunted by my previous guard’s execution months ago.
She left without a word.
I rose slowly and approached the tray. As requested: cured meats,preserved fruits, and a generous loaf of bread. I took a small portion for myself, just enough to satisfy my hunger, then carefully divided the rest. Each piece was wrapped in silk and tucked into a chest, set aside for later use.
