Cry Me a River |✔️

Chapter 72- A Peaceful Awakening

"I wish you were here  or I were there or we were together anywhere."

Chapter 72

A Peaceful Awakening

River's POV

The smell of eggs, spices, and fresh vegetables wafted past my nose, waking me from my slumber. After yesterday's conversation with Isaiah, I had finally been able to sleep after days of nervous, anxiety-filled nights. I was always constantly waking up repeatedly in the night, only to find myself in the same dark, dirty cell I had fallen asleep in. I spent most of my nights with enough sleep to wake to feel just as disgusting and dirt-caked as I felt before. The only thing that kept me sane within those dreary walls were the daily visits from both Alastair and Isaiah.

Though with them I had to put on a brave face and pretend I wasn't breaking inside. That I wasn't as afraid as they were.

Someone had to be the calm one and for some reason, I took the plate. The victim. The one who was going to die. Though, that seemed to always be my persona. The man in a constant state of damsel-in-distress.

Now, I could finally relish in my own tranquility. I no longer had to grieve over my own ending, fear what I was soon to lose. I could awake on mornings to the sunshine and smile a real smile. Not one of those fake, tight-knitted ones I spread across my face for the sake of my mate and best friend. A real one. One for myself and not for others.

A light, content breath fell past my lips as I pulled off my blanket and lifted myself from the bed. I relished the feel of hardwood beneath my barefooted feet. My toes lightly brushed the smooth flooring, a smile pulling at my lips. It had been so long since I felt smoothened lumber beneath the pads of my feet. Days locked in a dirty, metallic cell made me far more appreciative of the smaller things in my life. Like the flooring, soft in comparison to the rocky, harsh flooring that I had caused my heels to swell and bleed on days where I moved too often.

Alastair had sent piles of furs and pillows to line the room, but even with that, the harsh flooring still peeked through. The bed still a rock no matter how many pillows he brought to cover it. Though I didn't mention it. I knew it would only anger him if he knew the pain I was in and I only had a limited amount of time to spend with him. I would have rathered spend the time with him holding me rather than screaming at the guards. I was going to die, or at least I thought I was, and no padding nor fur could sugar-coat that. None of the pain truly mattered in the aspect of time. Not if my death was merely around the corner.

Yet, now, as my feet swept past the doorframe of the room I had slept in and into the kitchen, an overwhelming amount of relief washed over me.

I was alive. I was going to live.

The sweet smell of fresh food reminded me of that. My feet touching the ground reminded me of that.

I never been more happy to be alive than I did now and I was relishing in it.

"I see you're up," Alice chirped, eyeing my drowsy form by the doorpost before turning back to the pan to flip his eggs. "Morning, sleepy head."

His hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, resting softly against his shoulder as he sprinkled some spices into the pan. He gazed over his shoulder with a bright smile.

"Sit down," he pointed to the small table in the center of the room, "breakfast should be done soon."

I nodded and dragged myself to the nearest seat, where Matthew sat, eyeing a paper in hand. He acknowledged my presence for a mere moment with a nod before his gaze dropped back down to the paper.

I raised a brow at his silence.

Did I offend him?

"Aaand breakfast is ready," Alice sang, placing platefuls of food before us and two others, beside him and I.