"My dearest Mireya..." His cold hand wraps around her wrist and guides the blade away from her heart.
"...Do you believe your death is something I want?"
***
Aitháli was an empire known for its lush for...
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Floating.
As if there was no gravity holding her down. No weight pushing her to the ground. She was floating. Free— free from all her burdens, her worries, her fears. All the tension in her limbs have disappeared. She was like a cloud floating in the sky, not bound to her current location and able to move freely with the wind as she pleased.
Her eyes opened and she was met with an unfamiliar ceiling. Feeling the lightness fade away and the weighing on her shoulder once again, she sat up and glanced around the unfamiliar room.
Her eyes settled to the darkness easier when she noticed the candles sitting atop a vanity in the corner. The stained glass windows and dark, untouched oak wood confirmed the regal value of the room. Just by quick observation, her mind settled and became alert.
The nightmare continues.
I need to find my body.
Mireya cursed herself for falling asleep so easily in the castle. The stranger could have harmed her or killed her in her sleep, but she quickly realized it was inevitable. The weight on her head and shoulders had been so unbearable. It was as though she was carrying the weight of the sky on her shoulders.
She stepped towards the cracked window and squinted her eyes to see through the stained glass. There was nothing but trees and forests for miles. Not a single hut or clearing in sight. It was too dark to see any movement through the trees, but they seemed empty. The subtle chirp and the occasional caw hinted that it was still daytime and she would have a few hours before night would fall.
She directed her eyes up towards the sky and goosebumps ran up her arms and legs when she saw the cluster of demons flying above the castle. It was already scary seeing them from afar, but seeing them so close had Mireya terrified for what may happen if she tried to leave.
She stepped away from the window, hands shaking, and began to make up her mind.
I need to get back to my body. I can't stay like this. Mother must be worried sick.
She twisted the doorknob and winced as the big oak door creaked open. Of course the castle hadn't been inhabited in years. There was no one to oil the doors to keep them from creaking and making noise. This would mean every door was bound to make a sound, and sound was the last thing Mireya wanted to make.
The slightest sound would alert the horde of demons perched at the top of the castle. Even though the stranger had said it was safe, there was no way Mireya was trusting a single thing he said.
Doing her best to close the door behind her as quietly as possible, Mireya walked down the long hallway in search of an exit. From what she had seen in the window, she was a few stories above ground so finding a flight of stairs was her top priority.
After wandering down the hall for a while and taking so many confusing turns Mireya was just about ready to break a nearby window and jump to the ground.
