So You Might be Soulless

7|| Fjardka

Almost instantly, the monster crumbled into a pile of ashes. Diya thrust out both her arms and caught Sebastian seconds before he hit the ground. She gently lowered him down and leaned against a pillar.

Diya sighed, resting her hands on her knees and gulping huge amounts of oxygen. Blood splattered on the grey stones and she touched her nose. Not again...

"Diya!" Sebastian cried out and she looked up. He tried to make his way towards her, but a huge crowd of Imperial Guards- was that Jerkface leading them?- intercepted Sebastian's path.

Diya smiled sadly as she watched the crowd cheer their saviour. A high pitched whine echoed in her ears and she staggered away. Even if people saw that she helped Sebastian, no one would care or thank her. Who would want to trust a Necromancer? And a Reject too at that?

A sharp pain exploded in Diya's skull and she gasped, leaning against a destroyed building. A flurry of odd images pixelated behind her eyes, steadily unblurring to form the image of some man.

He was laughing and smiling...the sun caught on his blonde hair and made them look like strands of gold. He looked regal and dignified, but an ache formed in Diya's chest.

Diya groaned and shook her head, the man disappeared like a wisp of smoke. I'll have to ask Lucas–

She stopped abruptly, a bitter smile stretched across her face as she dusted herself off. I forgot... I can't just ask him for anything now.

* *

To Diya's immense surprise, the Duke and Duchess were there to greet her when she returned.

"Diya!" Duchess Elsher cried out, rushing down the steps of the mansion, practically tripping on her billowing skirts.

"Duchess? Duke?" Diya was absolutely floored, but primarily exhausted. She had done two good deeds today and could now think of nothing else but her warm bed.

"We heard what happened in the Capital with the Fjardka," Duke Elsher said.

"You were in the Capital right, Diya?" Duchess Elsher asked anxiously.

An unexpected warmth blossomed in Diya's chest. Were they actually worried about me–

"Our business. Did you see it get destroyed?" The Duke's thin eyebrows furrowed and he clasped his hands in front of him.

"Or the boutique!" The Duchess added hastily. "I get all the latest clothes from there! Is that okay too?"

Hope deflated inside Diya's chest like a balloon losing air. I should've known.

"The boutique and business are fine," She snapped, shoving past her guardians and storming up the stairs. A headache was starting to form. Diya was in no mood to entertain the vain couple who were more worried about company losses than their own daughter.

"Diya," Duchess Elsher reprimanded sharply, "that is not the way to talk to your parents."

"I suggest you be more respectful," her husband jumped in with a sick smile, "unless you want to be locked up in the Light Room again? That damned brat isn't here to protect you this time."

Diya's heart plummeted and dread crept over her, "N-no, not the Light Room, please! I'm- I'm sorry." The words burned her tongue like acid, but she would rather sell her soul than be locked in there again.

"I don't know," the Duchess crooned, eyes glinting with malice, "I think you've been a little too prideful ever since you got that invitation to the ball. Perhaps it's time we–"

"DUKE AND DUCHESS!" The Elsher's main Knight- Alina- suddenly emerged. "There is a situation that demands your attention, immediately!"

The couple turned and hastily followed the Knight towards the training grounds. But just before they turned the corner, Knight Alina gave Diya a sharp nod.

Even though the owners of the duchy treated Diya badly, some of the servants were on her side.

Thank you! Diya mouthed and quickly sprinted to her room, confident that the knights would cook up a disaster big enough to make the Duke and Duchess forget about the punishment.

This is getting exhausting, Diya thought, flopping on her bed.

"How long must this go on for?" She asked, but was only answered with a heavy silence. 

*************

Qotc: 

1. Thoughts on Sebastian? 

2. Thoughts on Diya's parents? 

3. Thoughts on Caspian? 

I hope you guys liked it! 

Stay safe and thanks for reading :)