ATLANTION - LAYLA BOOK1

Part 48 Layla

Layla felt her heart pounding in her chest, the rush of adrenaline filling her veins as she stood face-to-face with the three monstrous brothers. Fear, towering above her with his purple eyes, was now standing between her and Torture, who had a twisted expression of rage on his face. Layla's hands shook as she gripped the rusted fire poker tightly, feeling its weight and texture grounding her in the moment.

The room was dimly lit, casting shadows across the faces of the brothers. The air was thick with tension and Layla could feel her breaths coming out in shallow gasps. She could hear the sound of her own heartbeat echoing in her ears, drowning out the silence that had descended upon the room.

Torture's voice cut through the silence like a knife. "For all the gods' sake, since when did Fear become the safe side? Sun, will you start calling the grey-haired monster with purple eyes from hell lovely? Isn't he the first one, the most horrible and feared among us?"

Layla furrowed her brow, taking a step forward to stand between Fear and Torture. "I would disagree. His eyes are beautiful." Her eyes locked onto Fear's purple gaze, feeling a strange sense of calm wash over her.

But Torture's rage continued to simmer beneath the surface, and Layla took a step back, ready to defend herself if necessary. Katon, the loyal hound at her side, urged her to run. "Aren't you going to take your hound back, Mr.? He is just going to gut your barter coin."

In that moment, Layla felt a surge of madness and pure hatred. She couldn't see herself from the outside, but Katon froze in place, watching her sly smile as she watched Torture foaming with anger.

The Dark Duke's voice resonated through the room, breaking the tense atmosphere. His words were like a sudden clap of thunder that shook the room. "We need to prepare to travel to the Atlantion court. The annual Balls are starting in one day, and we need to be there at the opening ceremony." His commanding presence demanded immediate attention from the group.

Terror couldn't resist a playful quip. "I didn't know you were into balls," he said, his tone amused.

The man's piercing gaze shifted to Layla, examining her from head to toe. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? We need to improve her looks if anyone is going to believe she's Diolanda's daughter. That gives her double points in my hate score." The tension in the room intensified as he spoke.

Layla's brows furrowed in confusion. "Who is Diolanda, my supposed mother?" she asked, her voice tinged with desperation for answers.

"Just an awful actress and a terrible monster," replied Torture, a twisted smile spreading across his face. The sound of his voice was like a knife cutting through the silence of the room.

Layla's indignation flared. "How dare you speak of my mother in such a way! And you want me to help you awful lot of jerks?" she retorted, her eyes flashing with anger. Her heart raced with emotion, her chest tightening as she struggled to contain her fury.

Layla's mind raced with questions, her senses heightened. Why did these men hate her? Who was this Diolanda woman they kept referring to as her mother? Despite not remembering anything about her supposed mother, the words about her stung her deeply. She longed for a family, and their hate-filled words about her mother pained her, even if the woman was unknown to her. The room felt suffocating, and she needed answers.

"This is a sorry sight for the daughter of the Atlantion Princes and the Master of Assassin Guild," Torture roared, crushing a table filled with glasses.

The sound of the shattered glass filled the air, and Layla couldn't believe what she was hearing. Daughter of Atlantion Princes? The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She didn't mind being a princess, but what would happen to her if she wasn't who they thought she was? Would they kill her? Torture her?

The Duke's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Katon, you have to make this woman look convincing until the end of this day. We have to start our trip to Atlantion in 3 hours, so we will get there in time. I need to present her in full at every house and clan of the underworld, so we have to arrive just before the doors close."

Layla's heart skipped a beat at the urgency in his voice. She had to escape before it was too late.

"I can prepare her myself, master," Torture said, a sly smile spreading across his face.

Layla shuddered at the thought of being left alone with the sadistic Torture. The other two brothers quickly dragged him out of the room, and Layla let out a sigh of relief.

The room fell silent once again, and Layla could hear the sound of her own heartbeat. She knew she had to find a way out of this place before it was too late.