𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

Innuo

As Artemis left, Regan was alone. Just minutes later, a knock was heard. That time it was Cora, holding a glassy tray with food. Her expression was a mix of annoyance and confusion, one that Regan suspected.

"So, is your name Regan or Cornelia?" Cora finally asked, putting the tray on a table.

"Cornelia," Regan answered.

"Oh, okay," Cora replied, "Lady Artemis said that you should rest and sleep. Tomorrow, in the morning, you'll eat breakfast with his and her highness."

"Thanks," Regan dryly answered. She didn't want to sleep, she couldn't shake the feeling that Agnar was a creep. The way he had looked at her spoke volumes.

Cora nodded and left. Regan walked to the table, grabbing the tray. She ate the food, just to fill her stomach. It didn't taste good but it was okay. She glanced outside the window but they couldn't show much. She only saw some dried trees covered in snow, the ice hanging on their branches and the grey-white background.

The icicles where hanging dangerously from the window's top, sharp and icy. Regan slid the window open and the freezing breeze hit her face. All she saw was a frozen landscape. She tried to break one of the icicles but the moment she touched the ice, it melted immediately.

Regan sighed in frustration and slid the window off. She glanced around the plain room. There was nothing to do. It would have been freezing but the room has panels that spread the warmth around. She entered the bathroom, which was icy cold. On the sink, she grabbed the toothpastes and mixed them. It was senseless but something to kill off boredom.

Then, Sirius got in her mind. She was angry and confused, like she had been every time. She was so mad that she felt as if suffocating by thinking about him.

She cleaned the sink with the water, which was just white and sighed in frustration, leaving the bathroom.

Knowing there was nothing else to do, she went to bed and fell asleep.

The next morning, she woke up with the same boredom, anger, and frustration. The snow was still there, and the same view was there as well. She couldn't find a difference in day or night but shrugged it off. Maybe she'd convince Artemis to get her out of the fortress and show her the city.

Slipping off the bed, she glanced once more outside the window and turned to open the white door.

The coldness washed all over her as she met with the cold corridor. An air of chilling silence hung around and she only wanted to go and meet Artemis. She stepped down some stairs, and came face to face with Cora.

"Oh, I was just going to get you," Cora said, her expression startled, "Come with me," she added and gestured for Regan to follow. Regan followed, having nothing better to do.

Cora led her to a large room, where the diner was supposed to be. The walls were a perfect white, decorated with intricate patters of light blue glass. The floor was carpeted with a light blue carpet too, and in the middle, there was a long crystal table.

On the table there was seated Artemis with her husband at the head of the table, an older woman, and another younger boy. The younger boy, had a similar appearance like Agnar, she assumed he was his brother. As for the woman, she thought it to be Agnar's mother, but if he was a prince, would his mother stay there as well?

"Oh, Cornelia, come here!" Artemis said and gestured for Regan to sit beside her. Regan walked with gritted teeth, feeling completely defiant under Agnar's creepy stare.

As she sat there, uncomfortably, Agnar's stare lingered, his eyes holding an evil glint. Artemis tried to ease the tension by stirring up a conversation with the older woman, who seemed to be eager to talk.