Demons Inside Her

15. Leverage

The night was an absolute blur for Katerina. All she remembered was the banquet and Miera kissing her. Other than that, truly nothing.

Katerina woke up, her head pounding. She opened her eyes slowly and watched as the ceiling stopped spinning. She groaned as she got up and placed her weight on her elbows. All around her was the carnage of the night.

William and two ladies-in-waiting were asleep on a table. On the floor were his court and the other ladies-in-waiting. Miera laid next to Katerina. Clothes and fabric covered the floor, people, and tables.

Katerina groaned softly. Her eyes finally adjusted to the brightness of the room and that was when she noticed the group of men surrounding her. Their bodies twisted underneath each other.

Was this everyone she fucked?

Katerina tried to remember the previous night, but her memory continued replaying the same scene over and over like a broken projector. Miera and her. Miera and her. Miera and her. Everything else from that night was blocked.

Katerina fully sat up and grabbed a piece of blue cloth next to her. She stood up and wrapped the cloth around her body. She walked to the door quietly, pulled it open, and slipped away.

The castle was deathly quiet. The only noise was from the kitchen where the cooks were cooking the day's breakfast. The floors were icy cold, so Katerina swiftly walked to her room.

The adrenaline disappeared when Katerina opened her bedroom door. She walked in and took a deep breath. She walked to her bed, laid down, and tried to tap back into her memory. She wanted to know what happened last night.

Katerina closed her eyes. All of a sudden, everything came rushing back to her. Miera and her fucking each other. Katerina on top of another guy as William watched. Katerina's urges and her true self were fully on display and nobody stopped her.

Katerina felt tears form in her eyes. She was no longer a princess. Now a common whore.

She got up and changed into a long-sleeve dress. She needed to find Victoria and get out of the North. She couldn't survive one more minute being in this situation. She needed to get out.

She wandered around the castle in a daze, but was determined to find Victoria. Finding the nursery was a challenge but her motherly instincts pushed her to check every nook and cranny of the castle.

There was one more room that was unchecked. Katerina opened the door and walked in. A lit candle was next to the door. Katerina grabbed it and walked in. The small glow from the flame illuminated her path.

In the middle of the room was a chair. Katerina slowly walked to the chair and noticed a figure sitting. The chair turned around. William sat and held Victoria.

"What are you doing with her? Put her down," Katerina said.

"I was checking on my step-daughter," William said. He looked down at Victoria. "Since her mother was a whore."

Katerina took a step forward. Her motherly instincts were at an all-time high, and the sight of William holding Victoria made her blood boil.

"I wouldn't step forward," William said. "I can easily take her away and you'll never see her again. Wouldn't it be a shame Caitlyn?"

"I don't answer to that."

"Oh, but you will," William said. "You will if you want her to live."

"And what if I don't."

"Then the Southern Isles will mourn their loss even more. She'll be dead and you'll never be seen again."

William stood up and walked to Katerina. Katerina was small compared to him, but the thought of him killing Victoria made her upset.

"I'm going to give you a choice. Embrace your new kingdom and lifestyle, or the princess will not survive to see her first birthday," William whispered.

He stood next to her and whispered into her ear. "It's for the good of the kingdom."

The good of the kingdom.