Star Blood |✔|

36| COLLECT

Collect.

I'm still collecting my thoughts from Jonaus's visit, turning his words around within my head and trying to make sense of it all.

The Sweven.

The words.

The separation of darkness and light.

I sit in front of the King's door, waiting for the night to come.

Settling down in the position I was in before Jonaus had broken it.

It's not until an hour later, that I hear it.

Voices.

"Why are you not crying?"

"I'm not afraid."

I put my head against the door, and close my eyes.

No. Brave words were not needed in this moment.

She did not need to be brave.

Her bravery would not help her.

"Mmmhhh," the King's thoughtful sigh is replaced with a scream.

I stand, my hands gripping the door as my fingers slowly curl into fists.

I could stop it.

I could try.

I find my fingers curling around the knob and -

It's locked.

I pause, a roar within my ears drowning out any senses within my mind as I try again.

More screaming.

It's not of pleasure though.

Pain.

She was in pain.

I don't even register my hand going up and down, trying and failing- knowing and not accepting that it would not open for me.

My legs give out and I sink to the floor, my eyes wide and staring at the crack within the keyhole- anything to be granted access to that room.

Until I hear a soft moan.

"Yes," the hissed word of the King has my forehead falling against the wood.

I sit there for the next few hours.

Oceane doesn't know.

She doesn't remember.

I can already tell she is as lost as the others- and the thought of those ocean blue eyes being replaced with the color red had one lone tear escaping from me.

But I stay with her.

Even though I know that she is lost within the folds of the King's pleasure.

I stay with her.