Inhumane Seduction (Vampire Romance-on hiatus)

sixty-four

"No. They are not capable of lifting curses. Narkissa says Haagenti is a very powerful and corrupt demon, and the curse he has put on Kyle is extremely hard to revoke." He then reached for my hand, causing the guard standing by the door to step forward.

Cullen immediately pulled his hand away, swallowing uneasily before speaking again. "Ophelia, I know you think this is your fault but you must know it is also Haagenti's. He exploited your trust and naivety."

I smiled grimly. "Don't sugarcoat it, Cullen."

"I'm not. Listen, I'm not trying to underestimate you, but did you have a plan when you came here? You left without any warning."

"I did and I still do, but I'm not permitted to discuss that with anyone other than King Donovan."

"That's it for today," the guard spoke gruffly, grabbing Cullen's arm and practically yanking him out of the seat.

Panicked, I stood up. "Cullen, tell Xander I need to see him. It's important. The sooner the—" I was cut off by the loud sound of the wooden door slamming closed in my face.

I stood staring at the door, finally letting my accumulating tears slide down my cheeks. I hurried to wipe them before they could fall to the floor. For the first time in a while, I felt alone.

•

[ 49 days after the wedding // 2 days after signing the contract ]

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I was surprised to see a blonde woman standing by my bed. She was wearing a servant uniform and looked just as shocked to see me. "M-Miss Demetria, I was sent here to bring you your clothes and escort you to the c-courtyard," she managed to stutter out, her doll-like blue eyes wide as she stared at me. "I have also been assigned as your helper. If you need any help around the castle, I will help as best as I can."

I tightened my grip on my towel, eyes falling to the outfit laid out on the bed. "Oh, okay. Please call me Ophelia. What's your name?" I asked her as I neared the bed to get a closer look at the outfit. It was a simple outfit, consisting of a black shirt, black jacket and a pair of grey pants.

"I'm Stella."

"Nice to meet you. So, why am I going to the courtyard?"

She laced her hands in front of her. "You will be meeting your mentor there."

I raised my eyebrows at this. "My mentor?"

"Yes." She swallowed nervously before continuing. "You are a sorceress, aren't you? I've heard you are telekinetic. The King says you need training if you are to work for the crown."

After a short conversation with Stella, she briefly left me alone so I could get dressed, and then she escorted me to the courtyard afterwards. Stella was a sweet girl, but I could tell from the way she spoke to me that she was still apprehensive about me, and that was completely understandable. She most likely had never met a sorceress before and probably thought we were extinct until she found out about me.

When we reached the courtyard, I was surprised to find it almost empty of people except for the few guards standing here and there. The courtyard itself was dense with bushes, trees and green grass adorned with water droplets. Between bushes and grass, gravel pathways extended throughout the courtyard. 

What shocked me the most, though, was the sunlight beaming down on the courtyard. My skin felt warm where the sunlight made contact with it, but something about it didn't feel right. It felt... artificial.

A grey-eyed woman suddenly emerged from behind a large tree. "If you're wondering about the sky, then yes, it isn't real."

I watched as she approached both Stella and me. Her high-pitched voice didn't suit her face at all. Her face was very delicate, with small lips, a fine nose and graceful eyebrows. Her straight hair only reached down to her shoulders. At first glance, her hair looked black, but the closer she got, the more I realised they were actually a very dark shade of purple.