Doctor William Vale had been an old friend from his days in the navy. They had both been young then, sent away by their families in an attempt to rid themselves of troublesome sons they no longer wanted to deal with. William had come from a family of mages, but he had been born without a single drop of magic in him, making him an outcast among his own people. Darian had been in no better position, his own life hanging by a thread after his uncle took the throne.
Somehow, the two had found each other.
Darian leaned against the wall beside Neria’s room, his arms folded across his chest as he waited. He hadn’t expected William to take this long, but the physician had insisted on examining her properly before leaving.
The doors finally opened.
"Oh?"
William’s brow lifted slightly when he spotted Darian waiting outside. He adjusted the leather bag hanging from his shoulder before his eyes shifted toward the guards who immediately resumed their positions outside the room. "What’s with the security? It’s just a Calypso"
Darian almost laughed. He had also once seen her as just a Calypso.
"How are her eyes?" He pushed himself away from the wall and fell into step beside William as they started down the corridor.
"I used enchanted lenses for her," William explained. "They helped almost immediately. I’ll have her spectacles made by the end of the week."
"Two days."
William glanced at him. "Three days." He bargained.
"Two." Darius insisted.
"It will take a day just to find the right frame."
"Then find it quickly."
William sighed, shaking his head as they rounded the corridor. "You’re still so demanding..." William muttered.
He didn’t say anything after that. They descended the stairs in silence, the sound of their footsteps echoing through the wide marble staircase. Darian kept his thoughts to himself, his mind still lingering on what William had told him about Neria’s eyes.
They had been damaged by whatever had happened that night. The question was whether they would heal completely.
He wasn’t sure if he even wanted her to heal.
"Also, her chest wound..." William paused when Darian reached the last step, his tone changed as if remembering something important. "Have someone help her check the bandages."
"Her caretaker will take care of it."
William fell into step beside him again, adjusting the strap of his bag as they crossed the entrance hall. A servant was already holding the great doors open for them, letting the cool morning air drift into the mansion.
"I guess if anyone can take care of a Calypso, it’s you."
Darian gave him a sideeyed look.
William only smiled, completely unfazed. "Don’t give me that look Darian" he chuckled stepping towards the door. "I will be back in a few days"
"Two days" Darian reminded.
William shrugged as he headed towards the door. "Three"
Once William was gone, Darian let out a slow breath. His hands had already found their way to his brows, massaging the dull headache that had begun forming.
He wasn’t proud of torturing Neria yesterday. He wasn’t proud of the screams that had followed every surge of magic from the collar, but the girl had to learn one way or another. He couldn’t simply let her continue believing she could do whatever she wanted without consequences.
The problem about Neria was, Darian had no idea how to contain her.
He heard unhurried footsteps approaching from behind him. He didn’t need to look up to know who it was.
Hartley.
The old butler stopped a few feet away, his hands clasped behind his back as usual. "The bodies have been buried, sir." He reported, his time clipped and low.
Darian’s eyes opened.
Or was wrong what he was doing but....
"And Lord Markel’s son?" he asked. "The redhead?"
"We staged the bandit attack and planted the bodies there."
Darian gave a slow nod.
"So what now, Master?"
Yes.
What now?
He had cleaned up her crime. He had questioned her. He had even frightened the truth out of her, yet none of it changed the fact that Neria was still a threat. He wasn’t certain keeping her inside the mansion was safe anymore, not for the servants and certainly not for anyone unfortunate you be too curious enough to go close to her.
"I sent Fiona to her," Hartley added.
Darian’s expression tightened.
He hadn’t even considered what Neria might do to the girl. She did seem slightly fond of Fiona, but that didn’t mean much. Neria had looked almost harmless before the ball too.
Darian had learned better than to underestimate her.
"Keep more guards around her." He ordered.
Hartley nodded. "Yes, Master." Hartley turned to carry out the order when he stopped and looked back at Darian, who had already started heading toward the stairs.
"What about her food, sire?"
Darian paused.
For a moment, he didn’t answer.
He remembered the way Neria had eaten earlier, barely stopping to breathe between bites. Four days of barely eating had left her looking weaker than she had when he first met her, and yet she had still managed to glare at him with all her might left.
Amusing.
"Feed her enough," he finally said.
Hartley raised a brow. "Enough?"
"Enough to keep her alive. To heal"
"Of course, sire."
Darian continued up the stairs, but Hartley’s voice followed him.
"And the collar?"
Darian stopped again. His fingers tightened around the railing. "Keep it on."
"Do you plan to use it again?"
Darian glanced over his shoulder. "Only if she gives me a reason"
Hartley nodded. "Understood."
Darian turned away and continued up.
He had already given her too much freedom once He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
__
It was nighttime now.
Not that Neria had noticed. If Fiona hadn’t mentioned lighting the candles, she would have continued thinking it was afternoon. The loss of her sight had made time feel strange, every hour blending into the next until she couldn’t tell when morning ended and night began.
Fiona had stayed with her since morning, and like the chatterbox she was, she had spent most of the day talking about flowers, the gardens and how Neria’s eyes would eventually heal. She had also tried her best to help Neria move around the room. It hadn’t gone particularly well. Neria had managed to hit her knees against the tables more than once, but she had never once complained.
It was a kind gesture.
After helping Neria clean up, Fiona had changed her bandages and helped her into a comfortable, light nightgown. Now they sat together on the bed while Fiona ran a towel through Neria’s damp hair, gently rubbing the water from her locks.
"I’ll bring you fruits tomorrow, Nerry," Fiona said, rubbing the towel through her hair.
"Fruits?" Neria asked. "Like those red things on the trees?"
Fiona chuckled.
"Yes. Like apples."
She stopped drying Neria’s hair and moved around until she was sitting in front of her. Neria could barely make out her face through the blur, but she could see the red of her dress and the faint outline of her features.
"I brought you strawberries the last time..."
Neria thought for a moment, trying to remember what she was talking about.
Then it came back to her. Those small red things Fiona had given her in the garden.
"They were sour"
She wasn’t sure if it but she felt Fiona frowned, "You didn’t like them?"
"I did... Sour but sweet" Though it was blurred, Neria could make out the shape of Fiona’s smile. "Are you smiling?" she asked, a small smile of her own tugging her lips.
"Of course I am." Fiona giggled.
A heavy knock interrupted them before Neria could say anything else. Her head turned toward the door as the guard’s impatient voice came from the other side. "Time to leave, Fiona."
Fiona sighed, glancing toward the door. "It’s curfew." She got up from the bed, smoothing down her dress before turning back toward Neria. "I will get going then... see you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow," Neria repeated quietly.
She almost stopped her.
The word ’stay’ sat at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
She didn’t know why she suddenly felt so desperate to keep Fiona there. Maybe because she had spent so many days alone that having someone talk to her about flowers and fruits had made everything feel less like a prison. Or maybe she simply didn’t want to be alone again.
But she said nothing.
Neria listened as Fiona walked toward the door, the sound of her footsteps growing quieter before the door opened and closed behind her. The lock clicked soon after, leaving Neria alone with the faint crackle of the candles and the silence of the room.
She lowered her head, her fingers finding the shell necklace around her neck.
With Fiona gone the room felt much colder.
____...
Hey there! Hope you like my book! Check out my other works.