Charlie wasn’t in his right mind. Once enough time passed, and he grieved his grandfather properly, I could set him back on a good path. He’d realize what he was doing was wrong, and then we’d put things back the way they should be. This wasn’t really him— he was just hurting and lashing out. I was his wife. Nobody understood him like I did, and though I’d miscalculated, I could still rectify the situation. I’d promised Danny that I could control him, so I would. I could fix this.
I pulled myself together. “You're right. The last thing I want is to become a slave to the Warden, and if that happens, I won't be able to save anyone. At least if you and I are on top, we can do this our way. We don't have a choice if we want to keep people safe. I understand where you’re coming from. We have to do this, to make the world a better place. So where are we going first?”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Charlie replied. “You’re staying in the palace.”
The world’s axis shifted. I felt reality narrowing inward, enclosing me into a box that had little air to breathe as the earth tilted below me. “What?”
“You’re too precious to lose,” Charlie pleaded. He came before me on his knees, grasping my hands again, which were already turning cold. “You’re not just valuable to me; you’re priceless to the Elves as well. The Empress must always be kept safe.”
He brushed back a lock of my hair and whispered, “Don’t you realize how much I love you? That’s why you have to stay here, where you’re protected and won’t get hurt. You’ve already died once. I can’t bear to lose you again.”
He’d turned into a raving lunatic. I guess we all had our breaking point. I should’ve seen this coming, but I’d willfully ignored it. Now I had to deal with the consequences.
“Do you really think this is the life I would’ve chosen for myself?” I asked, quivering with rage.
“Ava, I will give you whatever you wish,” Charlie offered. “I’ll make this life a paradise for you inside this tower, and you’ll never have to ask for anything. You want it, it’s yours.”
“I’ll have everything except my freedom,” I spat.
“Because that’s too much to ask for!” Charlie began pacing, walking the length of the balcony. “I know you want to travel, to explore and see the world, but that’s not an option anymore. You’re too much of a treasure, and we have too many enemies. You can still have a full life in Ilamanthe without leaving the palace. I’ll make sure of it.”
“That’s not what I want!” I was bawling now. I wish I had some of that fiery courage I was known for, but I wasn’t able to summon it against Charlie. At least, not at the moment, because I was dying inside. My entire spirit was decaying, and he could feel it, and he didn’t care.
“I know what’s best for you,” Charlie said, dropping his voice to a gentle croon. “You promised me that I could make the decisions and you’d be okay with them. This is what I’ve decided.”
“This isnothinglike what we agreed to.” I hated that he was using my choice to trust in him to lock me into a prison. I wiped more tears away with the heel of my hand. “The villain, keeping his trapped princess inside a tower. Might as well be a storybook.”
“You’re being dramatic,” Charlie replied patronizingly. “You’ll be living in luxury, and with our friends. I’ll be here as often as I can. I adore you. I won’t be apart from you for long.”
You will not keep Ava in a cage, Oberi warned, and his hackles raised as he defiantly put himself between Charlie and me.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to honor my marriage vows and keep her safe!” Charlie barked. “Why won’t either of you accept that I’m trying to protect my wife?”
There was nothing left to say. I’d become empty. Charlie had hollowed me out and made me into a shell. He’d rather chain me up than lose me, and that wasnothingresembling love.
I never wanted him to touch me again.
“I have important things to attend to. You’re staying in our room until the rebellion is done.” Charlie left the balcony and returned to the bedroom. I followed him, though I didn’t know why. Maybe there was still a little protest in me, something that made me want to fight back.
“Charlie, don’t go,” I begged, as a last-ditch attempt to talk my way out of this. “Don’t leave me here.”
He went to the door, and as he opened it, I saw a full line of guards standing outside the room. I knew they were waiting for me.
“Charlie…” I whispered again. Another tear fell down my trembling face, and into my mouth. I tasted bitter salt.
He didn’t even turn around to speak to me. “It’ll be all right. Soon, you’ll understand, and want things to be my way.”
My tears slowed as I sneered, “Cassiel would’veneverdone this to Aponi.”
Charlie paused at the door. His response was heartless as he replied, “My grandfather didn’t have someone like you.”
Then he turned to the head guard. “Keep the princess inside. Don’t let her out until I come to get her.”
“Yes, your highness,” the guard replied, giving a short bow.
Then he left me there.He left me.Charlie abandoned me in my new jail, closing the door and leaving our marriage ina complete state of destruction, so he could go on to do as he pleased and get what he wanted.
I ceased to feel as I realized this tower was just another prison I’d found myself locked in. The palace had become my new Institute, but it was far worse than anything Doctor Taurus had ever put me through, because this time,Charliewas my new Warden. My husband had become my captor, and everything I thought I knew about us, our love, and everything we shared exploded into dust. Memories shattered in my vision, days Charlie had spent by my side and nights I’d given up all of me to him.
