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“How am I thinking as a mortal?”
“Every foreign thought or practice is meant to harm you, is the thought of mortals,” she replied. “You are not being imprisoned. Those who serve here are not slaves, and the titles given to you are not for pomp and circumstance. It is our way. If you wish to leave, I will show you the door, and whatever you wish to take with you will be given, whether it is gold, silver, or land. If you go, you will never be disturbed or insulted or even spoken about by anyone here, ever. You can be free of all this and them, for no Thorbørn would follow you.”
Not even Theseus... No, I didn’t want him to just leave with me. How could I make him give up his family? But...all of this...
“He knew all of this was a lot to understand and digest for one so young and uncultured as you. Even more so, with the whole family questioning you and your unease by the presence of so many other vampire’s unknown to you.”
It was then that I started to understand. “So, he had you lead me away from them, so I could be at ease, and you could explain all that I was walking into...or better yet, already in? In here...what? He wants me to decide if I am going to stay or leave?”
She answered by walking back out the door, but before she closed it, she spoke. “There is no rush for you to decide, either way. He wishes for you to take more time rather than less, thinking of only your own desires. They shall all stay as you left them and wait for you, even if it takes hours, days, or years. I shall await your choice from out here as well, mistress.” She did not wait for me to respond before closing the doors.
They would stay as I left them. So, if it took me years, they would all just sit in silence in the living room waiting for me? That would be insane. The thought of Ulrik silent for so long didn’t even seem possible. He’d at least try to mess with Melora, and she’d definitely respond.., or would they? Was it different since their father had given a command?
Would that be enough to make sure Theseus would never look for me again if I left? Thinking of Theseus made me lower my head. With everything he’d done for me, could I just run away?
“How selfish,” I whispered, no longer wanting to stand. Instead, I lowered myself down onto the floor until I laid completely flat, looking up at the bare ceiling. I felt weird. Part of me wanted to run; this wasn’t my world. I wasn’t a princess. I didn’t really care about vampire-society protocols. I didn’t know how to do family. I liked Theseus, but the vampire came with a hell of a lot of baggage.
“Says the vampire who doesn’t even remember her mortality.” That light voice, the one that directed my magic, spoke in my mind.
“Who are you?” I asked
“Who are you?” she questioned back.
“Druella Zirie Monroe.” A month ago, I would have just said an art history nerd. But I’d become so many things since then. I’d seen so many things now.
“Because of Theseus,” she stated.
“Yeah.” But it all came at a price.
The further I went with him, the more unstable everything became. I’d never doubted who I was before, and now I wasn’t sure of my own past. And if I didn’t know that, what else didn’t I know? How was I connected to the Omeron witches? Why did he appear right in front of me? Why couldn’t I give in to him even though I did like him? Why did I have memories of things I didn’t remember? What was going on?
My heart was dead, but I could feel it now as if it were alive, beating and drumming the more I questioned.
If I stayed with Theseus maybe, maybe I’d get answers, but wasn’t that wrong, too? Rhea was right in a way. How could I see how genuine and earnest he was and only want to use him as a history book? After all the romances I had read, after paintings I’d spent days on, did I really not know how to love? Was I broken?
I’d always been alone. I was used to being alone, but I hated being alone.
“Ugh.” I sniffled, reaching up to clear whatever that was blurring my vision only feel it was wet. “Tears?”
I stared at the clear water on my finger. I was crying. My first tears. I hated being alone so badly that it brought tears to my eyes. Since when?
“Since loneliness meant life without Theseus.” She, this voice, spoke again, also sniffling.
“Who are you, and why are you in my head? Theseus! Theseus! Theseus! If it isn’t him, it’s magic you appear for!”
“Who are you, and why are you confining me?” she shot back.
Placing my hands on my face, I closed my eyes, trying to regain my sanity. As if I wasn’t already a mess, now I was having a mental argument with myself. Wait. Opening my eyes, I sat up.
“Myself?” I repeated. Feeling my hands tingle, I rushed to my feet and walked toward the only mirror in the room.
Staring into the glass, into my own brown eyes, I wasn’t sure what to say, and I didn’t have any rhymes, but I smelled the magic.
“You aren’t going to help me out on this one?” When the words didn’t come.
Silence.
“Oh, now you’re quiet? Fine.” I sighed, rubbing my hands together before pointing to it. “Mirror, mirror, against this wall, please answer this jumbled call.” The mirror trembled, and I grinned. “Show me her face once and for all.”
