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“For me?” I gasped, looking down at the intricate drawing she had been working on, a vibrant landscape filled with fantastical creatures and breathtaking scenery, some of which she had taken from our own garden. The beauty of her imagination washed over me, filling my heart with wonder. “It is absolutely marvelous. I love it, darling. Thank you.” I leaned to kiss her on the head and she giggled.
As we spent the following hour together, my worries began to fade into the background. Cass had a magical way of bringing light into even the darkest of moments, and for a while, I could forget about our argument and the uncertainty that had settled between Adrian and me.
Chapter Five
Adrian
I had no idea how much time had passed since I opened my eyes. It could have been just a few minutes, but it could have been a few hours as well. Time passes so slowly in the darkness. I never knew that before.
My thoughts continued to whirl with a sense of disorientation and apprehension. The room’s cold, oppressive atmosphere had managed to seep into my very bones, no matter how hard I tried to fight against it.
Suddenly, the silence was shattered by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching the door. My heart raced as I looked towards it. My entire body was awash with tension, every muscle tightened to the brim. I was ready to attack the moment the door opened, but at the same time, I knew I had to bide my time. I would only be given one chance for this. I had to time it right.
The door creaked open, revealing two figures, cloaked in shadows. They were both wearing hoods over their heads. My breath caught as one of them stepped into the room, while the other remained in the doorway. That meant I could not take both of them at the same time. While I took the first one down, the other one would have enough time to escape and bring reinforcements. I had to wait.
I could barely make out their features in the dim light, but their very presence was ominous. I thought I would welcome someone’s presence, but I was wrong. This was worse.
“What do you want?” I asked him, taking a step back when I realized that he was approaching me. My voice was trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. I hoped that the latter one was more prominent.
“I am not here to speak,” the stranger replied, his intentions still unclear. “Hands.”
I frowned, looking at him, as he revealed a rope. I understood that he wanted to tie me up.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked again, but his answer was the same.
“I am not here to speak.” There was something ominous in the way he was merely repeating the same words, almost as if he knew nothing else.
I thought about it for a moment, then he instructed again. “Hands.”
I realized that we would either be standing here indefinitely or I could comply and see where they would take me. I allowed him to tie my hands behind my back, fully aware that this would render me helpless. But I figured, if they wanted to kill me, they would have done so already. That could mean only one thing, and that was that they wanted something from me.
The room’s door swung shut behind us with a haunting finality, plunging us into darkness. I stumbled forward as we navigated through a labyrinth of dark, narrow hallways. My heart pounded, and my senses were on high alert, trying to make sense of the unfamiliar surroundings. The only sounds that echoed through the dark passages were the soft, ominous footsteps of my captors and the faint, distant echoes of dripping water. The air felt damp and heavy, and a sense of foreboding hung in the stillness.
The journey through the dark hallways finally led to a grand chamber, the stark contrast from the dimly lit corridors was staggering. The chamber was vast, its high ceilings stretching up into the shadows. Along the walls stood several imposing guards, their eyes trained on me with an eerie intensity.
In the center of the room, atop a dais, sat a magnificent golden throne. It gleamed in the dim light, its intricate carvings and jewels shimmering like stars. Seated upon the throne was a figure, their face obscured by a regal hooded cloak.
As I was brought forward, my captors forced me to kneel before the throne, their grip unyielding. I felt exposed and vulnerable, the weight of the room’s oppressive atmosphere pressing down on me. I didn’t want to kneel in front of anyone here.
The figure on the throne leaned forward, his voice echoing throughout the chamber, both commanding and enigmatic.
“Adrian,” he said my name. I thought I would recognize the sound of his voice, but I didn’t.
I couldn't see their faces, but I could sense the gravity of the situation. The guards along the walls watched me with unwavering attention, their expressions masked and inscrutable. My heart raced as I realized that I was caught in a web of intrigue and danger, with no clear path to escape. This was probably one of king Theodore’s enemies, but which one?
Suddenly, the figure chuckled, leaning back. “Don’t tell me you don’t recognize me?”
He pulled off his hood, and a striking visage was revealed.
“I should have known,” I murmured more to myself than to him.
“And you probably did,” Constantine nodded, standing up. “But you’ve spent far too much time with humans. Their presence has softened you, my friend.”
He circled around me like a vulture, grabbing me by my upper arms and pulling me back to my feet. I appreciated this gesture, although I would never say it out loud. All the time, my eyes never left him.
His features were impeccably chiseled, with sharp cheekbones and a strong, sculpted jawline. His skin was pale, with an otherworldly porcelain quality that contrasted starkly with his raven-black hair, which cascaded down his shoulders in a cascade of glossy waves. It had been ages since I saw him last. And yet, he had not changed one bit.
Constantine’s eyes were the most captivating aspect of his appearance. They were a mesmerizing shade of crimson, glinting with an unearthly allure. They held an age-old wisdom, tempered by centuries of existence, and yet there was a haunting sadness in their depths.
