*
When I opened my eyes again, I was alone in my cell of a room. Tears filled my eyes once again, and I turned over to bury my face in the pillow as I sobbed. I don’t know how long I stayed there before the door opened.
“Why are you still in bed?” Lena snapped. “It’s almost time for dinner.”
“Dinner?” Time was so screwed up…or I was. I put the pillow over my head and mumbled, “Leave me alone.”
Lena grabbed the pillow and tossed it towards the other side of the room. “You need to get it together and do what is asked of you. I don’t think you comprehend how serious this is. He will kill you and not think twice about it.”
“I can’t believe that’s my only choice!” I yelled back.
“Well, it is.”
I wished I still had my pillow so I could throw it at her. Or something harder would be good. “I’ll find another option.”
“Marry him! You will grow to accept this life,” Lena reassured me.
“No,” I said stubbornly. “I will not marry someone I don’t love. They’ll have to kill me.”
“It won’t be that easy. You need to think of your loved ones.” She lowered her voice. “They can get to your family, your friends, your boyfriend.”
I looked at her in horror. “Why would they do that? Varwik said one of his options was to kill me, why wouldn’t he just do that?”
“I don’t know. I’m just saying he can, and he might use that to convince you. He wants power more than he wants you dead. He is known to be cruel when he thinks it’s called for.”
I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to have dinner with those creeps again. I didn’t ever want to see either one of them ever again. I felt sick to my stomach and curled up in a ball, my head on the cool mattress.
“Playing sick won’t help. Get dressed and come out.”
“I’m not playing. Just leave me alone.”
I heard Lena’s dress ruffle as she left the room, the door closing softly behind her. I shut my eyes and willed sleep to come.
A few minutes later, the door opened. Peeking out from the covers, I saw Lena was back with a small cup. She held it out. “It’ll help your stomach.”
I met her eyes. “They won’t just let me be sick?”
She didn’t answer.
I took the cup from her and drank it. Within a minute, my stomach was feeling better. I handed the cup back to Lena and sat up. “Thanks, I guess.”
“Oleander, you only have a short time and your life could be over. Don’t allow that time to be miserable.”
I looked at Lena for a moment, considering her words. “It’s just so unfair. It’s hard to see the positive in this situation.”
“Life takes many twists and turns. Follow your path and be open to change. I know it’s not easy, but life is a wonderful gift.”
“I’m a prisoner. How can that be wonderful?”
“Get dressed. I’ll be waiting outside.” Lena practically floated out the door. I had no idea how she could be happy in her current life. I could not accept my fate that easily.
I dragged myself out of bed, used the bathroom, and rummaged through the closet. I refused to wear any of the black dresses. I didn’t want to look like I fit in. After dressing in a coral-colored strapless dress, I stepped out into the hallway.
The scent of garlic filled the air as we descended down the long staircase. The aroma made my mouth water. We entered the dining room to find Varwik sitting at the head of the table as usual. His son was to his right. Once again, as soon as I saw him, my wings gave a little flutter. He didn’t look up until I sat down. When he did, I noticed his wings did the same. Very odd that I had no control over the movement. I wondered if it meant something.
Kallan held my gaze for a few seconds and then looked back down at his food. His face was impossible to read. I wondered what he was thinking.
“Feeling better, Oleander?” Varwik asked in a neutral tone.
“Yes. Your medicine works fast.”
“You’re welcome. We have some of the best healers. They make amazing potions from the land. It’s quite impressive. Lena has been kind enough to share some of the light ways with our healers.”
“I’m sure humans would love to get their hands on it,” I said lightly.
Varwik’s eyes flashed. “We do not share with humans. It is forbidden. You really need to learn the laws of our land.” He turned towards Lena. “You need to take time and explain the way things work in our world.”
“Of course,” Lena replied with a smile.
I ate the food in front of me—much more slowly this time—and accepted seconds when they were offered. The meal was interminably long and uncomfortable, as Varwik tried to make everyone talk and none of us did anything but give one-word answers.
When everyone was done eating, Varwik waved a servant over to the table. Immediately the faery with auburn hair began cleaning up around us.
“You have a decision to make.” Varwik stood. “You better hurry up and make it.” He took Lena’s arm and walked out of the room, leaving Kallan and me at the table.
I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms over my chest, fighting a sense of déjà-vu since we’d only just done the same thing at the last meal. I waited for him to speak first, because I certainly wasn’t going to.
He echoed my posture, and we just stared at each other. I was getting more and more annoyed by the second, but I wasn’t giving in. I had no desire to be here and wasn’t going to pretend I did.
I don’t know how long we sat there until Varwik and Lena came back in. Looking at me, he said, “It’s not looking good for you.” He motioned to Lena. “Take her away.”
Lena stood by my chair and waited for me to get up. Once I did, she led the way back to my room. I turned to her before she closed the door and locked me in for the night. “Can’t I at least have a book?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks.” I walked inside and the door closed with a loud clang.
A few minutes later, Lena returned and handed me a copy of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. “Really?” I asked. Just my luck to end up with Shakespeare again. “This was all you could find?”
“Do you want it or not?” Her eyes flashed with irritation and she shoved the book at my chest.
I took the book from her and once again, she locked me in. I paced the room with the book in my hand, flipping through it. Was I really supposed to fall for Kallan? Sure, he was gorgeous, but I hated him. He was cold and uptight, and I didn’t like that at all.
Boredom set in. I sat down on the bed, propped against the headboard, and began reading the book. I finished a third of it before I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer and fell asleep.