The next morning, I was woken by the sound of the melodious chirping of birds in their cages. When I opened my eyes, a sigh escaped me, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. While the sound of birds singing was always beautiful, the realization that they, too, were prisoners like us added a somber note. It made me believe that their captivity drained the happiness they once felt. I couldn’t bear the thought any longer.

  I sat up and noticed Pauline getting ready. She was dressed in a short, dark green spaghetti dress paired with white high heels. Adorning herself with gold arm bracelets, gold earrings, and a gold necklace, she plumped her lips while I inquired, “Dark green?”

  “I think it’s a fitting color,” she replied.

  “For what?” I pressed.

  She looked at me through the mirror, paused, and then said, “You’re really going to play that way with me?”

  Staring at her, I asked, “What?”

  She smiled, saying, “I don’t have to ask if you’re executing our plan.”

  Dumbfounded, I shook my head as I watched her pick up a trinket on my nightstand and slowly swing it into the air. Squinting to see it more clearly, I asked, “What is it?”

  She walked toward me and handed it to me. It was a gold necklace with ballet shoes as its charm. “Oh, and the note,” she waved it in front of me, murmuring, “Don’t worry, I just read who it’s from.”

  “Thanks for the honesty,” I said, grabbing the note, and began to read. It said: This should complement the emerald nicely.

  Emerald, green. My favorite color. I let go of the letter and threw my covers over my head, muffling, “It’s from him, alright.”

  “Get up,” she shook the covers off me, and added, “Breakfast.”

  I creased my brows, and with a burst of frustrated energy, I got up, complaining, “Why not skip today? I think I would rather face the consequences for breaking unity.” I sighed at her and grabbed the gown from the closet while muttering under my breath, “How does he even know my favorite color?” I slipped the dress on, grabbed the wardrobe door, and poked my head out to her, saying, “Luminous gave the order.”

  “So.” She tilted her head, staring back at me. “You’re wrapping him in faster than I thought.”

  “I did not,” I paused then said, “Pauline. This is a heart we’re messing with. I can’t …”

  “What can’t you do?” She shrugged and shook her head. “Are you feeling sorry for him?”

  “He is a prisoner here, just like us.”

  “Woah. That is irrelevant,” she gasped in irritation. “He is really getting to you. He may have to see everything that happens here, but is he the one getting mind-screwed? Is he the one being forced to lay down his body for a perverted sicko?”

  “That’s not what I meant …”

  She got closer to me and said, “Maddy, I know you have a soft heart, but you can’t let that get in the way of what we planned.”

  I lowered my voice. “I know.” The memory of his kiss danced in my mind, and I no longer felt comfortable with the subject of the conversation. I didn’t think I had to explain myself – just because I felt sorry for him, didn’t mean I had feelings for Luminous.

  As she left, I finished getting ready. I slid the necklace over my neck and clasped it into place. It was beautiful. But if he thought a necklace could win my heart, he was completely wrong. I looked down and saw my bible, and brushed my fingers over it. I thought to myself, I can read you later. I left the room without praying, giving God only a second of my time in thought, feeling like I had read enough to sustain me for days. Little did I know, I needed it more than I thought.

  As we ate breakfast, Luminous noticed the gift around my neck. He smiled at it, and when Aeromonas noticed, I could see she was planning something within her eyes. Breakfast was soon over, and as Theodore got up to leave, he motioned Luminous to follow him.

  Pauline, still sitting next to me, said, “I will be near the cottages today helping Jace prepare for the cottage’s festival. You should join me and Douglas when it starts.”

  “Is it mandatory?”

  “You didn’t read the note on the door?”

  I shrugged, saying, “Must’ve skipped it.” Then I added, “I will be there.”

  She got up, and as I thought about meeting Douglas on top of the roof, I started heading that way. Passing through the halls and watching the sun rays bathe in the corridor, I felt a sense of peace. However, my tranquility was disrupted when Aeromonas stepped in front of me just before I reached the stairs.

  She tilted her head and gave that same awful, sinister smile as she sweetly reminded me she was here to do what she promised.

  “Aeromonas, we can talk this out …”

  She snatched the necklace from my neck, digging her nails into me as I gasped at the sudden tearing of my skin. “Awe, did my brother make this for you?” She neared me as I stepped back and bumped into another person. I wasn’t surprised to see her here.

  Claudine started to laugh as Aeromonas said, “I am starting to think he’s the one being played.” She glanced over my shoulder, looking at Claudine as she asked, “Don’t you agree?”

  “Leave. Me. Alone.” I said, clenching my teeth.

  “No,” Claudine pressured Aeromonas. “I believe she still needs a reminder of who she is messing with.”

  Aeromonas suddenly pushed me back, and Claudine’s leg somehow managed to trip me. I fell back into the windowsill, feeling the back of my arm get scraped. Gasping again at the pain she inflicted, she kneeled. She threw the necklace at me and said, “You tell my brother, and I will kill you.” She smirked and shot me an evil grin before the both of them started laughing and walked off.

  Claudine said, “I don’t know what has gotten into him, I am so much prettier than her.”

  I clutched my arm and turned to see the mark it gave me. Ugh, I gasped. So, this is what it feels like to get bullied. I didn’t know, because I was never bullied in school. I grabbed the necklace off the floor before I realized the clasp was broken. I furrowed my brows, then getting up, I carried it in my palm. Despite what happened, I needed to meet Douglas on top of the roof like we’d planned. I walked up the stairs and climbed out of the window in the best ladylike way I could. Seeing him sit on the shingles, I sat next to him with my legs to the side.

  “Sorry I was late,” I said, “I ran into some trouble.”

  He smiled at me and said, “No worries. I was j-j-just enjoying the sun.”

  I joined his smile, feeling the exact same way about the sun. Twirling the necklace between my fingers, I scoffed under my breath. I didn’t realize that even this place could harbor bullies. It was traumatizing enough with what I knew was going on behind closed doors. I fiddled with the clasp, thinking of asking Douglas if he was on board with me. When he turned his head and saw what I was holding, he held out his hand.

  “Can I see?” he asked.

  “Sure,” I said, handing it to him.

  He looked at it and raised his brows, saying, “You really p-p-performed well at the ball. I n-n-never took you as a girl who could.”

  “Thank you.” I moved my hair out of my face and said with a low sigh, “I stopped for a while.” Feeling my calves, they reminded me they were still sore. “I was even amazed I could still do it.”

  He glanced at me and smiled before he handed the necklace back to me. “I can fix it for you if that’s what you want.”

  I stared at it for a second and asked myself if I really wanted Luminous’s gift to be fixed. Why would I even receive a gift from him in the first place? Was it because I inwardly loved the unexplained kiss, and it brought me back to it? Or was it simply because I had to do everything I was told to do here? I said, “You can fix it for me if you’d like to.” He slipped it into his small vest pocket, and I asked, “So, have you thought about what we spoke about?”

  He moved his lips to the side of his mouth, contemplating his answer. “I will h-h-help you. Because I trust you.”

  Out of pure excitement that I wasn’t going to do this alone, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him from the side. “I am so relieved! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  He began to chuckle and returned the hug. “You are w-w-welcome.”

  The vines on the castle walls started to parch, and the summer sun rays began to burn my shoulders. As I made my way up a short stone pillar, I scraped the recent wound, pushing myself up, and groaned as I sat on top of it. I looked at it again to make sure it wasn’t bleeding, and when I noticed it had become inflamed, I let it go and opened my journal. Since receiving this, I journaled my days, thoughts, and prayers. I thought to myself, maybe, just maybe, after I escape this place that it would be a reminder to always listen to my mother.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  I thought to myself as I wrote each thought down, Where was He in that moment? If I was praying enough, if I was right in the eyes of the Lord, then, why does He let me go through this? Every day, as promised, besides this morning, I read the word of God and prayed. By the way, Lord, when is the right time to take the pregnant woman into hiding?

  I set my pen down and put my head in my hands. A sadness blanketed my heart for the promise Aeromonas kept and from what the two evil peas did to me today, I could only imagine what tomorrow would bring. Worry encased me, and I rubbed my eyes before I picked up my pen again and started to journal my worries about tomorrow.

  Suddenly, I felt a soft pat on my shoe. Looking down past my journal, I saw Luminous standing there in front of me with his hands in his pockets. “How did you get up there in that dress?” Luminous asked, genuinely curious.

  My heart skipped a beat, seeing him wait for my answer. I began to move my legs up and down, feeling my bottom soles hit the pillar. It was my attempt to keep his distance at bay. “Like climbing a tree. I used my upper body more than my bottom half.” Hiding the bottom half of my face with my journal, I watched his eyes. Then, I saw a smile spread across his face.

  “Did you like my gift?” he asked.

  “Go away,” I said, and hoped he wouldn’t notice that I was no longer wearing it. “I don’t feel like talking.”

  He ignored me and said, “I made it by hand.”

  “Gee,” sarcasm sprinted to the top of my tongue as I looked back at my journal. “I figured you’d ordered it on Amazon Prime.”

  He chuckled, then scratched a bothersome itch on his neck, asking, “What is that?”

  My eyes flew to his as they widened a little. “You’ve never heard of Amazon?”

  He shook his head once.

  I sighed, remembering that this entire place eradicated the real world’s culture, molding their own. Or, per se, Theodore’s. “It’s a shopping app you’d use on your phone to purchase all kinds of things, which are delivered to your house within days.”

  Confused, he stared at me silently.

  I sighed inwardly. “Never mind. It’s a convenient way to get things where I am from.”

  “Mhm,” he said, seemingly not interested, before he asked, “What are you doing up there?”

  “I am writing.”

  “Might I know what you’re writing?”

  I furrowed my eyebrows, thinking to myself, What is wrong with him? I replied, “No. Now please, leave me alone.”

  “Madeline –” He stopped his response, quickly glancing at my neck. “Was it only for show?”

  I raised my brow, wondering what he meant. “Excuse me?”

  He continued as his voice suddenly changed to irritation, “Or did you throw it into the ravine as an insult?”

  I pressed my lips together and thought to myself, well, I can’t tell you what happened. I just wanted to let it go and give it to God. “The clasp broke, and I knew someone who offered to fix it.”

  His response was quick. “How did it break? Did you yank it off? I know for certain it wasn’t fragile.”

  “It broke.” I shrugged. But as I glanced into his eyes, I knew he was looking for a better explanation as he just stared into mine, unbelieving that there was no reason for it to break.

  The bell rang for lunch, breaking this little argument that I didn’t want to continue. He clenched his jaw and frustratedly removed his hands from his pocket, then offered to help me down. “Grab my hands, I’ll help you.”

  “No.” I rebutted harshly as his accusations sparked annoyance in me.

  “It is a leap down. I wouldn’t want you to break an ankle.”

  I hesitated.

  “I won’t let you fall; I promise. Just… ” in impatience, he uttered, “Let me help you get down.”

  “Fine,” I spat out as I shut my journal. I grabbed his hand, and as I was sliding off, he wrapped his arms around my waist to catch me. His face neared mine, I could feel our chests beat at a fast pace, competing against each other. Peering into one another’s eyes, my hands on his shoulders slowly lifted off him, as his hands around my waist slid off.

  “Clearly it didn’t break,” he said, noticeably seeing the nail marks against my skin. “Tell me what happened.” He clenched his jaw again and said under his breath, “You don’t have to be so stubborn about this.”

  I ran my hand through my hair before I uttered, “Just leave it be, okay? I just need you and your family to leave me alone.” I turned around swiftly and left.

  Night fell, and as I looked up in the sky, the stars were so bright that they gave me a sense of comfort. Slowly, I saw the festival I daunted, and just like picking a flea off a dog, my peace was stripped away from me. I saw everyone there, including the people who wanted to manipulate my mind.

  I scanned the area before I entered, lightly tracing the red seam of my dress that we were ordered to wear for this festival. I began to pick at my middle fingernail with my thumb. I bit my lip and ran my fingers through my hair with a sigh before I stepped into the decorated area.

  Streams of white and red paper lights covered the poles, and jars of fireflies sat on the wooden tables with benches. There was an abundance of food and water on each one, and surprisingly, there was wine, and folk music played throughout the small enclosure.

  Pauline had waved me toward her as Douglas held a wooden cup to his lips. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was wine, I thought to myself as I strode toward them.

  Pauline smiled and held her hands up with her cup in hand, “Do you like it? Or love it?” She laughed aloud as if this was some ordinary festival in the real world.

  “It’s pretty,” I said, almost sounding like a downer. Once I recognized my tone, I added, “You did a great job, Pauline.”

  “It took her all d-d-day,” Douglas spoke, rooting for her hard efforts. I noticed his attire; he was in a red button-up shirt with black pants.

  “You would appreciate it more, Maddy, if you had to climb up on the ladders yourself and do it while being afraid of heights.”

  I chuckled under my breath while pushing my hair behind my ear. Suddenly, I heard Theodore clink a glass against another, preparing an announcement.

  He spoke to us, “My lovely darlings, tonight is a night of feasting and drinking. A night that is earned, and a night to be remembered. Enjoy your wine, enjoy being alive, and present your offerings, your wish in the bowl in the center to Baal.”

  I made a disgusted face as I thought, What is this about? What offerings, and did I have to do it? I glanced at Pauline and Douglas as I asked Pauline, “Did you know about this?”

  “Well, yeah, we all did. You would have if you’d read the paper.”

  Frustratedly, I forced out, “Pauline, I didn’t look at the freaking door. Please tell me what I need to put in the stupid thing so I can get this over with.”

  Douglas got up and, walking near to me he said, “Here Maddy, I brought an e-e-extra one j-j-just in case someone f-f-forgot.” He pulled something out of his pocket: a seed.

  “What? A seed?”

  “From the grapes we had at breakfast,” Pauline snipped at me.

  I furrowed my eyebrows at her. “What has gotten into you?”

  “It’s my fault, right? For not reminding you …,” she said out of nowhere.

  “Seriously, Pauline.”

  She got up and slammed her wine down on the table. “We all have problems in this place. You act like you’re better than everyone here …”

  “WOAH!” Douglas said and pushed me away from Pauline as he held his hand out toward her. “P-P-Pauline, go d-d-drink some water.”

  Making a scene, she quipped, “As if that will help! Geez, Maddy. Grow up.”

  “Maddy, go to the o-o-offering bowl.”

  Douglas lightly pushed me away and went to Pauline to try to calm her down. I turned around, mind blown by what had just happened. Alone, I walked to the offering bowl and said under my breath, “Lord, so I don’t break unity. This offering is for you, not for the wicked thing that runs this place. My only wish is for your will to be done in this place, my Lord. Thank you for placing favor upon me, thank you for your protection.” I tossed the seed into it, and within my heart, I knew the Lord heard me.

  I knew, as if my spirit downloaded information I could only have access to through Him, that the seed offering from this night was an offense toward the holy symbol of wine. I clenched my jaw as I felt my nostrils flare and my eyes water. The hurt He must feel, from a wicked man’s choice, made my heart ache for Him. God didn’t deserve to be treated like this; my Lord, Jesus, didn’t deserve it.

  Being the first to submit the seed, I rushed away from the bowl and walked away from the crowd. In a secluded place, I wiped my tears and instantly felt His compassion for me, a soft murmur of His love wisped around me, and I basked in His presence of peace. However, as the tears continued to flow out of me, my eyes started to get heavy.

  Then, a sudden approach of a voice startled me as I heard the voice say, “Your tears, I will wipe away.”

  “Huh?” I looked up, and I saw no one. My eyes scanned every inch around me as best as I could see, and no one was there.

  Until I saw Luminous; he asked, “Why are you crying?”

  I turned around and tried to focus on the voice that clearly wasn’t his. It was my Jesus’s voice.

  I said to him, “Why can’t you leave me alone? Gah,” I turned around frustrated, and rushed toward him, “I don’t know what’s real!” I grabbed my head and gasped aloud, showing the improper version of me; the ‘had enough’ version of me. “I am so tired of this place treating my God the way He doesn’t deserve to be treated.”

  He didn’t say a word; he just listened. Then, out of the blue, he embraced me as the pain washed through me. My sadness turned into burning anger, and I fled from his embrace. I had one intention in my mind. Yeah, it wasn’t the best one, but at least it was going to make me feel better.

  I rushed back to the festival, and as Pauline tried to speak to me, I ignored her. I grabbed onto the pot and flung it before Theodore and Sabrina. Seething floods of anger burned within my eyes as I locked onto Theodore’s. “Screw your offerings to Baal!” I turned around as people gasped all around me. After I said those words, my spirit tingled throughout my entire body.

  Sabrina, with her mouth open, said, “How dare you! Keepers, grab her now.”

  Theodore held his hand up. “No, my darling.”

  Aeromonas stepped next to her father and shook her head at me, scoffing, “You see the favoritism?”

  “No,” I said, “I see protection.” The confusion on their faces was like looking into the eyes of a lost sheep. I wasn’t giving Theodore the praise for stopping whatever happened next. I saw my Lord softening Theodore’s heart to avoid the lashing pole.

  I could feel Luminous behind me as I stared at the family.

  “Luminous,” Aeromonas said, clenching her teeth, “Get your dog under control.”

  Theodore reared his hand back and slapped her across the face. “Let that be a warning …,” he said as she grasped her face.

  Instantly, she stepped back and suppressed her anger, murmuring, “Yes, father.”

  “Pick up the seeds, Favor. Put them back into the bowl and deliver them to the warlock.”

  I tried to say no, but before I could, Luminous stepped in and said to me, “I’ll help you.”

  Quickly brushing off my attitude because I started to feel correction in my spirit, I dropped to my knees and started to pick up the seeds. Seeing Luminous follow suit, I uttered under my breath, “I’m sorry. This is my mess; you don’t have to help me.”

  “You’re right,” he said, “I don’t have to, but I want to.”

  After we picked them up, Luminous showed me the way to the warlock’s quarters. However, I refused to step into it. Luminous, finding it funny, grabbed it from me with a light chuckle. “Go on,” he said, “don’t wait for me. I will be here for a while.”

  Before he entered, I grabbed his arm and said, “You don’t have to do this. Set it down and walk with me to my chambers.”

  He bit his lip slightly, and hesitantly, then set the bowl aside. “That sounds perfect,” he said, and sighed as he slowly stepped to me and out of nowhere kissed the side of my cheek.“I can’t disregard my responsibilities.” He picked the bowl back up, and that was my cue to go.

  I crossed my arms and thought back on what had just transpired as I made my way to my chambers. I know. I spoke to the Lord within my thoughts, I did something you didn’t give me the go-ahead to do. I’m sorry Lord, I’m just tired of seeing this. Why aren’t you reacting the same? If it angers you … why are you letting it go on for so long?

  I hesitated in wonder before I asked the Lord out loud, “What are you doing with him … this seems too real. It can’t happen; I can’t harbor feelings for him.” I held up a finger and gasped, “I got it, I’ll just avoid him … them … um the best way I can.”