Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
It was long enough that any damage Alexander had caused was covered. I looked shamelessly to see if I could tell how badly she’d been hurt. I couldn’t get the image out of my brain. Her flesh had been split apart. How she was moving about so fluidly was beyond my understanding, especially when I wanted to soak in a sitz bath.
“Here you go,” she chirped, setting it down beside my dish.
“What are you going to put it on?” Esther asked.
“My breakfast,” I replied simply, shaking the bottle.
Both she and Nicolette stared at me.
“That’s…an interesting combination.”
Right. Mustard on watermelon was strange, but kidnapping women and making them go through a latent satanic ritual was fine. I drizzled the condiment on my fruit and recapped the bottle.
I took a bite and relished the familiar flavors. The sweet juiciness of the watermelon intermingled with the tangy, slightly spicy kick of the mustard. I ate in silence, sipping from a glass of iced water that I allowed Nicolette to get me to humor their ideology. All too soon, Esther put the fertility smoothie and pills down beside my plate, reminding me of another objective Alexander had.
I was tempted to dump them both in the sink or trash compactor. The foreknowledge of cameras stopped me from doing either. I stared at the glass with a frown. He had come inside me multiple times, enough that I’d lost count.
If these smoothies did what Esther and he claimed they did, I was soon to have a major problem on my hands. That would be the absolute last thing I needed. But I didn’t know how to stop it from happening.
With a deep breath, I took both pills and drank the smoothie. Alexander could easily review the camera footage to confirm if I had taken them. My attention shifted to Nicolette, who was in close proximity. I observed her carefully, trying to discern any sign of discomfort or pain.
Her composure remained steadfast, still revealing nothing. Color me doubly impressed. Walking in on her being hit had been difficult to witness. Worse was the fact that I was more concerned about Alexander being intimate with another woman—even if by force—than the pain inflicted upon her.
The realization hit me like a wave, a sobering and unsettling self-reflection. In the mere days since my arrival, I had started to confront truths about myself, truths that I'd rather have kept buried. There was a part of me I wasn't proud of.
It seemed to be slowly unraveling, revealing desires and facets of my personality I had never acknowledged. Just like that moment in the bathroom, where I had been forced to confront the raw and unfiltered reality of my situation.
Esther's voice broke through my somber reverie, drawing my attention back to the present. She outlined the plans for the day, mentioning a ride into town with Isaac, a Tenebrarius from her father's circle. His name rung as familiar. He’d been present the night of the soup incident.
The idea of exploring the town had intrigued me since Alexander had mentioned it. It would give me a glimpse into the world beyond the walls of this enigmatic mansion and a chance to get a better idea of the Isle’s layout.
"What about Alexander?" I inquired.
Her face lit up in a way that indicated a misinterpretation of my question.
“He will be working most of the day but informed me he’d be retrieving you from the Chapel.”
Now that she mentioned it, that had been on my daily schedule. On alternate days, I would be escorted to Stygian Chapel to be further educated in my role, responsibilities, and learn all about the Isle's devout society.
There were a dozen other things I’d rather do, but I deigned to keep any protests to myself until I could see if this was something that would help me in the future.
The ride to town didn’t do any good for my resolve.
From what I gathered after explanations from Esther and Nicolette, the Isle’s geography was a strategic masterpiece, designed not just for opulence but for the preservation of its clandestine traditions.
One end of the Isle belonged to the Diabolus Estate, Alexander’s private fortress. I already knew it was a sprawling property, sheltered by thickets of dark woods and cliffs that rose up and plunged into the lake, largely cut off and symbolizing Alexander's desire for dominion and discretion.
On a different edge of the Isle were the homes of the Magistri Tenebrarum. Esther explained that these grand residences belonged to those that aided Alexander, the equivalent of right-hand men with their own level of power and privacy. Her parents had their own sector.
That information was enough for me to glean that the Isle as a whole didn’t seem to have many weak entry or exit points.
We were dropped off at the edge of the town. I took a moment to absorb the scene. It was bustling with activity, the air filled with the sounds and energy of a vibrant community. As we stood there, it became apparent that we were just another part of the scenery. No one paid us any attention, each caught up in their own routines. It was a refreshing anonymity, allowing me to observe without intrusion.