Bound To The Goddess

First Lesson

Chapter 6: First Lesson

Morning came with the sound of a bucket hitting the floor.

Lithia woke up with a jerk. Her neck hurt. She’d fallen asleep sitting up, back against the wall under the stairs.

The window was closed. Locked.

Last night felt like a dream.

"Lazy girl!" Her stepmother’s voice cracked through the house. "The sun is up and the floors aren’t even started!"

Lithia scrambled up. Her legs were stiff. Her eyes were burning from no sleep.

But under all the tired, there was something else.

Anticipation.

*2AM. He said 2AM.*

All day she moved like a ghost.

Scrub the kitchen floor. 8AM.

Wash the laundry until her hands were red. 12PM.

Peel potatoes until her fingers cramped. 4PM.

Cook dinner and get yelled at for the soup being too salty. 7PM.

Every time she passed the kitchen clock, she checked it.

Every tick felt like a hammer.

9PM. 10PM. 11PM.

"Go to bed," her stepmother snapped at 11:30. "You look awful."

Lithia nodded and went to her cot. She didn’t undress. She just laid there in her work dress and shawl, staring at the ceiling.

12AM.

1AM.

Her heart was beating in her throat.

What if he changed his mind?

What if the Vampire King decided a servant girl wasn’t worth his time?

What if he comes and kills me?

1:45AM.

The house was dead silent. Even the mice were asleep.

Lithia sat up. Pulled her shawl around her shoulders.

1:55AM.

The air got cold. Like someone opened a door to winter.

Lithia’s breath fogged.

2:00AM.

The latch clicked.

The window opened.

Cold air rushed in. And him.

Drayk.

He dropped into the room without a sound. Black shirt. Black pants. Hair damp, like he’d been flying in the rain.

His red eyes scanned the room once, then landed on her.

"You’re awake," he said. Voice barely above a whisper.

Lithia nodded. Her throat was too dry to speak.

"You didn’t sleep," he observed.

"I couldn’t."

Drayk’s expression flickered. Was that guilt? "Get up."

Lithia stood. Her legs were shaking.

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere private," Drayk said. "Somewhere if you lose control, no one dies."

He looked at the window. "Can you climb?"

Lithia swallowed. "I’ve never—"

"I’ll help you."

He didn’t touch her. He just gestured.

Lithia climbed out first. The drop was small. The night air hit her face and it was freezing.

Drayk followed right after. He landed like a cat.

The village was asleep. Completely. Not even a dog barked.

It was eerie. Like the world was holding its breath.

They walked. Fast. Drayk in front, Lithia trailing.

She wanted to ask a hundred questions. Who are you? What am I? Why me?

But the words stuck in her throat.

They stopped at the watchtower. The same one.

The stone was cold and damp. The wind was stronger up here.

Drayk turned to her. "Take off your shawl."

Lithia obeyed, shivering.

"Now," he said. "Show me the light."

Lithia held out her hands. Nothing.

"I don’t— I can’t just—"

"You can," Drayk cut her off. "Last night it came out when you were scared. So be scared."

He stepped closer. Invading her space. His cold presence made her skin prickle.

"Think about what happened to your parents. Think about being hit. Think about being nothing."

Tears filled Lithia’s eyes. "Stop—"

"Make it come out," he said, harder. "Now."

Lithia squeezed her eyes shut. She thought of the bruises. The hunger. The loneliness.

Her palms started to tingle.

Gold.

A faint glow. Then it died.

"Again," Drayk said. Relentless. "You’re holding back."

They tried for an hour.

Fear. Anger. Sadness. Nothing worked consistently.

The light would spark and then fizzle.

Lithia was crying now, frustrated and cold.

"I’m sorry," she whispered. "I’m useless—"

"Don’t say that," Drayk snapped. Then softer: "Don’t."

He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. He looked frustrated. Tired.

"This isn’t working," he muttered. "Fear makes it wild. We need control."

Lithia wiped her eyes. "Then what?"

Drayk looked at her. Really looked.

"Think of something else," he said quietly. "Not pain. Something... good."

Lithia frowned. "I don’t have anything good."

"Liar," Drayk said. But not mean. "Everyone has something."

He paused. "The cat. The one you feed behind the house. You think I didn’t see you?"

Lithia stared. "How did you—"

"I watch," he said simply. "Now. Think of it."

Lithia closed her eyes. She thought of the small gray cat. How it rubbed against her legs. How it purred.

How for 5 minutes a day, she wasn’t alone.

Warmth.

Her palms lit up. Soft gold. Steady.

No pain. No burning. Just warm.

Lithia gasped and opened her eyes.

The light was cupped in her hands. Like holding a small sun.

"I... I’m doing it," she breathed.

Drayk’s red eyes widened. Just a little.

"Hold it," he said. Voice rough. "Don’t let go."

She did. For 10 seconds. 20.

Then it faded on its own.

Silence.

Drayk stared at her hands, then at her face.

"You did that," he said. "On your own. With something other than fear."

Lithia nodded, shaking. "It felt... nice."

Drayk was quiet for a long time.

Then he held out his hand. Palm up. There was an old scar there. Thin. White.

"Heal this," he said.

Lithia hesitated. "What if I hurt you?"

"You won’t," Drayk said. Certain. "You’re the Goddess of Life. You don’t hurt. You mend."

Lithia placed her hand over his. She thought of the cat. Of warmth. Of not being alone.

Gold light flowed from her into his skin.

It felt like pouring warm water.

The scar disappeared. Completely. Like it was never there.

Both of them looked at his hand.

Lithia pulled back, staring at her own palm. "I did it. I really did it."

"Yes," Drayk said. He sounded different. Quieter.

He looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time. Not as a weapon. Not as a Goddess.

As a girl.

"Drayk?" Lithia asked.

He didn’t answer.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For teaching me."

Drayk flinched. Like the word hurt him.

"Don’t thank me," he said. He turned away. "It’s not kindness. It’s strategy."

"Oh," Lithia’s face fell.

"If you can control it," he said, not looking at her. "Then you won’t be used by my enemies. And you won’t die."

He started walking to the edge of the roof.

Lithia’s chest felt tight. "Will you come back tomorrow?"

Drayk stopped. Didn’t turn around.

"If you’re still alive," he said.

Then he jumped.

Lithia ran to the edge. But he was already gone. Melted into the shadows.

She stood there alone, with warm hands and a cold heart.

For the first time, the night didn’t feel empty.

To be continued...