A deadly choice.
894 Words
~Roshan~
A while ago, I sat on the Dais of Shadows with Calyx beside me, both of us glancing down at the hall. The crowd below was a sea of colour and deceit. Glittering gowns, polished smiles, and hearts that reeked of fear. We sipped our wine in silence, the music blurring into the background noise.
“You have a mask on,” Calyx said finally, bored. “Why don’t you stride through the hall and see if any chick catches your fancy?”
“No one, Calyx. No one.” My tone was flat, final. He got the message.
The night dragged on. Predictable and dull, until my gaze caught her.
Red dress. Burgundy mask. Petite. Unsteady, like she didn’t belong here. The way she held herself screamed discomfort, her every move was guarded like she was fighting for survival.
She shouldn’t have been here.
The silk clung too tight. The shine of the gown looked forced, almost cruel on someone like her. The more I watched, the clearer it became. She was being used as bait.
And then he appeared. Lance.
“Fernandez, that’s Lance. He dares show his face here after all he’s done.” Calyx’s jaw flexed in anger. Despite the fact that I hated being addressed as Fernandez, Calyx would rather swim across an ocean than call me Roshan.
“Let him be,” I murmured. “He has something I want.”
Calyx followed my gaze and went still. When his eyes found her, he sighed. “Oh. That something.”
Her unease deepened, trembling fingers brushing the edge of her mask. I could see it in the way her chest lifted too fast. He made her leave her oxygen tank behind. That fool wanted her to look whole, to look perfect, even if it meant she could barely breathe.
Pathetic man.
I watched her longer than I should have. When she rose from her seat and slipped toward the courtyard, I followed, fastening my mask in place.
Outside, the night air was sharp. She ripped the mask from her face and exhaled like someone tasting freedom for the first time. Her skin glowed faintly under the moonlight, her lips parted as though the air itself was a luxury.
Pure. Unaware. Doomed.
I leaned against a pillar, letting her feel the weight of my gaze. Her head snapped up the moment she noticed my presence, fear blooming instantly. Her instincts were sharp. She started backing away.
Good.
The thrill wasn’t in the catch.... it was in the chase. I waited, letting her think she could escape, and when she took that last hopeful step, I closed the distance in a blink and caught her wrist.
The shock in her eyes was priceless. I wanted to see if she'd recognize me, but it was obvious she couldn't. I held on for a while, wanting to see how long she could keep struggling before finally giving in but then, she did the unthinkable. She made the best and worst mistake of her life.
She declared herself mine.
Not to me, not truly....but the words left her mouth, and that was all it took.
From that moment, she sealed her fate.
And now, here she stands before me in my chambers like a flustered kitten, trembling and trying to make sense of everything.
“You’re supposed to— Everyone thinks you’re a—”
“Monster?” I tilt my head. “Are you disappointed?”
Her brow furrows. “But why? To what end? Your people are meant to love and respect you, not tremble at the mention of your name. Everyone thinks you’re a beast.”
“It’s best, Oreva,” I reply calmly. “Power doesn’t exist without fear.”
She takes a breath that doesn’t quite fill her lungs. “Is that your defense? This is ridiculous. You move around college students like a normal man, but the very people you should bring peace to are too scared to even meet your gaze. Why live a double life?”
I step closer, slow, deliberate. “Some things are not meant for you to understand.”
“But I want to understand. Which one is the real you? Roshan, Fernandez?” she is speaking like a frustrated mother and that alone amuses me.
I pause. There it is...her defiance, her pull towards danger. The very thing that makes me look twice.
“Is that why you’re here?” I ask, voice low.
“You invited me. You should tell me, at least. I really want to know.”
“Bunny…” The name slips out, and her breath stutters. “Some truths aren’t gentle. But since you’re so eager, I’ll give you a choice.”
Her eyes brighten, hopeful and foolish.
“You can walk through that door, go back to your stepfather, live your peaceful life, and pretend this night never happened.” I pause. “Or you can stay… learn what you’re so desperate to know. But once you do, you’re mine. And what’s mine,” I lean in slightly, voice low, “I never let go.”
She swallows hard. The flash of wonder in her eyes dim, replaced by something raw and uncertain.
For the first time tonight, I can’t tell whether she’ll run or stay.
And that uncertainty…
is what keeps me watching.
- Writer
