KEEP HER CLOSE

beneath her shadow

The morning after Alexander’s departure arrived cloaked in a kind of quiet tension. The house moved like a machine polished surfaces, hushed voices, and maids fluttering under Seraphina’s regal gaze. She was everywhere and nowhere at once, always a step ahead, always watching.

Louisiana tried her best to disappear into the background, just as Alexander had told her to, but there were only so many corners she could scrub without running into Seraphina.

It happened over a misplaced vase.

“You dare touch my things without permission?” Seraphina’s voice rang out, sharp and echoing against the tall hallway walls.

“I was cleaning. I didn’t think” Louisiana began.

“That’s right. You didn’t think,” Seraphina snapped, crossing her arms. Her tone was laced with mockery. “Maybe it’s time someone reminded you of your place in this house.”

Louisiana stood still, heart pounding, fists tightening at her sides. “With all due respect, you’re not my employer. You don’t get to punish me.”

Seraphina’s eyes narrowed. “But I do own this house. And if Alexander were here, I’m sure he’d agree that disrespect should be handled... accordingly.”

The air thickened. Maids peeked from behind doorways, quickly vanishing when Seraphina’s gaze flicked in their direction.

“You think just because he tolerates you, you matter?” Seraphina whispered, stepping closer. “You’re just a pretty charity case.”

Louisiana’s chest burned. “And you’re just pretending to be a sweet girl when the only thing sweet about you is your perfume.”

Gasps from a few corners. Dead silence.

Seraphina’s smile returned slow, calm, dangerous. “Since you like playing brave, let’s see how brave you are in complete darkness.”

Before Louisiana could reply, Seraphina snapped her fingers. Gladys appeared, hesitant.

“The basement,” Seraphina said. “Lock her in. No candles.”

“Ma’am, the basement’s”

“I said what I said.”

Louisiana was dragged, gently but firmly, down the creaking stairs. The basement door yawned open like a mouth, and the darkness inside seemed almost alive.

“I’m not afraid of you,” Louisiana hissed.

“You will be,” Seraphina replied with a smile.

The door slammed shut.

At first, Louisiana stood frozen. Then the pitch-black swallowed everything. No outlines. No shapes. No movement. Just her breathing loud, ragged, quickening.

She pressed her back to the cold wall, whispering to herself. “It’s just a room. Just a stupid, dark room.”

The silence answered her. Every creek above made her flinch. Her mind spun wild stories rats, ghosts, Seraphina sneaking back with something worse than darkness. Minutes turned to hours. Maybe. Time didn’t exist here.

Her lips trembled. “Alexander, you cold-hearted demon... if I die down here, I'm haunting you forever.”

No one answered.Just the silence.

And somewhere in the dark, a faint sound she couldn’t name. Maybe the house was watching, too.