7 - A game you can't win
2324 Words
Grace
I’ve kept my head down for the past few days. I’ve done the stupid chores assigned to me, but only in the East Wing, as Killian stated. Miriam is with me during those times, and we’ve become friends. She’s no longer scared and timid around me, and we laugh every day.
It’s nice because I’ve never had a friend. Well, I have, but they were my cousins. Not that any of us are really close. None of them can take the way I am. I’m too much for them, and I don’t even try not to be.
However, Miriam doesn’t seem to care. She told me that she likes my feisty attitude. She finds it refreshing, and she thought how I put Elira in her place was, and I quote, Awesome! It made me laugh when I didn’t think I had anything left to laugh about.
I can’t deny that Miriam has taken my mind off my revenge lately. Oh, I haven’t forgotten about it, and I never will. But I also don’t want it to consume me. I have eleven weeks of this shi.t to get through before I can even think about going home, and I need to get used to it.
I also want to know what that elixir was and what’s in it. I need to understand how Killian could have produced something so powerful that it would strip a Goddess of her abilities.
How the hell did a regular Lycan manage to create something that powerful?
Because Killian isn’t a regular Lycan, that’s why. There is something different about the man. He reeks of power and authority that I have never known before. I’ve been thinking that Killian could be a hybrid of some kind. It’s not lost on me that he can use magic extremely well. So, perhaps he’s part Warlock. I’m not sure, but I’ll be conducting further investigation very soon.
I mean, he has to be, right?
How else would Killian be able to keep this place concealed?
Why else would there be magical wards and barriers surrounding the kingdom?
Of course, Killian could have Warlocks and Witches as part of his pack. They could be the ones protecting the kingdom.
I love a good mystery. And I will thoroughly enjoy solving this one. It will keep my mind occupied for a while. But always at the back of my mind, there will be my plans to get back at Kyan and Steele.
Whatever Killian does to me here, whatever he thinks he can do to turn me around, I will not let the West brother get away with this. I am not a nice person, not in the way most are. I can be your best friend or your worst enemy, but there is no in between.
Killian hasn’t been here for two days. I heard from Miriam that the King has business away from the pack. I don’t know why she thought I’d give a shi.t. I just nodded my head, though she did tell me that Killian left instructions for me to behave myself. Of course he did! I rolled my eyes and changed the subject.
I don’t give a damn about Kilian and his whereabouts. He could drop off the face of the earth for all I care. Actually, I’d prefer that. Then again, I’d have to deal with this pack alone. And with no powers and their King gone, these people would kill me, and there would be nothing I could do to save myself.
“I think we’re almost done.” Miriam smiles.
I roll my eyes because we’ve been scrubbing floors for three hours! Without a break, I might add. Wendy has been making sure Miriam and I don’t slack even for a moment.
But seriously, scrubbing floors?
On our knees with rags?
I have never been so insulted!
However, I haven’t complained about anything.
Where would it get me if I did?
No, I need to play the long game. Because once all of this is over, these people won’t know what hit them!
I push the cloth over the now polished floor of the library, making sure it shines. “I think we are,” I mumble.
Miriam chuckles before throwing her cloth into the bucket and leaning back on her heels. “I thought it would take so much longer than this. It usually does.”
I throw my cloth into the bucket. “Do you usually have help cleaning the floors?”
Miriam smiles slightly while shaking her head, stands up, and puts the cleaning items in the cupboard just outside the door. “No. Wendy always puts me on floor duty alone. I know you’re not used to cleaning, but I must say that you’re a wiz at it, Grace. It looks great!”
I chuckle while looking around at what we’ve done. “Yeah. It does. Think we’re done for the day?”
Miriam laughs. “You wish. I doubt Wendy will let us off this early.”
“It’s six in the evening. We’ve been working like dogs for twelve hours. We’ve had a ten-minute break during that time. What more could that woman want us to do?”
Miriam shrugs. “She might let us finish by ten.”
I huff a laugh and get to my feet. My knees scream in protest, but I don’t let it get to me. “I am not working one more moment, Miriam. I’m tired and dirty, and I want to shower the rest of this day off me. Wendy can go fuc.k herself.”
I know what everyone is doing. They’re trying to drive me to exhaustion. These people speak to me like shi.t on their shoes, thinking it will break me. Nothing they do will make that happen. I’m not weak, and I can take anything they throw at me.
But I’m not a doormat, and they won’t push me enough to break me. All of this will only be added to the list of paybacks. Oh, the fun I’m going to have!
Miriam nods, wiping sweat from her brow. “Okay. I know how you feel. Let’s get out of here before someone finds another mess.”
Thank the Gods!
I have no doubt Wendy will come looking for us. But she won’t find either of us. Killian forbade anyone but Miriam from entering my room. So, that’s where we’ll go. I’ll take my friend with me because she doesn’t deserve to be mistreated any more than I do.
“Let’s go to my room. You can shower and change in there.”
“But I don’t have any clothes there.”
I smile. “Don’t worry. I have something you can borrow.”
One thing I will say about Killian is that he ensured I had enough clothes to last me years. I wasn’t expecting it, but Killian’s Beta brought them to me and told me they were a gift. I thought it was a trick at first, but it wasn’t.
“Oh,” Miriam smiles. “Thank you.”
I stare at her momentarily. “Miriam, has anyone ever done anything nice for you?” I get the feeling that this girl has never experienced genuine kindness.
Miriam shrugs. “I’m an orphan. I joined the pack last year when Gamma Max found me. I was injured. He brought me here, and the King allowed me to stay.”
“What happened to your family?” I ask out of curiosity as we walk toward my room.
“I don’t know.” Miriam sighs. “I have no idea where I came from. I had an accident that caused me to lose most of my memories. I remembered my name and that I had once had a family. I even remembered my age, though I didn’t remember when my birthday was. But I couldn’t remember where I came from. It’s more like I have feelings rather than memories.
“Anyway, when I came here, the King told me that I would be a member of his household staff. It didn’t bother me at all. I got the feeling that’s all I had ever been. But it hasn’t been easy when everyone treats me like I’m nothing.”
I sigh because that pisses me off. “You’re not nothing, Miriam.” She smiles at me. “You’re a good person.”
“Unlike you.” Comes a sneer from behind us.
“Elira,” Miriam whispers, her voice tight with warning as we both turn to face the mental case I thought would have learned her less.
I guess some people really are just that stupid.
Elira stands in the archway in the middle of the hallway like a shadow that had been waiting for the sun to set. Her eyes lock onto mine, venomous and gleaming.
“How dare you speak to me like that?!” She yells at Miriam, who startles where she stands. Elira then looks at me again. “You think you’re clever. Don’t you?” She hisses, stepping forward. “What happened in the kitchen—what you said—got me sent to the dungeon. Days in the dark, starved, and whipped lie a common dog! You think I’ll let that go?”
I don’t flinch. This bitc.h doesn’t scare me. “You earned it.”
Her smile is all teeth. “And now you’ll earn yours.”
I glance toward the stairwell. No one. No guards. No Killian. Of course, there wouldn’t be. Elira wouldn’t approach me if anybody was watching.
What the hell is she planning now?
But then—his voice. Low, commanding, unmistakable. Floating up from the bottom of the stairs. Killian is back, and he’s talking to someone.
Elira heard it too.
Her expression shifts, not to fear, but to something far more dangerous—opportunity.
Great!
She lunges, grabbing my wrist with a bruising grip and dragging me toward the top of the stairs. I stumble as I try to keep up with Elira’s strides. Miriam follows behind me, begging Elira to let go of me, that I’ve done nothing wrong. But Elira is strong, fueled by rage and desperation.
At the top of the stairs, she turns, still clutching me, and begins to scream.
“I’m sorry, Grace! Don’t do this!”
Wow. What a fuckin.g lunatic.
Does this bitc.h not have a brain?
I laugh. Loudly. Theatrics. She’s setting the stage to frame me again.
But I’m not the fool she thinks I am.
This bitc.h wants to play?
Then, we’ll play!
I twist my wrist, yank her arm, and in one fluid motion, we switch places. I’m now right on the edge of the top step, leaning backward. Elira’s eyes widen, panic blooming.
“What the hell are you doing?” She whispers.
“Villains are born, not made,” I whisper. “You picked the wrong one to fuc.k with, Elira. You should have planned something that wasn’t the biggest cliché in the world next to your last stunt.”
“Don’t do this,” She shakes her head, fear falling from her in waves. Elira knows what will happen if I do this.
But you see, the thing is, I don’t give a shi.t. She wanted me punished, but she’s too fuckin.g stupid to understand that these games shouldn’t be played by amateurs.
“You wanted to play. So, let’s play.”
I smirk.
I scream, and then, I throw myself down the stairs.
Pain explodes through me with every impact. My shoulder cracks, my ribs scream, my skin tears. I hit the bottom like a broken doll, the world spinning, voices rising in chaos.
But I hear his voice.
Killian.
I landed near his feet.
He’s beside me in an instant, his hands hovering, his face pale with fury and concern.
“What the hell happened?” He demands.
I cough, blood spilling from my lips. Damn, I may just have damaged myself. But I don’t give a shi.t, it was worth it.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” I whisper. I groan at the pain ricocheting through my body. “Killian…” I swallow as my eyes roll. “I… was just cleaning… But Elira… she pushed me. I don’t know why.”
His face darkens like a storm rolling in.
“Elira!” He roars so loudly that my ears ring.
She’s halfway down the stairs, frozen, eyes wide. “I…I.”
“What the hell did you do?!”
“It was an accident.” She whispers.
“An accident?” Killian huffs. “You stupid bitc.h! As if I would believe that! Guards!” Killian barks. “Seize her!”
They come like wolves, grabbing her arms as she shrieks and kicks in protest.
“She’s lying! I’m innocent! She set me up!”
I whimper while shaking my head.
Killian stands, towering over Elira. “Do you think I’m stupid?” He growls. “Grace is human. She could’ve died. Why would Grace throw herself down the stairs? What possible reason would she have?”
Elira screams again, but it’s hollow now. Desperate. “Because she hates me! I did nothing wrong!”
Killian shakes his head and breathes a sigh of frustration. “Lock her up,” Killian says coldly. “Until I decide what she deserves.”
Then he turns back to me, his arms sliding beneath my broken body, lifting me with a gentleness that makes my throat tighten.
“Hold on, Grace.” He murmurs. “I’ve got you.”
I whimper, the pain unbearable, but I cling to consciousness as he carries me away.
And as we pass Elira, her face twisted in rage and disbelief, I look over Killian’s shoulder.
I smirk.
And I wink.
Elira’s screams follow us down the corridor like a haunting melody.
Two nil, bitc.h!
- Writer
