Silent Soul

Chapter 6: Last Dance

Amaryllis

I was giddy as I fixed myself up in the mirror. I wore a deep red formfitting gown with black lace overlay. It opened at a long slit starting mid thigh on me that showed off my long legs and six inch black stilettos. My lipstick matched the underlying fabric of my dress, and around my neck was a lace choker with red rubies hanging from it. A top my head rested my crown again while my hair was up to show off the open back that stopped just above my hips. I heard their minds coming down the hall long before I heard them. I rolled my eyes as my sisters were planning to torment me again. I slipped inside their minds, jumping from one to the other as I read their thoughts and memories. One in particular caught my attention in Wisteria’s mind.

She was thinking of Mother speaking to them a few hours ago. She was angry, nearly screaming at them to leave me alone for the rest of the week. No marks on my body, no risks of ruining my dress or hair. Curious, I searched deeper but found nothing that would explain why without finding my mother’s thoughts. They too close for me to go hunting around the castle for her as well so instead, I focused on Iris. She was my main concern. Wisteria seemed nervous about her, concerned that she would not heed Mother’s warning. Even though Wisteria was uncertain why she would demand that she had a bad feeling of the consequences.

Iris, on the other hand, liked murder. I could see her plans very clearly. She was not thinking of the consequences, only getting me out of the way. She was angry that I was marrying first, replaying a fight with Mother on the subject in her head. She was full on planning to enter the room, close the door, and kill me with the blade she had hidden in her dress.

That stupid b***h ruined everything! I am the oldest! This is my right to rule! Father should never have had more children. That f*****g witch and her damned prophecies caused all this. I kill her next. Rip her lungs right out of her chest and feed it to her as she suffocates. Mother should have just killed her as an infant. Instead she played it cautious and only slit her throat!

I spun around and looked at the door as if I heard her thoughts in the room. They had rang out clear as day.

Did I hear that right? Mother slit my throat? I pressed my hands to my neck, feeling the long scars there. No, that didn’t make sense. A knife would cause even lines, clean across with little tearing. My scars showed signs of flesh ripping and tears as something sharp tore through it. That was closer to claws of talons.

But Goblin toxin can be bought and poured onto things like knives. Mother keeps a vile on her at all times and will dip her fingers into it as a weapon. So when she shifts her nails into claws they are poison tipped.

Vampires have claws. I looked up at the door as rage mixed with confusion. I heard them approaching but was unable to move. I wanted Iris to enter, wanted to rip into her mind and bleed it of the knowledge I sought, but I also wanted it to be lies. I knew my family hated me. It was clear in everything they did.

I was the disgrace. I was the example. Father struck me nearly weekly and Mother five times as much. Were the girls to spar with one another and get too rough the fight would be stopped, but put a blade though my arm or leg and Father would simply shake his head like it was my fault. I knew they hated me, but to hear it confirmed. To hear that my own sister wanted me dead at birth due to a witches prophecy? That my own mother is the cause of my silence? My hands shook as they approached and all I could think of was, I’m not ready to face them.

As I gazed at the door knob, still unlocked from when the maids left, I wished it was locked so I didn’t need to see them. I wanted it so badly by my legs were rooted to the spot as my mind reeled. Suddenly, as I wished it I felt a power build within me. It was a pressure deep inside until it exploded from me and the lock clicked closed. I blinked as just in that moment I heard Iris’s thoughts move to just beyond the door and the knob jiggled.

“Amaryllis, you b***h. Open up!” She snapped. I ignored her. Part of me wanted to focus on what just happened with the lock. I knew it came from me, but telekinesis was not a gift vampires had. I was too lost in grief to let myself think about it, though. What prophecy could the witch have said that caused Mother to want to mutilate me like this?

“Amaryllis open this f*****g door!” Iris screeched again.

I knew of the witch. Father called for her for each of our births. He would have her read something about our futures from the moment we drew breath. I was only ever around to see Lantana’s reading. It was like every prophecy, vague and generalized. It could fit anyone, anywhere at any time, and was nothing special. I never heard my own, but Iris bragged about her constantly. She claimed hers was that ‘she will see herself in great power and wealth and it will come true as long as she dreams’. Absolutely silly. But to act upon one of the readings as if I did something when I had only taken a breath? The banging on the door continued as the confusion slowly faded and only left rage.

I wanted to tear into all of them for this. I walked across the room and grabbed the door knob. I unlocked it and threw it open as Iris nearly tumbled inside and hit the floor. She was in a long white dress, one that could very well be a scalloped wedding dress. Probably in protest to my forced betrothal. Behind her, Lantana’s eyes grew round she placed a hand over her mouth to muffle her snickering as Iris nearly fell flat on her face. Wisteria looked nearly frightened as she looked to me, then Iris. Iris stood back up, face nearly the color of rubies as she bared her teeth and me hissed.

“What is the meaning of this!” She screeched at me. I shook as I tried to rein myself in but hearing her thoughts, something snapped inside me. I saw her arm moving to where I saw the blade was hidden. Wisteria’s eyes grew wide and fear flickered deep within them as she saw her movements too. I caught a quick glimpse that it was not for my safety she feared, but her own as to what Mother or Father will do to them if Iris succeeded.

I moved faster that I thought I could and in an instant had my hand around her throat, lifted her up and slammed her back against the wall. I grabbed her right wrist as she tried to reach the blade and twisted it until she screamed. I opened my mouth, baring my fangs at her and moved them dangerously close to her neck. I tossed her aside, quickly snatching the knife from just under her corset before releasing her to go flying through the air and crashing into my vanity. The bottles of perfume and makeup spilled on her and stained her white dress. Part of me feared what Mother would do, and part of me said she could go to hell. I took the blade, glaring at the other two to back off and scurried away from me like cowards and walked out.

Mother was coming down the hall, frowning as she saw me. Her eyes flickered from me to over my shoulder before red filled them. Before she could say a word, I hissed, something I never did and shoved the blade into her face before pointing at Iris, still on the floor. I dragged a finger over my heart before pointing at her again, then I pointed to her finger where her wedding ring sat.

I will tell Father. I hinted. Mother’s eyes grew wide as I pushed past her. She grabbed at me but I raised the blade at her neck. Her eyes grew wide as her thoughts flickered to what the blade was coated in. So she knew Iris had this and what was on it.

I ripped my arm away and stormed off. I heard Mother rush to Iris as I found my way to Father’s study. I knocked and waited.

“Enter.” I opened the door and walked inside. His eyes flickered to me and he smiled.

“Have you thought about your poor choices earlier?” I was still angry, but Father’s deadly stare had that in check. I nodded.

“And your decision?” He asked it like I had a choice. I gripped the blade tighter at my side, Father still not noticing it, as I nodded. He grinned and waved me away.

“The go wait by the entrance. I will see you there with your sisters and Mother.” I hesitated for a moment. Normally, approaching him with this would mean more pain later from them. Iris would be beaten and placed in the dungeon, Mother and the other two as well, depending on what Father forced from their minds. But, since I’m not planning on staying, there is no risk. I walked up to his desk and he lifted his head. His eyes bled red as he was about to yell when I dropped the blade on his desk. That paused him long enough for me to grab paper and a pen from his sheets and write quickly.

Iris came to my room. She tried to kill me with this blade dipped in Goblin toxin. Wisteria and Lantana were with her.

I pushed the paper to him and for once, he read it instead of demanding I speak. Curious I carefully entered his mind. Father could never detect me when I did. I think sometimes he sensed it so I was careful to limit that time, but as powerful as he was, there was something about my abilities that was just different.

That is the blade Catherina gifted Iris. The only way for her to get the toxin was from Catherina. I left his mind quickly and kept my face perfectly straight. Father looked up at me and stood as he grabbed the blade. A prickle of fear swept through me as he placed a hand on my lower back and guided me along to the ballroom entrance. Mother and my sisters where already there. Iris was in a deep blue dress instead. Her makeup was slightly smudged and her hair was falling out in places. Her eyes fell to mine and bled red before they flickered to Father and what he held in his hand and she paled. He stood there and cleared his throat before upsetting the ritual and looking at Lantana first.

“Don’t keep me waiting.” He said coldly. Her dark brown eyes grew wide as she shivered. She stepped forward and leaned up to kiss Father.

“I love you, Father.” She murmured. He looked into her eyes and she suddenly screamed and dropped to the floor. Her nails dug into her head until I smelled the bite of blood. She suddenly stopped and looked up at Father in fear. She quickly stood and scurried off to wait by the door as tears streamed down her face. She hugged herself closely as she looked from me to Iris in confusion.

She had nothing to do with it. Guilt washed over me. In my anger, I didn’t think about how Father’s rage would affect us all. Lantana wasn’t my biggest fan, but I didn’t want her getting in trouble if she had nothing to do with Iris’s plan.

Father’s eyes turned to Wisteria next. Tears were already streaming down her face as she approached. She didn’t even get the chance to touch his shoulders before she dropped. She withered on the floor in agony as she was able to remain fairly silent. I looked away, not wanting to see the torture as she cried. She stood after a longer time then Lantana and rushed over to stand by her side. She quickly fixed her makeup and dress before turning to Lantana to do the same. Father then turned to Iris. She hesitated as she stood there, shooting daggers at me.

“Father, I can ex-”

“Your memories are all I need to hear.” She turned a sickly shade of green as she stepped forward. Father swung out with his open hand and shifted his nails into claws. They pierced her side, drawing blood as she screamed in agony and tried to push up and away. I stood there, stunned. He had never drawn blood like this before. Not even with me. He nearly lifted her from where his claws were deep in her side and placed the blade at her neck.

“Show me what you planned on doing.” He smiled. He looked into her eyes as she screamed and thrashed against him. Mother let out a whimper as Father laughed as her cries. Tears leaped to my eyes but I knew stepping in could mean him killing her and then turning his rage on me for preventing a punishment. He tossed her aside after what seemed like hours and it was possibly only a few minutes. Iris tried to stand as Mother rushed over to help her. Father glared at her and she stopped.

“Your turn wife.” Mother looked down at Iris, tears in her eyes at her favorite daughter’s pain. She stepped past her and moved to kiss Father. She placed her lips on his when she suddenly gasped in pain. She staggered back and I noticed the blade in her side. My mouth opened in a silent gasp as I covered my mouth. Mother looked up at him in shock.

“You gave her the toxin.” He accused. Mother stammered.

“Not for that! I never gave it to her to kill her sister!” I looked to Father as Mother pulled the blade from her side. It was not a fatal wound, merely painful, and with Goblin toxin will heal at a human pace. Not to mention it would scar her perfectly unblemished skin. To Mother, that blow was worse than anything else he could have ever done to her. I wanted to feel pity, to feel sadness at her pain, but nothing came. The only thing I felt was satisfaction at all the times she did that to me for something she caused. Deep down, I felt that made me just as much a monster as she is and I hated myself for it.

“Not this time,” Father murmured. My eyes grew wide as Mother looked at me quickly and back to Father. That brief moment was all I needed for confirmation. She had. I looked away from her and Father waved them away.

“You have five minutes. Clean up and look presentable.” Mother bowed, hands at her side as tears spilled over her cheeks before moving to assist Iris up. Iris wailed in pain as they moved and hurried off to change. Father leaned down to kiss the top fo my head and I fought the shivers that wanted to run up my spine in fear.

“I love you, daughter.” He whispered to me. He leaned down further, lips at my ear.

“Let their pain be a warning as to what I am not afraid to do if you ruin this marriage.” He whispered. “My actions were a punishment to them and a warning to you.” I shivered as he waved me over to stand by my sisters and I hurried off. I frowned as I approached Lantana and Wisteria. I mouthed sorry as I reached to fix Wisteria’s hair. Surprisingly, she let me and they both nodded. I helped clean their faces of smudged makeup as tears welled in my eyes. Lantana suddenly looked at me, eyes flickering to Father then back. I looked over my shoulder to see him turned away from us and watching to hall where Mother and Iris walked off.

“I’ve never seen him so mad.” She mouthed. Wisteria nodded and looked at me.

“Me either,” Wisteria added before they both turned their eyes to me. I shook my head as I thought back to all the times that anger was pointed at me.

Never. I mouthed back to them. Their eyes widened. They new I got it worse so for him to go this far meant Mother and Iris made a big mistake. We stood there silently and Iris and Mother quickly hurried back. Their dresses were changed with Mother in a deep blue dress with diamonds embroidered in it. Iris was in a deep green one with a lace corset top and a long slit at the front. They rushed back to their places, though they were moving stiffly as they tried not to grab their sides. Iris shot daggers at me but I refused to make eye contact. Father looked down at Mother and she hesitantly grabbed his arm as she plastered on a fake smile. If I hadn’t been there to witness I never would have imagined the horror that just went on from the smile on her face. It made me wonder how many times this occurred behind closed doors that me and my sisters were unaware of.

Father pushed open the doors and us girls walked out as usual. I followed my sisters and sat in my usual place as Father and Mother joined for the festivities for the evening. Father stood and turned, addressing his subjects as the tension between the five of us was still high.

“My kin, I have great news for tonight. The celebration of our species will continue but tonight, this is no longer a festival of our creation, but an engagement party of one of my beautiful daughters.” Whispers could be heard throughout the hall as I shifted uncomfortably. This was unheard of. There was even talk of none of us ever getting married and hopes of the crown shifting was causing pockets of rebellion to arise. One of us getting engaged means times were changing.

“My second youngest, my most loyal, devoted, intelligent, and beautiful daughter.” As he praised me, Iris’s teeth nashed together and Wisteria looked away in shame. “Is to be married to one of the most loyal generals I have. Laurence as specifically requested her hand in marriage and I have agreed to reward such a devoted follower with the blessing to join my family.” Iris’s eyes snapped up to Father when he said Laurence requested to marry me specifically. Her eyes then flickered to the crowed where Laurance was standing. His eyes were only on me. He was grinning wickedly as he stepped forward to grab Father’s hand when he offered to kiss the top in a deep bow.

“And an honor to be a part of your family it is.” He said. I nearly gagged at the amount of ass kissing he did when his earlier comment suddenly click. How we were going to be family soon. I tried to control my emotions as I gripped the arms of my chair. Father waved for the music to play as cheer erupted and food and drink were served. I remained in my place as Laurance walked away to my relief, only to return with a glass of blood and a smile on his face. He offered me the drink and for once I was happy I could not speak as the first words out of my mouth would have been f**k off.

“My bride,” He smiled. The upturn of the corner of his lips suggested a smugness that I wished I could claw off his face. I was the only sister he had not gotten in his bed and he now thought that would change. I forced a smile as his thoughts bombarded me. They were vulgar and graphic as he thought of our wedding night. I shut out his thoughts and grabbed the blood as I nodded.

“I cannot wait to hear that voice of yours finally. I’m sure it is as lovely as you.” I knew what he wanted to hear me say. He wanted me to beg for mercy, for him to stop the painful inflictions he imagined as I begged for forgiveness for all the times I snubbed him. I simply smiled and took a sip.

“Dance with me.” There was no question, only a command. My eyes flickered to Father for a moment to find him watching me carefully. I took his outstretched hand and allowed him to lead me to the dance floor. The guests were watching us in amazement as he placed his hands on my hips, a little too comfortable with them there already. I placed my hands on his shoulders as we started to waltz around the room. Laurance was a gentleman with father watching but his touch made my skin crawl.

“I am excited for our wedding. I hear your Father and Mother have already started preparations.” I forced the smile to stay plastered on my face as I realized I was not going to be able to simply slip away as usual. So many people were looking at me and whispering that I had nowhere to hide.

“I know we don’t know each other very well yet but I hope that will change and we will get to know each other very, very, intimately.” My emotions slipped and my eyes flashed red at the innuendo. To quickly make it seem like I wasn’t angry at his words, only how openly he said them, my eyes flickered to the watching eyes and I shook my head. He followed my gaze and started grinning before I looked to Father and Mother.

Do not embarrass the crown. I mouthed out. Laurance frowned for a moment before his fearful eyes flickered to Father. I truly wasn’t sure what Father would say about that but it worked wonders to get him to stop and not have to hear it. He closed his mouth and simply danced while undressing me with his eyes. That smirk slowly returned and by the third dance, I felt like I was about to hurl. I stepped away, fanning myself in an attempt to make it look like I needed a break. I smiled as I made a drinking motion and requested some. People around us still watched but were more focused on dancing and entertainment as the lights dimmed. Father and Mother had gotten up to mingle a while ago and so did my sisters. Laurance frowned, irritation in his eyes but he nodded.

“Of course, my bride.” He said as he turned away. I walked slowly to the French doors on the balcony, making it look like I was moving to stand by the open windows and cool off. I watched carefully and let all the thoughts flood into mine. It was overwhelming at first, too many sounds and voices, too many conversations to keep up with, but after a moment, I was able to filter out the noise and focus on one thing. Me.

I looked for me in everyone’s thoughts. Many people were talking about me, whispering about how I was the first to marry, but currently, no eyes were on me. I fell back past the curtains and hurried to the main entrance. I walked through no problem as guests were moving back and forth between here and the dining room. I walked as if I was going there too for some food and when I again saw no one looking in the minds around me I slipped down a hallway and towards the dungeon. Me walking through any part of the castle was not something to take note of, but I didn’t want any of the guards to see me. Instead, I moved around them and avoided their paths. Getting into the dungeon was the easy part. The key was harder.

Just before you enter, there was a guard room. Normally, at least one was in there. Currently there was two talking about the party and the announcement.

“No f*****g way he married her off. That stuck up b***h doesn’t talk to anyone.” I felt a pang of hurt as I pressed myself against the cool stone wall. Most of the lights in the hall were off, leaving it dimmer. I entered their minds to see where they were looking.

“I swear he did. He just said Laurence will be the new prince.” One of the guards said as he looked at his red-headed companion. The mans green eyes focused on him and he raised an eyebrow as I looked at him through the other’s eyes.

“Is it because of that werewolf he got?” The redhead asked as he looked at a chestnut brown haired mand with matching eyes. He scoffed and rolled his eyes at the question, neither one of them looking at the doorway or the keys resting on the table.

“Why would a werewolf get him the title of prince? I could go out and pick one up right now. There is nothing special about that guy except he’s an asshole.” I leaned around the corner, seeing the scene from a new perspective as my eyes landed on the keys.

“I don’t know. I can’t think of anything else. Rumor is he’s some bigwig for the wolves.” I froze hearing that.

Rorick is important to the wolves? His he an Alpha? I wondered. Apparently, the one guard had the same thought.

“An Alpha, maybe?” The redhead asked. I focus on the keys, wondering how to grab them when I remembered the lock in my room. Curious, I wondered if I really had telekinesis and focused on the keys.

“That's the only thing I can think of but I doubt even an Alpha is worth that much. Now, one of the Royals would be, but not some Alpha. He could be a Beta to the Royals, though, or even a guard with intel on the city they built…” The chestnut-haired guard mused. The keys moved slightly and I smiled. I focused hard and lifted from the table but it wasn't easy to maintain. It floated as if in water, hovering suspended in air but it felt like I was lifting a ton with just my mind and it was draining. I silently stepped forward, reaching out to snag them in the air before one of them saw and I hurried down the hall.

They were right. Rorick has to be important to Father for him to bother offering any of us up. I wondered as I silently walked down the stone steps in my heels. I rounded the corner and found Rorick standing there grin on his face. Thousands of thoughts on how this was a horrible idea flickered through my head. He could kill me the second I entered that cell. This could all be a trap. I would walk in there and Father would round the corner. We would never make it out of the dungeon.

Rorick’s lips curled into a smile, his chest bare and arms thick. His eyes raked over me and unlike the disgust that churned my stomach when Laurance looked at me, the hunger in his eyes twisted my stomach in a completely new way.

“Hello, sweetheart.” He said, and all the worries vanished.

I’ll risk everything for even the hope of being free.