Chapter 10

SABINA

My gaze dropped instinctively as I heard Aboloft’s footsteps. My heart pounded harder with each step he took.

A slow wave of goosebumps spread across my skin, and tiny shivers of fear shook me. I despised the control he had over me, but I was just a slave—helpless.

Aboloft lifted my chin with his finger, forcing me to meet his dark gaze. I wanted to look away, but his eyes held me captive.

His eyes were the chains that kept his memory alive. No, it wasn’t just his eyes. It was all of him, from head to toe.

“Say my name,” he demanded softly. His words carried a force that I felt in the pit of my stomach.

“My lord, King Aboloft,” I responded.

A cry escaped my lips as Aboloft slammed me against the brick wall. His fingers dug into my arms, and I could feel his anger radiating off him. I wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole.

“Say my name,” he growled.

“I said your name, my lord,” I replied, my body shaking. His grip on my arms was the only thing keeping me upright.

“Sabina, say my name! I won’t stand for this any longer!” His voice sent chills down my spine. Fear wrapped around me, suffocating me.

“Please, my lord, show mercy. Your slave begs you, my lord,” I pleaded.

“Say my name,” he commanded, his voice stronger.

I took a deep breath and tried to obey. “A-Ab-A…”

King Aboloft moved closer. “Yes, my beautiful goddess, say it. Say my name,” he cooed, surprising me. How could he be so gentle when moments ago he looked ready to kill me?

“Ab-Abo—” I gave up. I wanted to say his name, but I couldn’t. Something inside me wouldn’t let me speak it out loud.

He gently cupped my cheek and placed a soft kiss on my forehead, making me catch my breath. I dared to look into his eyes.

What I saw was a glimpse of the old Aboloft, the one who made my heart flutter with a simple smile, the one who made me feel cherished, the one who never let me feel alone.

“Say my name, Bluebell, and I promise to end all your suffering,” Aboloft whispered, his lips brushing against my ear.

“I am your slave. I cannot cross that line, my lord,” I told him.

Aboloft chuckled darkly, his terrifying persona returning. “I always loved your stubbornness, but it seems I’ll have to break you of that habit.”

He smiled, a smile that promised both pleasure and punishment. “I’m going to make you a promise, my sweet, and I want you to remember it forever. Can you do that?”

I nodded because I had no other choice. He continued.

“I promise you that before these two months are over, you will tell me everything I want to know. And I promise you, before sixty days pass, you will be mine in every way possible.”

Leaning forward, Aboloft captured my lips in a searing kiss. I tried to push him away, but he only moved closer, trapping me between him and the wall.

His lips were overwhelming my senses, so much so that I didn’t notice when he grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind my back until I felt a sharp pain in my shoulders.

After kissing me until my lips were numb, Aboloft’s lips moved down my jaw, along my neck, pushing down the neckline of my dress, until they stopped over my heart.

“Mine.” He kissed the spot over my heart, separated only by a thin layer of skin.

My heart, already racing, pounded even harder against my chest.

Aboloft must have felt my heart pounding since his lips were still over it. I wanted to push him away, but my hands were trapped behind my back.

“I love how your heart reacts to me. It tells me how much you’re affected by my presence, my sweet.” Aboloft licked the spot where his lips had just been, causing heat to rise in my cheeks.

“Please stop, my lord,” I whispered.

“No. Not anymore. You’ve kept your heart from me for eight years. No more. Now I’ll only stop when every beat of your heart whispers my name,” he vowed.

“Let it go. I was your past. Nothing more,” I said, frustrated by his control over me.

“That’s where you’re wrong, my sweet. You weren’t just my past. You are my present, and you are my future,” Aboloft declared.

“No!” I nearly shouted. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t make such a claim. Didn’t he realize what it would do to his reputation?

“Yes!” His voice echoed off the brick walls, nearly paralyzing me. The hardness in his midnight eyes told me I’d made a mistake.

Why did this have to happen to me? Why couldn’t he just leave me alone? The people of Wilsden should have killed me before Aboloft’s men captured me. I wanted nothing more than to escape.

“Soon you’ll know that I own you.” Aboloft stepped back, releasing my wrists.

I winced as the blood flow returned, ignoring the pins and needles sensation in my wrists.

“But first, I need to feed you. You’ve become so weak.” The way he said it made my stomach turn.

It was as if he was enjoying my weakness. Aboloft had basically told Bancroft that he was pleased I was now dependent on him.

“I’m not hungry,” I snapped, suddenly angry. The truth was, I was starving, but this king was pushing my buttons.

I wanted him to know that I was no longer a part of his life, that he should erase me from his memory.

Aboloft chuckled, a smile playing on his lips. That smile, the one that used to make my heart flutter, now brought tears to my eyes. It was a painful reminder of what I had lost, of what I had given up for people who didn’t matter.

“My stubborn Bluebell,” he began, his voice laced with amusement. “Remember how you’d always insist you weren’t hungry when there was only one pastry left? You’d lie and let me have it, even though your stomach was growling.

“You’d always bring me food, even when you barely had enough for yourself. Do you remember that, Bluebell?” he asked, his eyes searching mine.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied, avoiding his gaze.

“Always the worst liar, Sabina. It’s comforting to know that some things never change,” he said, his voice filled with amusement.

“You’re a king! You should be focusing on your kingdom, not a slave,” I retorted, my voice sharper than I intended.

“Did you forget who the slave here is?”

His question hung in the air, and I chose not to answer.

“I am the king, and I don’t need anyone to tell me what I should focus on.”

“Forgive me, my lord,” I apologized, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Sit down, Sabina. Now,” he commanded, his voice firm.

I slid down the wall until I was sitting on the cold floor, ignoring the sting of the cuts on my feet. I focused on my hands, the cuts on them a painful reminder of that terrible day.

The door of my cell opened, and six maids entered, each carrying something. The first maid laid a sheet of cloth on the floor, and the others placed bowls, glasses, and a bowl of soup, chicken, and fruits on it. Once they were done, they left, leaving me alone with Aboloft.

He sat down next to me, filled a bowl with soup, and held a spoonful of it in front of my mouth. “Open your mouth,” he said, his voice gentle.

I was confused. Why was he feeding me? Why was he sitting on the floor of a dungeon, eating food fit for a king?

“Open your mouth, Bina.” His voice was soft, soothing. Without thinking, I opened my mouth, and he slipped the spoon in. “Good girl,” he praised, filling the spoon with more soup.

“I can eat by myself. And this isn’t slave food,” I pointed out.

“Open.” He ignored me, his focus solely on feeding me.

It was surreal, the King of Quopia sitting on a dungeon floor, feeding his slave food fit for royalty. And the worst part was, I couldn’t do anything about it.

Aboloft was royalty. He didn’t belong on the floor; he belonged on the throne. I wished I could tell him that, but he wouldn’t listen to me.

“You need to eat some chicken,” he said, breaking off a piece and holding it up for me to eat.

“Why are you feeding me?” I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

“You don’t question me, my sweet. But I’ll indulge you for a while.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. There was something more to them, something he wasn’t saying.

“So you’ll answer my question?” I asked, wanting to be sure I understood him.

“I’m feeding you because I missed this,” he said simply.

~No, no. I can’t let him do this to me. It’s in the past. It’s in the past.~

“It’s in the past. Please forget about it,” I pleaded.

“No. I’m not going to do that. I’ll take back everything you took from me,” he said, his voice firm.

“Please forgive me, my lord.” Tears welled up in my eyes. I had nothing left to give. I was empty.

The world had taken everything from me. I was nothing but an empty shell now. I couldn’t give Aboloft anything. But how could I make him understand?

“I didn’t take anything from you,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

“You’re wrong. You took a lot from me, Bluebell. But don’t worry, I’ll take everything back. Your soul won’t be free until I’m satisfied that I have everything that was taken from me,” he said, his voice cold.

“What did I take? Tell me so I can give it back to you,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice.

“I won’t tell you. But I will take it.” He put the plate of chicken back on the cloth and stood up. He walked to the door and shouted a command.

“Enter. Now!”

The door opened, and four guards entered carrying a wooden table, followed by four more carrying a large, rectangular tank filled with ice-cold water. They placed the table in the center of the cell and the tank on top of it.

I watched in fear as six more guards entered my cell. Suddenly, my cell felt crowded, claustrophobic.

“Leave us!” Aboloft commanded. The eight men who had entered earlier left, leaving only six behind.

Even though there were fewer guards now, my fear didn’t lessen. What was Aboloft going to do?

My question was answered when he gave his next command. “Seize her.”

Before I knew it, my arms were seized, and I was yanked to my feet.

Two men held me tight, their fingers digging into my upper arms. Two more stood behind me, while the remaining two were in front, their swords threateningly close to my throat.

“Bring her forward,” Aboloft commanded.

I was hauled forward, my feet scraping against the cold floor.

They stopped when my stomach brushed against the edge of the table. That’s when I saw what was inside the tank.

The water was so icy, it was causing condensation on the glass. The chunks of ice were so big, I couldn’t understand how they were floating.

Cold mist curled in the air, matching the tendrils of fear coiling in my gut.

Aboloft moved closer, a wicked smile playing on his lips. The evil glint in his eyes made my heart pound with terror.

The truth hit me like a punch to the gut. This was it. He was going to punish me.

“Do you know what I’m about to do, Bluebell?” Aboloft asked.

My silence was all the answer he needed.

“I’m taking back what you stole from me. Eight years. You never understood that I claimed you the moment I laid eyes on you. I own every beat of your heart.

“And I own every breath you take. You tried to steal that from me when you asked me to leave. But not anymore. Now, I’m going to make you understand just how much you belong to me.

“I’m going to own your breaths.”