After fleeing the cafeteria, Serenah made her way outside. She collapsed beside the tree she had befriended a month ago. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She had worked so hard during the summer to catch up so that she could attend the human school. She would finally make some friends. She loved and cherished Alastar and Lael, but they were servants before they were truly friends. They were both older than her as well.
She desired friends her age and was surprised by Romeo and his group. When they had included her and Alastar, she couldn't believe her luck. They were friendly, funny, and accepting. All things her family and the nobles were not. She truly enjoyed their company. Now because of her sister's machinations, she was the subject of damaging rumors. Who would want to hang around someone with a bad reputation?
Even though this was the human realm, it was still similar to the Old World. Reputation was everything. If it was damaged, it was hard to recover. Humans loved gossip more than the truth. Even if she were to deny the falseness of the rumors, no one would believe her. After all, Amanah had a foothold here. She was the golden child. Everyone would listen to her over Sera.
She hadn't cried this hard in a while, but she couldn't seem to start. She wanted a fresh start in this human world. Did Autem hate her so much that he would deny her friends even in this world? Her heart hurt. Why did her sister have to do her this way? She wasn't any threat to her. She did her best to avoid her sister. She tried to be invisible, but even that wasn't enough for Amanah.
She hunched over, hugging her knees to her chest, her long hair covering her face. The tree sent feelings of comfort, but it didn't make her feel better.
"Sera? Can we talk?"
She stiffened at the sound of Romeo's voice. She felt rather than saw him come to stand beside her. His arrival was the catalyst that unleashed her bitterness.
"I don't understand," she said quietly. "What did I do wrong? I don't know why my sister is doing this to me."
She didn't move when Romeo sat next to her. He didn't say anything and that was fine. She wanted to vent, not get advice.
"I knew something would happen when I stood up to her that first day of school. I should have kept my mouth shut."
She didn't stop the pain, loneliness, and bitterness from her tone. She let it out.
Serenah was surprised when Romeo laid his arm across her shoulders. She tensed and started crying again. He gently squeezed her shoulders and let her cry.
She cried until there were no tears left. Romeo never left her side. She turned to him, her eyes red and swollen from her tears. He caressed her cheek and leaned in until his forehead touched hers.
"I'm here, Sera. I will help make it better," he vowed.
She closed her eyes, not saying a word. The bell rang and reluctantly he pulled away from her.
He stood up and held out his hand. "Coming?"
She stared at his hand, then took it, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "Let's go." He held her hand as they entered the building. He led her to their next class. She didn't resist. Instead, she hunched in on herself from the heat of the stares. He let go of her hand when they entered their fifth period class. She felt bereft at the loss of his warmth. It felt like a shield was removed.
Alastar glanced at her but didn't say anything. She couldn't find solace in his company like usual. The class seemed to drag on until it was over. At the end of class, Romeo came to her side and took her hand again.
He did it for the rest of the school day. Serenah was grateful. He even walked her out to their car. Alastar slid into the driver's seat, and they headed home.
The first five minutes she didn't speak. Finally, she broke the silence and told Alastar what happened at school. He was livid about the bathroom attack and worried about what her sister might be planning.
"Listen, My Lady, keep your head down."
She frowned at his words. What did he think she'd been doing all this time? His words stung her heart. "I have," she snapped.
"Your sister must have felt it wasn't enough. You must be careful. You are on the king's blacklist. You can't afford to rile him up. Who knows what he might do to you then."
She slumped in her seat. Great, Alastar was lecturing her instead of comforting her. He probably felt like it was her fault that Amanah had gone after her. She felt wronged.
They lapsed into silence and stayed that way on the drive home. Once they arrived, Serenah sought the safety of her room. She needed to find a way to combat the rumors. Maybe Romeo could help. Just as quickly as she had the thought, she discarded it. She couldn't drag him into this mess.
She was still contemplating what to do when a guard arrived with an invitation to dinner. She sighed. She didn't know if she could sit at the same table as her sister without getting upset. She forced herself to calm down and got dressed for dinner.
Serenah arrived early and was ushered into the dining hall. She saw that Grand Duke Noward and her sister were both seated. She was led to the seat next to Noward. As usual, he kissed her hand but this time he stroked her fingers. Startled, she jerked her hand back and stared into his amused gaze. She dropped her hands into her lap and looked down at the plate on the table.
They all stood when her father entered. Once he sat, dinner began. Serenah ate quietly and wondered how soon she could escape to her room.
"Father, I want to tell you about my day. It was very interesting, to say the least."
Serenah raised her head to look in her sister's direction. Amanah's tone was cheerful, but she could hear the malice in her words. She started to worry about her twin's intentions.
"I do enjoy hearing about your progress at school. You are well on your way to dominating the school. I'm very proud of you. You bring honor to our house."
"Thank you." Amanah preened. She smirked at Serenah.
Serenah felt a chill. Her sister was up to no good. This was going to be bad.
"It's funny that you should mention our house's honor."
"Why is it funny, my child?"
"If I recall, you warned us that there would be consequences if we dishonored our name."
"I did indeed."
"My dear twin has done exactly that."
"What?"
Their father's gaze swung to Serenah, and she froze in fear at his expression. Yep, this was a disaster.
Amanah continued as if the stare-down between the king and Serenah wasn't happening.
"Apparently, my quiet twin is quite the promiscuous person."
"What?!" The king and Noward exclaimed at the same time.
"I am not!" Serenah asserted. "I haven't kissed a guy yet. How can I be promiscuous? It's all lies that are being spread by someone who doesn't like me."
She didn't even try to blame Amanah. She knew that path would lead to nothing but pain. She learned that lesson early in life. Her words didn't matter. Only Amanah's. It didn't matter tonight. She still had to keep her father's wrath away from her.
"Silence!" Her father roared, his enraged eyes on her face.
She flinched and looked down, trembling in fear. She was definitely screwed.
"You will go to my study. We will continue this conversation there. Guards, take Serenah to my study."
Serenah stood and followed the guards to the study. She contemplated making a run for it. She discarded that idea. She wouldn't get far.
The guards opened the door, and she went inside and sat down. She looked at the clock. It was only seven. She tried to let her mind think of something other than what her father would do.
She was so lost in thought that she was startled when the clock chimed nine times. She glanced around. Two hours. She'd been his study for two hours. Had her father forgotten about her? Her thoughts ground to a halt when the door opened and her father strode inside, rage emanating from him.
"Father, I…,"
The rest of the words did not make it out of her mouth. The force of the slap to her face rocked her head, split her lip, and made her nose bleed. Stunned she gasped before grabbing her nose to staunch the flow of blood.
"Father," she whimpered, her face throbbing with pain.
"What did you just call me?"
Too late, Serenah remembered she had lost the right to call him "father."
"F-f-forgive me, Your Majesty," she pleaded.
She tried to step away from him, but her father snagged her arm and yanked. She lost her balance and fell toward him. He caught her, forcing her to her knees. She stared up at him in terror.
She gulped, her eyes widening when he pulled off his belt. She had to get away! She flung herself backward and tried to crawl away. She wasn't fast enough.
Her father grabbed her right ankle and dragged her back to him.
"You dare!" he snarled, bringing the belt down hard across her back.
Serenah screamed as the heat of the blow raced across her back. "Your Majesty, mercy please!"
"You dare to take a lover! I did not give you permission! Your body belongs to me. I will give it to the person I deem fit to use it the best."
With each sentence he spoke, he rained down blows along her back and butt. Each blow was more powerful than the last.
"If you've ruined my plans, I will make you pay, Serenah. You are so useless! How dare you destroy the one thing you are good for!"
His words stabbed her, adding to the pain of the beating. Was this how her father truly saw her? As an object to be traded to the highest bidder?
She curled into a ball howling her agony as the blows continued. Finally, after an eternity, he stopped. His harsh breathing and her sobs filled the air. She hurt all over. She wanted to die. Her body hurt as did her heart.
Her father grabbed her hair and yanked her head back, forcing her to look at him.
"Tomorrow after school the healers will check your purity. You will go back to your room. You are not allowed to be healed by a healer. If you do, I will put you in the dungeon without food and water for a week. If any more rumors surface, your punishment today will seem small compared to what you will be given if you tarnish our house's name again. Do you understand, Serenah?"
Through tear-filled eyes, she saw the truth of his threat. "Yes, Your Majesty." She lowered her gaze.
She winced when he released her hair.
"Get the hell out."
She staggered to her feet. She managed to make it to her room before collapsing unconscious just inside the doorway.
She roused at Lael's horrified shout. "My Lady!"
"Lael," she whimpered.
Lael rushed to her side, gasping when she got a look at Serenah.
"My Lady, who hurt you? I need to get Alastar to find the brute and punish them."
Serenah would have laughed at her maid's words if she didn't hurt so much.
"Father," she croaked.
She saw Lael's expression change to fear. "I'll call a healer."
Serenah grabbed Lael's arm. "You can't. Not allowed."
"What!"
Lael frowned. "I can use herbal medicine. That's not forbidden is it?"
Serenah shook her head.
"Alright. Let's get you to bed and undressed so I can get to your wounds. I'll go get the medicine and be right back."
Lael put action into words and helped Serenah to the bed. She apologized profusely every time Serenah whimpered or yelped as they got her undressed down to her underwear. Lael hissed in shock, unable to hide her expression of rage and pity.
"Let's lay you down. I'll be back with the medicine."
Serenah, with Lael's assistance, laid on her stomach. She panted from the exertion and from the throbbing of her injuries. She closed her eyes as Lael hurried from the room to go get the medicine. She just wanted to slip into another world where she was loved and there was no pain. With that thought, she fainted again.