The room was dark, the only light flickering from a dim candle on the bedside table. Shadows danced on the stone walls, moving like ghosts as the flame wavered. Odi lay curled on the bed, her face buried deep into the pillow, muffling the sounds of her sobs. The mattress was thin beneath her, but she hardly noticed the discomfort. Her mind was too consumed by the overwhelming humiliation, the sting of Ariana's slap still fresh on her skin, and the shame of being at the center of yet another scandal.
Tears soaked into the fabric beneath her as she clutched the pillow tighter. She hated herself for crying, for being so weak, for letting that woman get to her. But no matter how much she tried to fight it, the emotions clawed at her insides, demanding release. Was this what her life had become? A game for the nobles to toy with? A rumor passed between the lips of those who had no idea who she truly was? She had fought so hard to keep her dignity, to remain unseen, yet now she was being spoken about in whispers as Darius' concubine.
A fresh wave of anger coursed through her veins at the thought. She had done nothing to encourage these rumors, and yet they clung to her like a curse. The nobles would never see her as anything but a slave, and now, they had painted her as something even worse. A concubine.
She turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling, blinking away the remaining tears. What could she do? Nothing. She was powerless. Trapped. She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood, hating the helplessness settling deep in her chest. She wanted to run. To escape. But where would she go? And if she did, what would happen to Ben? Thinking of him, she missed him dearly.
***
In the other palace, Ben sat on the cold stone floor of the servants' quarters, his head resting against the wooden frame of his small cot. His hands were clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms as he fought the sickening twist in his gut. The whispers had reached his ears, carried by sneering voices and mocking laughter.
"She's the king's new plaything," one had said.
"I heard she's warming his bed every night," another had added with a snicker.
Ben had wanted to tear their throats out. He had wanted to scream that they were wrong, that Odi would never—could never—allow herself to be used in such a way. But the words had lodged in his throat, choked by doubt and rage. He had spent years dreaming of the day he would buy Odi's freedom, of the day they would escape together, leaving behind the chains that bound them.
And now, all of it had shattered.
Ben's jaw tightened, his body stiffening with rage. Darius. The king had stolen everything from him. First, he had bought Odi without her consent, stripping away the hope Ben had clung to for so long. Now, he had taken even the possibility of saving her, branding her in the eyes of the palace as his concubine. Whether it was true or not, the damage was done.
Ben kicked over a wooden stool beside him, sending it crashing against the floor. The sound echoed through the quarters, drawing the attention of an older servant.
"Ben!" The man, Master Elias, a grizzled veteran of the palace staff, strode toward him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Ben glared at him, his breathing heavy. "I'm done," he spat. "I'm done pretending. Done following orders like a dog."
Elias narrowed his eyes. "You're treading dangerous ground, boy. You don't have the privilege of defiance."
Ben let out a humorless laugh. "What does it matter anymore? What's left for me? That bastard king—"
A sharp slap cracked across Ben's face, sending his head snapping to the side. Elias stood over him, his expression as hard as the stone beneath them. "Watch your tongue, fool. Do you think you're the first man to hate a king? You speak recklessly, and you'll find yourself with a noose around your neck before the week is over."
Ben's chest rose and fell rapidly, his fury nearly blinding. "He took her," he growled. "I was supposed to free her."
Elias studied him for a moment before sighing, his rough features softening just slightly. "You're a fool if you think you ever had the power to free her. The moment she was sold to the King, her fate was out of your hands."
Ben's nails dug deeper into his palms. "Then what the hell am I supposed to do? Just sit here and take it?"
"You survive," Elias said simply. "You bide your time."
Ben clenched his jaw. "For what? More scraps? More punishments?"
Elias grabbed him by the collar, yanking him forward. "For an opportunity. For a moment when you can change your fate. You want revenge? You want justice? Then stop acting like a reckless idiot and start thinking."
Ben gritted his teeth, staring into the older man's eyes. He wanted to argue, to fight, but Elias' words struck a chord deep within him.
He pulled away, breathing heavily. "I hate him," he muttered.
Elias sighed. "I know. But hate alone won't get you anywhere, boy."
Ben remained silent as Elias turned and walked away, leaving him with the storm raging inside him. His rage, his grief, his humiliation—they boiled inside him, demanding release.
One day, he thought. One day, he would make Darius pay.
Back in her chambers, Odi wiped at her tear-streaked face, inhaling deeply. She could not afford to break. Not here. Not now. If she was to survive, she needed to be strong. She needed to be smart. She couldn't let them win.
Sitting up, she ran a hand through her tangled hair, her chest still rising and falling unevenly. She had spent too much time feeling powerless. It was time to take control.
Even if it killed her.