Ember could feel the eyes on her as she was pushed into the room, her body still reeling from the harsh treatment at the auction. The sharp, cold air inside the room sent an immediate chill through her, but she didn't dare flinch. She barely had the strength to stand, her body battered, her mind numb with fear. Her gaze flickered around, but the room was stark, empty save for one man standing at the far end.
Alpha Roman.
His silhouette towered over her, his imposing figure a perfect reflection of the power he wielded. The air shifted as he moved toward her with deliberate slowness, each step heavy, commanding, and filled with quiet menace. His presence consumed the space, and Ember could feel the weight of his gaze even before he spoke.
"Clean the outer grounds. You have one hour," he commanded, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. The words sent a shiver down her spine, and Ember froze, unable to comprehend what he was asking.
"One hour?" she whispered, barely able to form the words. Her voice was weak, raw from the earlier strain, but even in her despair, she felt the need to protest. She couldn't possibly do this she barely had the strength to stand.
Roman's eyes, cold and unfeeling, met hers. A cruel smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "You heard me," he said, his tone void of mercy. "Do it now, or else."
Ember's throat tightened. The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating her, and the fear that had been bubbling under her skin suddenly exploded into full panic. She wanted to scream, to refuse, but her limbs felt like lead. Her body was broken, bruised from the auction, and yet she had no choice but to comply.
The door to the room was opened, and a guard stepped in, motioning for Ember to follow. She stumbled forward, her legs weak beneath her. The outer grounds were vast, sprawling green lawns and hedges, an endless sea of meticulously kept nature, all under the harsh gaze of Roman's fortress-like home. As Ember stepped outside, the harsh sunlight stung her eyes, but it did little to ease the oppressive weight of her fear.
Roman stood watching from the doorway, his eyes never leaving her as she hesitated. He didn't speak again, but his gaze bore down on her like an invisible chain, forcing her to move forward.
She began to labor, the task overwhelming. The sweeping, the raking, the endless, unforgiving yard that sprawled out before her. Every movement was a battle. Her arms burned with exhaustion, her body ached, and her mind screamed for respite. But there was none. The sweat clung to her skin, mixing with the dirt and the sting of her wounds.
She glanced up once, catching Roman's figure standing in the doorway, his arms folded across his chest, watching her. The cruel amusement in his eyes made her stomach twist. He wasn't here to help. He was here to watch her break.
And break she did.
The labor was unbearable. Her limbs gave out, her knees buckling beneath her. She collapsed to the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to push herself up, but it was no use. She was too weak.
"Pathetic," Roman's voice sliced through the air, his words cold and final. "You've failed."
Ember's body collapsed, but it was not only from the physical exhaustion it was the crushing weight of Roman's cruelty that had broken her spirit. She lay there, on the grass, her hands still clenched into fists, trembling. The world around her spun, her vision blurring, but through it all, she could still feel his gaze on her, steady and unrelenting.
As her mind swam in a fog, a soft voice broke through the haze. "Get up. You can't stay here."
Ember's eyes snapped open, her heart pounding with the sudden shift in the air. She tried to sit up, but her body refused. It was then that she saw a figure small, delicate, with eyes full of kindness but also a quiet sorrow. The woman was crouched beside her, offering a hand, though her touch was gentle, as if she were afraid Ember would shatter beneath her fingers.
"Who who are you?" Ember whispered, still struggling to make sense of what was happening. The pain in her body was too much, but there was something about the woman's presence that felt strangely safe.
The woman hesitated, glancing around nervously, as if making sure no one could hear. "Celia," she said softly, her voice barely a breath. "I work here. I've seen what happens to girls like you."
Celia's eyes were dark, filled with hidden pain, and there was a quiet desperation in her tone. She offered Ember a small, almost imperceptible smile. "But there's a way to survive this place. You have to find strength inside. If you don't, you'll break. Just like the others."
Ember's mind raced. Survive? Was survival even possible here? Her body was broken, her spirit battered. The cruelty she had already endured felt insurmountable. But something about Celia's words struck a chord.
"What do you mean?" Ember managed to ask, her voice barely above a whisper.
Celia's eyes flickered toward the door, her face filled with unease. "I can't say much. Roman is always watching. But you have to trust that you're stronger than this place. You have to hold onto that. Otherwise, they'll crush you, piece by piece."
Before Ember could ask more, Celia straightened and looked over her shoulder. "I have to go," she murmured, her voice tinged with fear. "Don't forget what I said."
And just like that, without another word, Celia disappeared into the shadows, vanishing as quickly as she had appeared. Ember stared at the spot where she had been, the words echoing in her head. Find strength inside, or you'll break.
Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to comprehend the situation. Celia had been the first to show her any hint of kindness, but now Ember was left with more questions than answers. Could she really survive this?
Ember wandered the castle aimlessly, her thoughts heavy with the weight of Celia's words. Her body ached with exhaustion, but her mind was racing, the need for some kind of escape gnawing at her insides. The mansion loomed around her, a labyrinth of cold, dark corridors and endless rooms. It was a place built to imprison, not to welcome.
She had no idea where she was going. She just needed to move, to keep walking, to keep searching. She couldn't let herself be a prisoner in her mind, too. As she passed through a narrow hallway, she spotted something unusual a small door tucked in the corner, partially hidden behind a thick curtain.
Curiosity piqued, Ember approached the door cautiously. Her fingers brushed against the cool, ancient wood as she pushed it open. Inside was a room unlike any she had seen in the castle so far a small, hidden library, its shelves lined with ancient books and leather-bound journals. Dust hung in the air, undisturbed, as if no one had been here in ages.
Her pulse quickened as she stepped inside, her footsteps soft on the worn floorboards. The room smelled of old paper and ink, the scent strangely comforting amidst the sterile cold of the rest of the castle. She felt as though she had uncovered a secret a part of the castle that no one was meant to find.
Ember's fingers trembled as she ran them across the spines of the books, her mind already racing. She had to find something anything that could help her understand what Roman was really like, or how she might escape.
Her eyes settled on a journal, its cover weathered with age, but still intact. The name Lady Jade was embossed on the front in faded gold lettering. Ember's heart skipped a beat. Lady Jade the matron who had given her the cryptic warning.
With trembling hands, she opened the journal, the pages yellowed with age. Her eyes scanned the words, the ink faded but still legible. The entries were strange, cryptic notes about Roman, about his rise to power, and his ruthless reign over the castle and its inhabitants. The more Ember read, the more she understood: this place wasn't just a prison. It was a world built on fear, on control.
The last entry in the journal caught her attention.
"I've seen his true face… and it's worse than anything I could have imagined."
Ember felt a chill creep up her spine as she stared at the words. What did it mean? What was Roman hiding? What was the true extent of his cruelty?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching, heavy and deliberate.
Without thinking, she shoved the journal back into its place and quickly exited the room, her heart hammering in her chest. The door clicked shut behind her, and she froze, her breath caught in her throat.