The dim light from the small window cast long, eerie shadows across the walls of my prison. My mind was a tangled mess of fear and confusion, each minute dragging on painfully. I had been waiting in this small, stark room for what felt like hours, the silence only broken by my occasional attempts to pull free of the ropes that bound me.
The door creaked open, and I looked up, expecting the worst. My heart skipped a beat as Eleri walked in, her expression a disturbing mix of triumph and satisfaction. She was carrying herself with an air of casual confidence, her demeanor almost celebratory.
"Seraphina," she said, her voice dripping with a false sweetness, "I hope you've been comfortable. I've just had the most delightful time."
I narrowed my eyes, my heart pounding with a mixture of dread and confusion. "What are you talking about? What have you done?" I demanded, struggling against the ropes.
Eleri's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "Oh, you know, just a little bit of fun with our dear Dragonir. I must say, he's quite the resilient one. It took a few 'short rounds' to break him, but eventually, he succumbed. He passed out from the pain, poor thing."
Her words were like ice, each sentence cutting deeper than any physical wound. My blood ran cold as I tried to process the implications of what she had said. "You—" I choked out, "you tortured him?"
Eleri laughed, a sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Tortured is such a harsh word. I prefer to think of it as... convincing. Convincing him that he's not as invincible as he likes to think."
My mind was racing, trying to make sense of everything. "Why?" I asked, my voice shaking. "Why are you doing this? What do you want from us?"
Eleri approached me slowly, her eyes scanning me with a predatory gaze. "What I want," she said, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper, "is to make you see things differently. To make you understand the depths of my feelings for you."
My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel a cold sweat forming on my brow. I had been hoping, desperately, that my absence would mean something to Dragonir, that he would come looking for me. But now, seeing Eleri's twisted satisfaction, all I could think about was how dire my situation had become.
She leaned closer, her eyes locked on mine. "You see, Seraphina, you've always been so dear to me. I've sacrificed so much—my past, my reputation, my very soul—for you. I thought we had a connection, something real. But it seems you've been too blind to see it."
I recoiled from her proximity, feeling her breath on my skin. "No," I said firmly, though my voice trembled. "You're wrong. I don't want this. I don't want you."
Eleri's expression shifted from one of soft longing to one of cold determination. "You don't get to decide that. Not anymore. You'll stay here with me, and you'll come to understand what I'm offering. I'm giving you a choice—stay with me willingly or face the consequences."
Her gaze was intense, almost feverish, as she reached out and touched my cheek with a finger. The contact was unsettling, and I flinched away, my mind screaming at me to find a way out.
"Stop it," I demanded, trying to pull away from her touch. "I won't be part of this. I won't be your pawn."
Eleri's eyes darkened, and she stepped back, her expression shifting to one of cold resolve. "Very well. If you won't cooperate, then perhaps I'll have to make your situation even more uncomfortable. But don't think this is over. I'll be back, and I expect you to reconsider your position."
With that, she turned on her heel and left the room, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. I was left alone once more, my heart heavy with the weight of her words and my mind spinning with the horrifying realization of what had happened to Dragonir.
I struggled against the ropes, my mind racing to formulate a plan, but all I could think about was the impending danger and the desperate need to escape. I had to find a way to free myself and Dragonir, to end this nightmare before it consumed us both.