The air Eris was breathing became thick, each breath feeling like a weight pushing her deeper into the abyss. The man's rigid posture, holding a book with one hand, only made his complete control over the situation even more apparent.
"I don't have any... I don't think anyone will testify in my favor."
Eris swallowed hard, her hands trembling, but she stood on her ground. She knew that if she failed now, there would be nothing left of her. The fate she had always feared, the one that had followed her at every turn, would finally catch up with her. But she couldn't give up. She couldn't let everything she had been through be in vain.
"What makes you think I'd take you with me? Do you know the Kassias pact? They could judge me for trying to kidnap you." His voice cut through the air, deeper now, full of threat. His fierce gaze never left her. "What makes you think I'd risk everything for you?"
She opened and closed her mouth, wondering if insomnia was reason enough for him to throw everything away for her.
Eris, her head still lowered, struggled to calm her breathing. Despite everything, she had to try. Her life, her future, what was left of her—everything depended on the words that came out of her mouth.
"Because... I'm a perfumer, and not just any perfumer, but a creator," she said, her voice barely audible, but determined. "I can not only make your cure, but I can also work for half a year... a year, maybe even five if necessary. But please, after that, let me be free. I'm the best of my family... we can sign a contract. Even if everyone thinks I'm crazy, the contract must be valid..."
"It won't be." He interrupted her, his words cutting the air. "If I accept, all perfumers will be at risk of being threatened with signing contracts. We already have enough problems rescuing them from illegal slavery and..."
"Then we can do that," Eris insisted, her eyes flashing with a spark of hope. "Prove that I'm also held captive here. How do you investigate? I can take you to the underground prison, even to the lab..."
He raised a hand, a firm gesture that silenced her immediately. The tension between them was palpable. Eris watched him, desperate, her hands pressed to her chest, afraid and anxious for the answers he would give.
"Why didn't you create your escape if you're a creator?" The disdain in his voice was unmistakable. "Maybe people underestimate creators, and think their abilities are just legend, but my case is different. I know them. You could have escaped."
Eris felt the sting of his words like a knife to the chest. Why hadn't she done it before? The answer was cruelly simple: she had no choice, no power. But the worst part was that no one seemed to understand the weight of the cage she had been locked in. They didn't see her suffering. They didn't see what had been done to her.
And he wasn't any different. Her future with him was just as bad, but it was the least bad option.
Eris bit her lip. Besides, how could she tell him that she had seen the future? How could she tell him that no matter what path she took, once she left the mansion, she'd rather stay in a cell? That the future was worse than death itself?
He'd think she was crazy. Or worse, he'd force her to use her power, and she didn't even know how to control it...
But still, she lifted her head a little, locking eyes with him, her gaze full of determination.
"Because perfumes are not infallible. I'm weak, a prey that anyone would see as an easy catch. I have no freedom. But with you, it would be different. We could be on somewhat equal terms. I can help you, in exchange for my freedom."
The challenge was clear in her words, but so was the fragility of her position. She couldn't back down now.
The man studied her in silence as if weighing her words. He didn't say anything. His gaze shifted slightly toward the window, and Eris, holding her breath, noticed how his posture relaxed just a little.
Finally, he leaned forward, his eyes locking onto hers once again.
"And what guarantees me that you're not manipulating me? What guarantees me that you're not lying, that I'm not the fool in your game?"
Eris sighed. The conversation felt like a never-ending loop. She knew that if he didn't trust her, it was over. She couldn't offer him proof, just her words that meant so little compared to everything he had.
The air grew thicker, and the pressure on her chest increased. She knew there was no room for error. Her future depended on this moment, and if she failed, everything would be lost.
"If you take me, you'll know soon enough. My powers don't lie, and your people will know it too." Her voice shook, but the words were her last hope. "I have nothing but my word, but I promise: I can help."
The man studied her in silence for what felt like an eternity. She felt like time had stopped, her fate hanging by a very thin thread.
Finally, he placed the book back on the shelf and said, "Alright." The word hung heavily in the air. "But if you're lying, if you're manipulating me, you'll pay for it. With your life."
Eris barely managed to hold back a sigh of relief. Her legs weakened beneath her, but she didn't let herself give in to it. She couldn't. This was her only chance.
"Thank you," she murmured, her voice hoarse from fear, but with a glimmer of renewed hope. She had gained something, even if it was just a sliver of control that had always been denied to her. And for the first time, the idea that she could be free, that she could escape her past, didn't feel so far out of reach.
The man looked at her one last time before turning to walk toward her, like a predator that never stopped being alert.
"Isn't it a little early to thank me? I have another condition."
Eris' heart sank, and she couldn't help but stare at him, fear creeping into her chest.
"You'll leave as my girlfriend, fiancée, and future wife."
Eris' eyes went wide, and she stared at him, hoping this was some kind of joke.
"You said five, but I'm offering seven years—a marriage by contract. And finally, if you want to leave, I'll make sure you're free and protected. No one will try anything with you as long as my name is by your side, even if you stray too far from the pack."
He waited for her response, but she was still in shock.
Once again she felt frustrated by her trashy skill. She had not seen this possible future, there were only bad endings for both of them. What had changed?
"Think about it until tomorrow. After that, I'll leave, and we won't have any way to contact each other. I need to speak with Kyle now." He said, and without another word, he walked away.
"Wait!" Eris almost stumbled and had to grab onto him to stop herself from falling. Her words came out rushed. He was her lifeline, and she wouldn't let go. "My brother won't accept the marriage. He'll come up with a thousand excuses and cling to my supposed medical history and his role as my guardian. But I turned eighteen just a few days ago. We can invalidate his story if we prove my health is fine with another doctor. If we don't have enough time, the Shamans and Healers Summit is in two weeks. We can go there. If we go to the supernatural protection center, it will be worse for me."
Aleksi raised an eyebrow.
"Had you already considered that plan? You seem prepared. Also, is the center involved with your brother?"
Eris bit her tongue. She'd said too much, but she had to use every bit of information she had, even if it was based only on uncertain futures.
"I have no proof, but I do not doubt it."
Eris stepped toward the door, glancing back at the man with gray eyes, a mix of respect and fear in her gaze. Her future was about to change, but the price of that freedom was still uncertain. However, for the first time in a long time, Eris allowed herself to believe that a better future might be possible for her.
"Alright, I'll prepare everything." Aleksi brushed her head lightly, and Eris froze in place. "Hang in there a little longer, soon you'll be free."