The hallways of the Ashford house feel like an endless maze of polished wood and cold walls. Scarle walked beside Daman, her nerve was on edge as his dark presence was so close to her. She was in no mood for his games, but she didn't have a choice. Kier had ordered this "So-called tour," and she knew that refusal wasn't an option.
Daman's smirk was ever-present, like a predator playing with its prey. His sharp eyes stares between her and the shadows around them.
"Relax, Scarle," he said in low, smooth voice of his. "I'm not going to bite you... unless you ask me to."
Her heart twisted, but she kept her expression neutral. He was playing, and she knew better than to show her fear. If she could maintain control of her emotions, maybe she could find a way to use his arrogance against him.
"This house is quite elegant," she said, changing the subject as they turned another corner. The hallway here was narrower, the walls lined with oily paintings of old-looking men and women in half clothing. "How do you not get lost?"
Daman chuckle, his fingers lightly brushing against her shoulder as they walked. "You get used to it. But don't worry, I'll make sure you learn your way around. After all, you're one of us now, aren't you?"
The way he said it made her disgust. She was nothing like them. She never would be.
"I didn't exactly ask to be here," she muttered, her voice was quiet but soft.
Daman's smirk only grew. "No, but you're here now, and that's all that matters." His eyes gleam with something dark and possessive. "And trust me, Scarle... it's better if you accept it."
Her jaw clenched, but she remained silent. Arguing with him would get her nowhere. She needed to stay focused. Every step they took, every room they passed, she memorized it. If she was going to survive in this place, she needed to know every inch of it. She needed to find the weak spots, the places they didn't want her to go.
"Here," Daman said, stopping suddenly in front of a set of double doors. His hand lingered on the handle before pushing it open. "This is one of my favorite rooms."
Scarle stepped inside, her breath catching at the sight of his room. The room was big, with floor-to-ceiling windows that full the space in golden light. Bookshelves lined within the walls, filled with leather-bound volumes that looked as old as the house itself. In the center of the room was a huge piano, its sleek black surface was glowing in the sunlight.
"It's beautiful," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Daman closed the door behind them, the sound echoing in the quiet room. "It is, isn't it? I come here when I need to... unwind."
Scarle's eyes turned towards him, catching the predatory glow in his gaze. Unwind? She didn't want to think about what that meant. Instead, she focused on the books, moving closer to one of the shelves and running her fingers lightly over them.
"Do you read?" she asked, out of genuine curiosity.
Daman's laugh was soft, dark. "I have my vices, but reading isn't one of them. Though, I do like to watch others read..."
Scarle felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. There it was again, that unsettling mixture of seduction that seemed to define Daman. He was always testing her boundaries.
She turned her back to him, trying to keep a steady expression as she saw the titles. Most of the books were classics, Shakespeare, Dante, Brontë but there were some more different titles, too. One in particular caught her eye: The Maze of Shadows.
Scarle hesitated, then pulled the book from the shelf. It was thick, the pages were yellowed with age, the cover was like an old pattern. There was something about it that drew her in, almost... familiar.
"Interesting choice," Daman remarked, stepping closer until she could feel the heat of his body behind her. "That one's... special."
Her fingers tightened around the book as she turned to face him. "Why?"
Daman's smirk deepens. "Let's just say it has a certain... history with this house. A history that might interest you."
Scarle's heart pounded. There was a hidden meaning behind his words, but she wasn't sure what it was. "History?"
Daman's eyes glow. "All in good time, Scarle. You'll learn soon enough."
Before she could press him further, he reached out and gently took the book from her hands, placing it back on the shelf. His fingers touch on her for a moment too long, and she could feel the gaze on her.
"Come on," he said softly, his voice was like a dangerous charm. "There's more to see."
Scarle followed him out of the room, her mind was still racing with thoughts of the book and Daman's mysterious words. There was something about this house, like dark and ancient. And whatever it was, she had a feeling it was connected to her in a way that she couldn't understand.
They continued down another area, this one even more narrow and quite dark. The further they walked in, the more atmosphere became dark. It was as if the house itself was closing on her, suffocating her with its secrets.
Daman finally stopped in front of another door, this one was much smaller than the others. He glanced at her. His smirk replaced with a serious expression.
"This," he said, his voice was low, "is where things get... complicated."
Scarle's pulse quicken. "Complicated how?"
Daman didn't answer right away. Instead, he pushed the door, revealing a staircase that led down into darkness. Scarle's instincts screamed at her to turn back.
But Daman stepped inside without hesitation, his footsteps making sound softly as he goes down the stairs. He paused halfway down, glancing back at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Coming?"
Scarle hesitate at first, her feet rooted to the ground. Every part of her was telling her not to follow him, not to go down into that dark place. But if she refused, she would only draw more suspicion. And if she was ever going to figure out what was going on in this house, she needed to see what lay under it.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward and followed him down the stairs.
The stairs felt endless. The further they went, the colder and darker the area became, until the only light came from a bulb hanging from the ceiling. The walls were rough stone and the air smelled of mildew and faintly metallic.
When they finally reached the bottom, Scarle's breath caught in her throat. They stood in a long, hallway lined with iron doors. Each one had a small window at the top, just big enough to look through.
"What is this place?" she whisper.
Daman's smirk return. "This house has many secrets, Scarle. This is just one of them."
He walked over to one of the doors and tapped on it lightly with his hands. "These rooms... they're for when we need to teach someone a lesson. To remind them their place."
Scarle's heart twisted in horror. "You... lock people down here?"
Daman shrug, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Only when necessary. Sometimes, people need a little... encouragement to behave."
Scarle took a step back, her pulse was racing. She had known these brothers were dangerous, but this... this was entirely different. This was a high level of control and cruelty she hadn't been prepared for.
Daman watched her closely, his eyes seems dark. "Don't worry, Scarle. As long as you follow the rules, you won't end up down here."
Scarle swallowed hard, her mouth gets dry. She wanted to scream, run, but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped in this house.
"Come on," Daman said, turning away from the door. "There's one more thing I need to show you."
Scarle followed him back up the stairs, her mind was spinning with everything she had just seen. The iron doors, the cold air, the knowledge that they had locked people down there—it was all too much.
When they reached the top of the stairs, Daman take her to hallway to another set of double doors. This time, Scarle was greeted by the sight of a garden, bath in the soft glow of the afternoon sun.
Daman said, his voice softer now, "This is the one place in the house where you can be... free."
Scarle stepped outside, the fresh air welcomes relief after the suffocating darkness of the basement. The garden was beautiful, with shiny stone paths, blooming flowers, tall and ancient trees that provided shade from the sun.
But despite its beauty, Scarle couldn't shake the feeling of unease that was set deep in her bones. She was still trapped. And no amount of sunshine or fresh air could change that.
Daman leaned against the door, watching her with his same dark and predatory gaze. "You should enjoy it while you can, Scarle. Because once you're fully ours... there won't be any escape."
Scarle's heart stops in her chest. She had to find a way out. She had to escape.
But for now, all she could do was survive.
To be continued...