The next morning felt... different. The kind of different that made my stomach flutter as I walked into the kitchen to find Xenos already at work, chopping vegetables with precision. The sunlight filtering through the window cast a soft glow around him, making him look less intimidating and more... mine.
"Good morning," I said, leaning casually against the counter, a mischievous smile tugging at my lips.
He glanced up, his sharp eyes softening as soon as they met mine. "Morning," he replied, setting the knife down. "You're late. Thought you might sleep the day away."
I smirked, stepping closer. "Well, someone did say I needed to rest."
His lips twitched, threatening to form a smile, but instead, he reached for the bowl of diced vegetables. "If you're going to linger, at least make yourself useful. The eggs won't cook themselves."
"Oh, is that so?" I teased, brushing past him to grab the eggs. My shoulder lightly bumped his arm, and before I knew it, his hand was on my waist, pulling me back toward him.
"You're awfully cheeky this morning," he murmured, his voice low and playful.
I turned to look at him, his face mere inches from mine. "I wonder why," I said, raising an eyebrow.
His lips quirked up in a smirk, and before I could say anything else, he leaned in and kissed me—soft and sweet at first, then deeper, leaving me slightly breathless.
"Breakfast is going to burn," I managed to mumble against his lips.
"Let it," he murmured back, his hand moving to cup my face.
I laughed, gently pushing him away. "No way. You need food to keep up with my sass."
He chuckled, stepping back but not without a lingering glance that made my cheeks heat up. "Fair point. But don't think I'm done with you," he said, turning back to the stove.
"Promises, promises," I replied, cracking eggs into a bowl.
We continued cooking together, stealing kisses and teasing each other between flipping pancakes and stirring pots. It was the kind of domestic bliss I never thought I'd have in this strange new world.
Just as I was putting the finishing touches on the plate, the kitchen door burst open.
"Sage!" Alohi's voice rang out, breathless and urgent. She skidded to a stop, taking in the scene before her—me holding a spatula, Xenos standing way too close, both of us looking like we'd been caught red-handed.
"Oh, you two," she said, pointing a finger at us. "I knew it! But no time for that—Sage, come with me. To the forest. Now."
I blinked, setting the spatula down. "What? Why? Did something happen?"
Alohi grabbed my hand, tugging me toward the door. "I'll explain on the way, but trust me, it's important. And weird. Really, really weird."
I glanced back at Xenos, who was already frowning, his protective instincts clearly kicking in. "Don't worry," I said, squeezing his hand. "I'll be fine."
He didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Be careful."
With that, Alohi and I hurried out of the tavern, leaving behind the breakfast I'd worked so hard on—and a very concerned Xenos.
Alohi led me deeper into the forest, her usual lighthearted demeanor replaced by something far more serious. "It's just up ahead," she said, glancing back at me with a look that made my stomach twist.
When we reached the clearing, I saw it—a deer, sprawled on its side, its flank marred by a deep gash. Its shallow breaths tugged at my heart.
"It's bad," Alohi said softly, crouching beside the animal.
I knelt down, examining the wound. "We need to get it back to the tavern. I can try to heal it, but not out here."
Alohi nodded, standing abruptly. "I'll grab a cart. Stay here and keep an eye on it."
"Got it," I replied, gently brushing my hand over the deer's trembling side.
As Alohi disappeared into the trees, the forest seemed to grow quieter, the usual hum of life fading into an eerie stillness. I was too focused on calming the deer to notice the subtle crunch of footsteps behind me—until it was too late.
A sharp pain exploded at the back of my head, and the world spun as I crumpled to the ground. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was a shadowy figure looming above, their hand clutching something heavy.
Everything went black.
I woke up with a pounding headache, my vision blurry as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. The room was cold and damp, the smell of mildew and metal stinging my nose. My arms and legs were bound to a chair, the ropes cutting into my skin.
"Finally awake, are we?"
The voice sent a chill down my spine. From the shadows, Citrus stepped into the dim light, his ginger hair almost glowing against the darkness. He had that sickeningly calm smirk plastered on his face, the one that always made my stomach churn.
"You took your sweet time," he sneered, circling me slowly. "I was starting to think I might have hit you too hard."
I glared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. "What do you want?"
Instead of answering, his hand snapped out, striking my cheek with a force that made my head whip to the side. The sting of the slap was nothing compared to the humiliation.
"That's for making me wait," he said, his voice oozing with malice.
Before I could recover, he grabbed a glass of water from a small table nearby, took a long sip, and then spat it on me, the lukewarm liquid dripping down my face.
"Now," he said, setting the glass down with a deliberate clink, "let's make one thing clear. You're going to tell me how you broke Xenos' curse. And if you don't…" He leaned in close, his breath hot against my face. "Well, I have plenty of ways to make you talk."
I clenched my teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. Somewhere deep inside, I felt the faintest flicker of determination. I would not let him win.
Citrus's face twisted into a scowl when I refused to answer him. "You think you're brave, don't you?" he sneered, stepping closer, his shadow looming over me.
I held his gaze, refusing to flinch. "I'm not telling you anything."
That was all it took to snap his thin veneer of control. His hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back so hard tears welled in my eyes from the pain.
"You think you can defy me?" he hissed, his voice venomous. "You think you're untouchable because you're the chosen one?"
He slapped me, the force of it leaving my ears ringing. My cheek burned, but I refused to let him see my fear.
When that didn't get the reaction he wanted, his fist collided with my stomach, knocking the air out of me. The ropes binding me kept me upright, but the pain radiated through my entire body.
I tried to focus on anything but him—on the faint light overhead, on the thought of Xenos, on the forest just outside these walls. But Citrus wasn't done. He stumbled to the side and grabbed a bottle of something dark, chugging it carelessly.
His speech slurred as he leaned against the chair, his breath reeking of alcohol. "You wanna know why I hate you?" he spat, his words dragging. "Because you... you're everything I can't have."
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest.
"I hate you because I want you," he continued, his words dripping with bitterness. "And you… you don't even look at me. You don't care. All you see is him."
Before I could even process his drunken confession, he lurched forward, grabbing my chin roughly. "But if I can't have you willingly, I'll take what I can."
Then, he forced his lips onto mine, his grip so tight I couldn't turn away. It wasn't a kiss—it was an act of power, of violence, his teeth cutting into my lip until I tasted blood.
I wanted to scream, to fight back, but the ropes kept me bound, and the pain overwhelmed me. When he finally pulled back, he smirked, wiping my blood off his lips.
"You're mine now," he slurred, his voice drenched in cruel satisfaction.
I spat blood onto the floor, glaring at him through the haze of pain and humiliation. "You'll regret this," I rasped, my voice trembling but defiant.
Deep down, I knew one thing for sure—this wasn't over. And I would make him pay.
I sat slumped in the chair, every fiber of my body aching from the torment Citrus had inflicted. My lips throbbed, split from his earlier assault, and my wrists were raw from the ropes digging into my skin. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed in the dimly lit room, and the lock clicked into place, sealing my solitude.
The faint flicker of a single bulb cast eerie shadows on the walls, making the space feel smaller, suffocating. I let out a shaky breath, the metallic taste of blood still fresh on my tongue. Aurora... Xenos... their names were a silent prayer in my mind, a desperate hope that someone would come.
I shifted, testing the ropes around my wrists. They were tight, almost unyielding, but not impossible. I couldn't stay here, not when I knew Citrus's madness could escalate. Determination replaced the fear in my chest. I wasn't going to let him win.
My eyes scanned the room, noting every detail—the dusty shelves, a rusted pipe running along the wall, and a loose nail sticking out of one of the wooden beams. If I could just—
Footsteps echoed faintly beyond the door, and my breath caught. Was he coming back? Or was it someone else?
"Stay calm," I whispered to myself, summoning every ounce of courage. I've survived worse. I'll get out of this. I'll make it back.