✓ | The Borrowed Identity (Fate's Transgression Series, #4)

TBI 26: Deal

[ Chapter 26: Deal ]

Selene | Selvy

My head throbbed as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. Blinking to refocus my eyes from the bright light, I roam my eyes around the opulent room that held me captive. Golden walls gleamed in the bright light, and diamond chandeliers cast an ethereal glow. The air was heavy with a mixture of fear and confusion.

I glanced down at my attire, stunned by the extravagant dress that adorned my figure. Its intricate embroidery and the weight of real pearls in my headdress only added to the surreal atmosphere. How had I ended up in this luxurious prison?

A shiver ran down my spine as I realized that I had been abducted. Panic threatened to consume me, but I steadied my trembling hands and forced myself to think. I needed to find a way out, to escape the clutches of my captor and discover the truth behind this ordeal.

Carefully, I examined the room, searching for any sign or clue that could lead me to answers. The grandeur that surrounded me felt suffocating, a cruel contrast to my current predicament. But I refused to succumb to despair.

Just as I approached the door, it swung open, revealing someone standing in the doorway. Memories of our encounter during the birthday celebration flooded back, but his expression now held no warmth or familiarity. Instead, there was a cold, calculating look in his eyes.

"You didn't really think you could escape, did you?" Parch sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "You're ours now, and there's nowhere to run."

Fear gripped my heart. I already didn't like his presence before and it only added to my hatred now. My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of his involvement in my abduction.

Parch's grip tightened on my arm, his fingers digging into my skin as he forced me to sit on the plush sofa. Though fear and nervousness coursed through my veins, I couldn't suppress the fire of anger that burned within me. I glared at him, my eyes conveying my defiance and contempt.

"Sa umpisa, hindi ako naniwala na wala kang maalala," Parch spoke again, his voice dripping with a mix of arrogance and authority as he circled around me, maintaining his domineering aura. "I was sent to Palares to assassinate a high-ranking official, and when I received the news that there's a bounty on your head, I immediately headed here."

I continued to glare at him, refusing to show any sign of weakness. "Anong kailangan mo sa 'kin?" I demanded, my voice laced with defiance.

"Marami," he replied, his hands gripping the edge of the sofa as he leaned in, his gaze menacing. "If you could just remember them now, you won't be asking that question. Instead, you would ask how the hell am I alive."

Frustration mixed with my fear as his words echoed in my mind. The confusion of my lost memories only heightened the urgency of the situation. I needed answers, and I needed them now.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and defiance.

"Try to recall... ah, you can't," he sneered, a wicked smile curling his lips. He laughed maniacally, relishing in my disorientation. "I wonder why Sigrid wished to capture you alive when Uncle Baltras ordered your execution."

A chill ran down my spine as his words sent a wave of realization crashing over me. The revelation that there were forces at play, conflicting agendas that sought to control and manipulate me, added another layer of danger to an already treacherous situation.

"Because I am a virgin mermaid, and foremost, a princess," I stated, my voice filled with a mixture of pride and defiance.

"Exactly, Selvyna! You got that right!" Parch exclaimed, his laughter echoing through the room. "Virgin mermaids with locked powers are captivating. He will use you before he disposes of you."