Tainted Souls

Chapter 16

Alia

A cold breeze stirred me, and I groaned at the sharp pain shooting in my head. My head felt heavy, but when another breeze brushed my skin, I forced open my eyes. What came through my foggy vision was a majestic chandelier.

I blinked multiple times to clear my vision and frowned when the same chandelier appeared before me.

Where did the chandelier come from?

My gaze traveled upward to the roof, and puzzlement filled me when I noticed a huge dome above it. My eyes skimmed lower on the intricate dark green and gold floral pattern in the dome and then on the arches. The golden veins in the dome spread downward on the walls and to the tall pillars of the gallery.

I sat up, startled when a gush of strong wind blew past me. Something dropped from me, and I looked down to find myself covered with a dark green duvet.

It wasn't my bed.

I tried to recollect what had happened, clutching the soft unfamiliar silk beneath me. I was waiting for Leonardo. Did I faint, and he brought me to his room? My swaying hair made me look at the gallery covering one side of the room with velvety drapes over the pillars and decorated arches.

The clear view of the sky made me slip out of bed. I stumbled when the dizziness hit me but shook my head to clear the grogginess. I made my way toward the gold railing, and a gasp left my lips when I realized how high up in the air I was. The room was situated on the highest level of a castle tower.

A castle!

Did Leonardo rent a castle?

My eyes scanned the garden below, and my heart hammered against my ribcage when I spotted red and golden pomegranates on the trees below.

Pomegranates didn't grow in Switzerland!

Then where was I?

I stumbled back when I recalled everything with a flash.

Taimur!!!!

My fingers jerked to my arm, where Taimur had inserted the syringe with a sedative. The bastard kidnapped me and brought me there.

What was that place?

I looked around, bewildered at the unending uninhabited mountains before my eyes. The western region of Azmaayir was mountainous, but there wasn't a castle in that part of the country.

Then what was that place?

I grabbed the railing, then looked down at the castle below. I couldn't recount ever seeing such a castle in Azmaayir. I had been to every palace, fort, or castle throughout the country in my five years of marriage to Taimur, but I hadn't ever seen or heard about such a place.

Was it some secret castle no one was aware of? Looking at the architecture of the place, it looked like it was made centuries ago. I attended political meetings with Taimur and Haris, but they never mentioned a secret palace.

Was Haris aware that Taimur had abducted me? He would have come to see me if that were the case, which meant I was alone in a strange place and at the mercy of the most ruthless man I had encountered.

Where did Taimur bring me, and what did he plan to do with me? How long had I been there? My gut wrenched, realizing the graveness of the situation. Taimur was holding me captive at some unknown place, and I had no idea how to get out of there.

My insides twisted, wondering about Leonardo and what he might think about me. What if he thought I ran away from him? Did Taimur wait and confront Leonardo, or did he leave after drugging me before Leonardo arrived?