Ashfall: City of Shade (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 13 | Promise

GRETA

Warmness cushions my back. Soft and fluffy, it keeps me in place. My eyelids are heavy and wherever I lay, it is much too warm to go back to sleep. My stomach feels horrible like a heavy jagged rock was sitting in it and tearing up my insides.

Fingers comb through the thin sweaty layer of my hair on my scalp.

"Greta?"

"Enoch..." I whisper. The hand on my head becomes still. I open my eyes finding myself once again placed in noyk. My heart hammers seeing Adler's face hovering over mine. At the foot of the trap I've been placed in, Enoch stands beside Brommy.

Mirth stands by his side scowling at the two men.

"She is supposed to be sleeping!"

Enoch folds his arms. His crown hurts my eyes. I don't want to act like a baby, but a cry bubbles out of me. I'm uncomfortable and stuck in this insufferable cushion. I want out!

"Hush, my sweet. Let me rock you to sleep-" Adler coos down to me.

"Get me out!" I huff, fuming with frustration.

My god laughs at my outburst. His big hands scoop me up out of the tiny bedded entrapment. He decides on wrapping his tunic around me right in front of Enoch. It's humiliating and demeaning to be treated as a child.

His kisses are cold and slow as they trail across the crook of my neck to my shoulder. Why is he doing this in front of Enoch? It feels wrong, but I'm afraid if I fuss he'll set me back in the creepy bed.

Brommy walks over to Adler and starts instructing one of the sisters to fan us with a big shiny leaf. Is it made of gold? I can only wonder.

Enoch's glare turns on me. "You sacrificed yourself for him?"

"Let her sleep," Brommy argues.

"No!" he shouts. His voice dies down as guards come inside the room. Where even are we? "I am emperor..." he trails off.

Adler's voice comes out in a low tone. His anger makes me want to hold my limpnut, but my limpnut is dead.

"You are ungrateful is what you are. I am emperor. You can swim with Rog if you don't support us."

"Will you at least make it morning?" Enoch tries. "And show Zard how to read the book? He has overstayed his visit."

His father's chuckle makes my skin crawl.

"I burned the book."

Enoch's eyes widen. He lifts his lantern off the floor, hurrying away from my god's terrible cackle as it echoes across the chamber. I don't want to be left alone with him, but Brommy and Mirth are gone too.

My hands are covered in bandages. He lifts one of the strips with two fingers, moving my hand up and down.

"Where is Cephine?"

"She's sleeping with the gods now."

"But you are god."

"No, I am not. We've been over this, little pearl."

My heart feels heavy. Something terrible is happening.

To me, to this city...to him.

"I'm so tired, Adler," I murmur while licking my dry lips. "Why am I not dead? I have been dying for some time. It is too painful to live. Too painful to see you miserable still. When will it be enough for you to be happy?"

"I don't know. Maybe when I kill Zard and get us out of this place I will feel happy."

"It won't matter when I die, Adler. You'll find someone else. Time doesn't stop, but I think meeting Enoch and playing with my Fluff was heaven. I do not to be with anyone."

***

CEPHINE

The streets smell of rotting animal and feces. Ever since my husband and Greta left the dungeon, Adler has refused to create our daylight.

Adler knows my worth to Zard. That, and my loyalty, was enough for him to understand why I was threatened to kill Greta. Zard paid me well to do so, but I refuse to hurt the child.

I still don't understand everything about my dear's race, but the poor girl does not even know I was the one who nearly killed her.

Pale grey hands reach up to my side of the bed. She may have grown, but still, she remains immature...and spoiled.

Adler made Enoch buy her another desert rat. Its blue lithe body remains wrapped around her throat as she peers up at me.

"Cephine?"

"Yes?"

"...I had a nightmare again," she says in her little girl voice. She should not be sleeping in noyk anymore, but my dear still keeps her in here.

She should be back in the hospice!

"Come up," Adler welcomes the woman. She cowers back a little watching his arms unfold from around me.

He is still my husband.

She didn't have a nightmare. She woke up because my moans and screams of pleasure were too loud. I know I'm being used, but the benefits outweigh the costs. I am too beautiful for Adler to be bitter with.

"I want to go back to the hospice, Adler. My chest is hurting. My heart won't stop racing."

It does anger me this man has the nerve to lie to her. She should know the trouble she caused, knowingly or not. Greta is almost out of our chamber. I hope she stays out.

"I already have your salve here, my sweet-"

"Adler, I'm leaving. I'm glad you two are enjoying each other, but I cannot sleep in here anymore. Goodnight," she says simply.

My dear sits up.

"Let her be. You know you care too much for her. Look where it has got your empire."

"How could I possibly care too much? I love you both. Try to be patient with her. You know why I keep you here," he whispers gently. "She needs a mother figure. I will never hand you over to Zard, be calm and rest. I know you would never hurt Greta and I am happy you confided in me about Zard. There is no reason to worry or be upset anymore. If you want to be angry at someone, Cephine, let it be Enoch. He is the one who has invited danger into our empire, and if he had it his way, I would still be down in that dungeon and you would be made that lizard-skin king's whore. When Enoch finishes dealing with him, I promise your stress will be gone."

☁️