Ashfall: City of Shade (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 33 | Shade

GRETA

Something is very wrong.

"Please stop crying," I sigh.

I never thought Adler could really baby me for so long. He knows my suffering. He has known it for some time too. He chose to stay with other wives though while I suffered alone.

"Now, we can finally be together," he murmurs while using his tunic sleeve to blow his nose with. I sigh while sitting up. It was very wrong what we did. I have never given anyone so much of myself. It was in such a dirty place too.

Even if I did love it, that does not mean it was okay.

I am not okay...

"Adler, thank you for last evening, but it cannot happen again. I am better off with a woman. So, please, do not mistake me for your new wife."

His silence disturbs me but I cannot linger in here. Something has changed within him since I finally gave myself to him.

"You do not want me?"

"I am not your whore."

"Of course, you are not," he says in a calm tone. He drifts off the bed appearing at peace but I know otherwise by the stiff way he walks away from me. "You are going to be Empress. You can love all or none or just some."

His spyrt illuminates his face like the descendant from the gods I originally mistook him to be. Blood chaps his lips still from yester-evening. He stands still, waiting, but I walk him by with no touch.

"Is it my age? I am still in my youth like you."

"I know."

"Why won't you accept me?"

My lip trembles remembering him whipping Enoch. And him...cutting open Cephine's body. Her screams, strange how they didn't bother me in the moment. I can hear them now as I look into his toothy smile and those shifty soft silver eyes.

The amount of treatch on his chest is a dead giveaway of his disgusting behavior. I am not above it though. I asked him to bring me her death.

His touch roams over my back, pressing me closer. I do not want to be close anymore.

"Wasn't it glorious?" he whispers in my ear.

I am still sore from the filthy act we did right in front of Enoch. I never meant to betray him. My feet feel light as I face the balcony.

The warmth of the morning tells me there should be light, yet there is only a mass of shades. Many screams flood the streets among the chaotic masses.

He watches me as he did when I was small and tempted to run before he could scoop me up.

"My sweet?"

"Silence, you are still filth to me. I do not want to be your wife."

His strong arms do not leave my waist. I am glad he is standing behind me. A man doesn't cry. Why have I been cursed to live in this dreadful place?

My heart hammers feeling his cold hand settle over mine.

"I already put salve on," I grit through my teeth. I turn to find his lips repressed before he steals a sloppy kiss from my mouth. "Did you not think things would be like this? It was a mistake. I am not in love with you. I cannot trust you, Adler. I cannot fix you," I whisper fiercely.

My chest aches as he rubs his tears away with shaky hands. A horrible sob leaves him. I tell myself he is pretending to keep my sanity. This is a man who has tricked many women.

I will not be one of them.

"You only love yourself," I remind him.

It is the truth he should know well by now.

He becomes quiet, his face dull, as I stroke his arm. It is the only comfort I will offer.

"My beautiful pearl, you are the only reason I traveled across the cosmos. If you wish to remain apart from me, I will accept it. Even so, do not push me away, please. I only wish for your wellbeing. My love I will offer always. There is no wrong between a man loving his wife-"

"But I am not yours."

Brommy informed us Zard is hosting a party in the commune gardens tonight. We are hoping Enoch will get rid of him.

Adler told me this beautiful gown was to be Cephine's yule present. It is made of thousands of sparkling thin black bug webs weaved together. Pearled pins have been placed into my hair to hold my bun up.

"I'm sorry it was in such an inconvenient place. You wanted it to be special, didn't you?" Warm and familiar, he bundles me in the enclosure of his robes.

Ignoring his naked beauty, I lay down on the clout and look down at my dress and the intricate threads of silk webbed together.

"What have you done to the city?" I whisper. It takes an agonizing strength to not feel distracted by his figure. I stare into the wisps of soft cloud cradling me.

How alone I feel without my pet.

Adler touches my shoulder. "It is what empires do...take over weak cities such as this. I will fix our light soon. This darkness is comfortable to you, isn't it?"

"Yes, my eyes do feel better now."

Only a god could know my eyes were in such pain here. I do not understand what happened to the light, maybe I don't have to. Even if very imperfect, he is of the divine order.

His spyrt glows above us. My muscles become less tense as he withdraws his hand.

"You did enjoy it, my sweet?"

My heart swells even though I sense he has done something unfathomable. I have some amount of influence over him to impact his emotions this greatly.

He follows me eagerly as I leave for the celebration.

☁️