Aria's POV
I was small again, trapped in the dark cellar. The air was thick with the smell of mold and decay. I huddled in the corner, my heart racing with every creak of the old wooden beams.
The sound of footsteps above me were heavy and deliberate. The door creaked open, and a sliver of light cut through the darkness. My father's face appeared twisted in rage.
I tried to shrink away, but he grabbed my arm, his fingers digging deep into my skin. I whimpered, feeling tears stream down my face.
My vision blurred and I was suddenly running, my bare feet pounding against the cold stone floor. I was desperate to escape, but the corridors seemed endless.
I felt suffocated, like the walls were closing in on me, my lungs refused to function, depriving me of air.
"This isn't real", I told myself.
"I've left this all behind," I said finally breaking the hold that the shackles of my memory bounded me in as the flashback faded, leaving me standing in the present, my eyes dry but my heart heavy with the weight of my memories.
But the fear still lingered, a cold dread that kept seeping into my bones.
My eyes welled up with tears as I remembered the countless nights locked in the dark, damp cellar. My father's angry voice still echoed in my mind, "You're worthless, ungrateful, and disobedient." The words that were drilled into my head for as long as I could remember.
I recalled the feeling of cold stone beneath me, the smell of mold and decay, and the sound of my own sobs muffled by the darkness. The memory of my father's heavy footsteps, the creaking of the door, and the damp, putrid smell of the cellar made my skin crawl.
As I grew older, the abuse changed. It became more of an emotional torture than it was physical. Only when I talked back and when people were absent did he hit me. So I learned to hide my emotions, to wear a mask of obedience and submission.
I hated thinking about the past, the memories too hurtful so I'd rather stuff them deep in my mind where it could rot for all I cared.
But it seemed my mind hated me as it decided to dig up the old memories I'd buried deep inside me.
I sighed, trying to change the direction of my thoughts but finding no possible distraction.
Thankfully, Elara walked in at that moment saving me from the clutches of my past.
After my bath, I felt like a new person. The warm water and soap had washed away any lingering memory of that morning and I was ready to face the day.
I walked to the archive accompanied by Elara since I still wasn't allowed to walk around the castle alone which reminded me that I hadn't seen Kael since our not so pleasant departure from the clearing.
It had been a week since I had gone for a walk since I had no one to accompany me.
Sometimes I still think that the evening I spent with Kael was a figment of my imagination. Only the fact that I haven't caught a glimpse of Kael after that day convinced me otherwise.
As much as I enjoyed his company, I knew I should not like it. He was still the same Kael who kidnapped, imprisoned, threatened and tried to kill me.
I should not like it. I refuse to. Just a few smiles and an enjoyable evening was not enough to make me forget all he's done. Not to mention that I still didn't fully trust him.
I tried to shake off the feeling, but it was like Kael's presence has seeped into my bones. Why did I feel like I was dancing on the edge of a knife when I'm around him? Like one wrong move could cut me open and spill my secrets to the world or my blood..
I attempted to distract myself with anything that could take my mind off him. But his image lingered, haunting me like a ghost. I see his piercing eyes, his chiseled features, and his dark smile. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I recalled the way he looked at me, like he could see right through to my soul.
I tried to focus on my work, on the book I was supposed to be reading, but my thoughts drifted back to Kael.
I need to get him out of my head, I told myself. I was better than this. I didn't need some mysterious dangerous man anywhere near me. But a part of me that I refuse to acknowledge refused to listen, drawn to the danger and intrigue that Kael embodied.
As I walked through my daily routine, I felt like I was going through the motions absentmindedly. My mind was elsewhere, stuck on Kael and the secrets he keeps. I wondered what he's hiding, why he was so reluctant to tell me how he got his powers, and what he truly wanted.
I tried to push the thoughts away, to focus on the present, but Kael's presence lingered. I was torn between fascination and fear, unsure of what to do next because as much as I tried to pretend I didn't, I still feared Kael.
I shook my head, dismissing all thoughts of Kael from my mind and focused on getting through the day.