The chamber was dim. Then, furniture emerged slowly as my eyes adjusted. Curtains drawn shut, dark recesses, and Becca pushing her cart into the shadows ahead of me. A faint whimper reached me, and it tugged at my chest.
Becca continued forging ahead, gradually approaching the shadowy abyss I was beginning to see through.
Wait.
Becca was ahead of me.
Too far ahead.
With an unsettling chill, I realised I had been standing still and not actually walking.
'Oh, lords! How long have I been standing here?'
However, my heart plummeted to my feet as something even worse happened.
Lord Fashire was standing right before me.
"Now, how long did you intend to dawdle here?" His growl cut into me, cold enough to numb my bones.
The air thickened and my lungs strained as he loomed closer, his silver-grey eyes pinning me in place.
My skin prickled as I witnessed the madness dancing in those eyes, sharp and consuming.
'Run. Run! RUN!'
My lips trembled soundlessly. But I could not move. I could not do anything.
'Move! Please…'
His gaze dropped to the tray and a predatory smile curved his lips.
"You." His voice crept out with a menacing undercurrent.
I did not know how, but deep down, I had the distinct feeling that he wasn't addressing me.
"My Lord?" Becca's voice trembled.
"Take that cart somewhere else. This one here will perform her duties," he commanded, his eyes sliding back to meet mine.
"Yes, my Lord." Becca rushed past us. The door slammed shut, leaving me alone with him.
Panic rose in my throat.
'I can't breathe…'
"M…y…m…"
I tore my eyes from his and forced the words out, my voice barely above a whisper. "The… the food, my Lord."
"I see."
Without another word, he retreated, disappearing back into the dark recesses of the room.
"Carry on, then," his words trailed to meet me from where I stood.
My numb legs took hesitant steps forward.
As I slowly started to adjust to the dark, my eyes honed in on him. I stilled. Lord Fashire's frame lounged on a divan in a secluded corner, his gaze tracking my every move.
"Is there something wrong with your eyes?"
"I—I am very sorry, my Lord!" I said a little too loud before wincing at the high pitch of my voice.
I turned quickly, forcing myself to focus on the room. I had to get this done with and away from here. I should be more worried about his discovering my true identity than being concerned about his presence!
Muffled sobs drew my attention to another corner of the chamber and my heart sank.
A boy huddled there, no older than seven. Tear-streaked face, swollen eyes, and quaking shoulders. Mucus streamed down his nose and his quivering mouth was clamped shut. His new overalls hung loose on his small frame.
My eyes stung.
I moved towards him, but he shrank back with each step I took. To him, I was one of them. A monster. His eyes held no hatred. That was the worst part.
'How can he do this? This is a child!'
The air dripped with Lord Fashire's disdain. "It seems a certain mongrel isn't afraid of death."
My heart thundered as his chilling words echoed within the chamber. I jolted back to my senses and lowered the tray onto the low table beside the trembling boy.
'Get to work. Get to work!' I quickly told myself.
Distraction meant death.
Placing the heavy tray down brought a mix of agony and relief to my aching arms, even though they still shook as I lifted the metal lid to reveal four steaming dishes. Their aroma drifted upward, but my dry mouth remained stubbornly shut. I gripped the tray tightly, preparing to lower it even further to the boy's level, hoping that—no matter how scared he was—he would choose the dish that appealed to him most.
It was the utmost kindness I could offer him at this moment.
"I do not like repeating myself, servant. Put that tray back. Give the boy a plate," his voice cut through the darkness.
"Yes, my Lord," my voice rasped and I hurried to obey. I chose the plate of whole chicken, still warm, and set the plate on the floor before the boy. He recoiled, whimpering.
"Eat," Lord Fashire's command cracked like a whip.
Both the boy and I flinched. And for a sudden moment, the driving force of his tone almost compelled me to eat too.
The boy lunged at the dish and tore into the chicken with feral hunger. Grease streaked his face and his tiny hands trembled as he devoured each mouthful of the soft meat. I clasped my hands together, stomach twisting as I watched the boy eat.
'This is wrong. So wrong.'
What did Lord Fashire want with a child? I had never witnessed or heard about him bringing in children before, nor did any of the vampires in this castle keep children as pets. They couldn't provide the sustenance or amount of blood vampires needed, so, why was he here?
The thought burned within my chest. I swallowed it down. There was nothing I could do to change the situation. Nothing at all.
I served him another plate, and he emptied it too. When I reached for the third, his eyes lifted briefly to mine. They were empty.
My stomach rolled and I looked away.
'Clean up. Just clean up and leave.'
The minutes passed in a blur, my body operating as my mind shut down. I had served him another plate and cleaned up the area.
All without looking at the boy.
Once I was done, I excused myself from Lord Fashire's chambers with a small bow, eager to escape the oppressive atmosphere.
His silence pressed heavier than words and his intense eyes never left me as I walked out of the chamber.
The doors closed behind me and a sudden burst of energy surged through my veins.
I ran, sprinting past the silent hallways, through the expansive hall, and out Lord Fashire's wing.
The doors shut behind me with a finality that made my knees give way. I collapsed to the floor, clutching the covered tray. My chest heaved as I gulped in mouthfuls of warm air.
A shadow fell over me.
"Becca?" I whispered, straining my neck to look up at her.
I sighed and straightened my back, still cradling the tray as I looked back at it. "I only have one plate left but I can still—"
"Hiln…" Becca's voice trembled.
I paused, then really looked at her.
She fidgeted with her fingers, and her face was twisted with worry. "I was so scared, Hiln. What took you so long?"