FULL MOON

Damian!

My whole being screamed his name inwardly.

His eyes burned with dark satisfaction, and a terrified hand flew to my chest to calm my rapid heartbeat. I moved away from the balustrade, holding his gaze until my back hit the cold wall, mercifully breaking the line of sight.

I shivered. Not from the windy air that blew against my skin or from the chill of the stone seeping into my bones, but from the mere sight of the man who haunted me even in my dreams.

He's here.

And he stared at me like he had anticipated our meeting, even before he saw me. He promised he wouldn't stop until I begged for death, and now here he was, in Alexander's castle. He was going to kill me.

My hands flew to my hair, pulling at the sides as if I could tear away the terror taking root in my mind. My knees buckled, and I crumbled to the floor, all the strength giving out. I didn't want to die, but Damian was here to make sure I did.

The memory of his voice echoed in my ears. I could hear his voice clearly, his promises, like he was whispering into my ears, his laughter too. That sardonic laughter that always echoed in my ears right before he inflicted an injury on me.

My wrists burned as the memories of chains rubbing against my bruises seared my mind. I could barely breathe as my chest tightened, followed by the sudden taste of the metallic tang of blood from biting my cheeks, just to keep me grounded.

"Miss Penelope!"

The burn on my wrist intensified as I rocked myself in my crumpled position, seeking comfort that was impossibly far away.

"SNAP OUT OF IT, MISS PENELOPE!"

Through the cacophony in my head, I focused on the loudest voice, the one that sounded familiar.

"MISS PENELOPE! GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!"

Amaris was shaking me violently, fear written all over her face. I closed my eyes to clear the tears that blurred my vision and opened them to see Amaris's appalled expression.

"He's here," I managed to say, my voice shaky and weak. "He's here to kill me."

Amaris looked around, confused. "There's no one here, Miss Penelope," she consoled me, her hands moving to my shoulders. "I'm the only one here."

"You don't understand!" I screamed, frustration spilling over. "He's going to kill me. He said he would, and now he's here." I trembled like a leaf in the wind.

She exhaled, her shock palpable. Instead of arguing, she shifted closer, pulling me into a warm embrace. At the slight comfort her presence provided, the dam holding back my tears broke loose, and I let myself go.

My cries mingled with the cold night air that blew through the balcony. The sun had set, taking away the warmth and leaving the land bathed in the outrageously shining full moon.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes into hours, I lost count. Now, I was in the bathroom, having left the balcony a while ago. I sat inside the bathtub, staring blankly into the water. I'd stopped shaking and crying, and I was calmer now.

It was hard to believe I had reacted that way at the sight of Damian. I broke my promise to myself without realizing it. Since meeting him, I'd been behaving to please him, reacting in ways he wanted. I'd promised myself I would stop, but seeing him broke my resolve.

I'd reacted just the way he wanted.

My neck snapped to the door when a knock sounded. I smelled Amaris, and I didn't wait for her to speak before standing up from the bathtub. Grabbing the towel, I dried my body.

By the time I got to my dressing room, Amaris had already set aside a beautiful gown made by Lady Cathwulf or her apprentices. It was the same design and fabric I had picked.

She helped me with the dress and my hair too, styling it with pins. I never knew how good she was with things like this. Her hands were gentle, but her eyes were sharp, watching me closely from the mirror, as if I might break again at any moment.

I wouldn't blame her for the way she acted though. After seeing me the way I had earlier, I'd do the same if I were in her shoes.

"You can stop staring at me that way, Amaris," I said bluntly. Her stares were making me so uncomfortable. "I'm fine."

She quickly averted her gaze to the floor. "I'm so sorry, Miss Penelope. I didn't mean to offend you." She fidgeted with her fingers like she had done something so bad, and her apologies could not atone for it.

Taking a deep breath, I softened my tone. "It's alright, Amaris. I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine." She nodded, exhaling with relief, and at that sight, I felt terrible.

I don't know how workers in this castle were treated, but from the way they responded to things, I knew it wasn't very well. All she was trying to do was make sure I was alright.

She resumed working on my hair. After she was done, she stepped away, resting her hands on her thighs.

I stood up from the chair and walked to the mirror. I was breathtakingly gorgeous. The beige pink gown hugged my upper body perfectly, accentuating every curve, and the lower part flowed down to my feet, making me look like a vision from a dream.

Amaris had outdone herself. My hair was styled in elegant waves, pinned up with delicate silver pins that sparkled like tiny stars. I hardly recognized the woman staring back at me.

"Thank you, Amaris," I said with genuine gratitude. "You've done a wonderful job."

She blushed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "It's my pleasure, Miss Penelope. You look stunning."

I nodded, taking one last look at my reflection before turning to face her. "And thank you for earlier too."

She looked at me briefly in astonishment, before looking away immediately when someone knocked at the door.

Liam walked in.