by Amber Cook
"I don't want them to see you."
Adira gritted her teeth, her lip pulling back to expose a snarl. "I don't care what you want. Let me go, Ravana, before we both get hanged."
Ravana's fingers clenched down into the irritated flesh around the base of the Orbs. Even he knew about the 'hanging' she mentioned. Although he had never been subjected to such things, he had seen Adira after a session. He always thought it a shame to skin someone as lavish as her. But, Ravana nodded his head and pulled away, allowing Adira to continue towards her father.
Kace's eyes lifted from Drima as she neared, and Adira crumbled to her knees, pressing her forehead against the ground. She could hear the whispers of demons around her heighten, but she paid no attention to it. If they knew what would happen to her if she did not show such a display, they would not whisper. They would only show her mercy, or as much mercy as a demon could show.
The sight of her kowtowing before them caused Drima's eyes to narrow. Adira could have prostrated herself, offered to slit her wrist and bleed herself for her, and Drima's face would not change. Motherly love was something she did not believe in. Once Adira had been conceived and Drima had finished playing her role, she abandoned her. It was not in a way that many were left astray, but she did not view Adira as her own. Only when Adira did something beneficial would she step beside her and give her an icy smile. She was not her daughter; she was a threat.
"Don't you look lovely today, Adira." Kace started, and Drima pressed herself against him. Her slender fingers gently clasped his chin, turning his face to her own.
"And how do I look, My Lord?" She whispered under her breath, eager to get his attention off of Adira.
"Splendid as always." He said between hushed tones, and Kace lazily drew his tongue against the slopes of her cheeks. Drima's slitted eyes seemed to be filled with lust, and she went to touch him again, but her hand stopped. "But do not interrupt me when I am talking."
Drima tried to curl her fingers, but she no longer controlled her body. No matter how hard she tried to make them move even a sliver, they would not give. "Y-Yes, My Lord." She choked out, and Kace's eyes narrowed as he offered her a devilish grin. The restriction fell, and Drima collapsed onto him, tucking her face into his chest. She tried to regain her breaths, and rage simmered in her stomach. Not for him-she would never feel anger towards him- but towards her.
"That dress looks beautiful on you. Why don't you turn around?"
Adira's eyes widened, and she looked towards Drima, who was throwing venomous daggers at her with her eyes. She turned towards Ravana but realized that there would be no help from him. She had nobody to look to.
With fingers curled into her palms, Adira slowly turned, allowing for Kace to see her backside. He tapped his fingers in approval on his chin, nodding his head. "Lovely indeed. You should present yourself like this more often, Adira. I'm certain you would bewitch any man."
Disgust grasped her and she lowered her eyes. She gritted her teeth in frustration but quickly returned to that schooled expression. If she were seen in such a way, then something worse would happen than being gawked at. She could deal with this; she had to deal with this.
Kace hummed for a few more moments before nodding his head. "You can turn around now, Adira. Come closer." He outstretched his finger towards her, beckoning her on.
With no one to turn to, she slowly walked towards him. She could still hear whispers around her, but they were more hushed. The air that hung around her felt charged as if one wrong move would set the world into chaos. All she could do was keep that honeyed and schooled look on her face and listen to his every wish and command. She couldn't back down; she had to keep moving forward.
But, she wished it were merely that easy. Every step she took made her legs quiver beneath the sheer fabric. She didn't want to get close to him, to this man so full of lust and anger. If she had a choice, she would never see him again. Every step towards him meant closing the distance. At least where she stood, he could not reach his hand out and touch her. But, in twenty steps, she could not say the same. Even in ten, he could close the distance between the two of them within seconds. She didn't want to get near him. She wanted someone. She wanted to get away from him.
Nimble fingers clasped her chin, and Adira was pulled, forced to turn around. Her eyes widened as she felt arms envelop her, a hand slipping beneath her bosom and the other around her waist. She took in a deep, rattled breath, and her fingers clenched.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, My Lord, you cannot blame me for getting jealous. It's on very few occasions when I can see Adira in such a dress. Just as you said, she looks lovely. No, more than that. She looks radiant. I have never seen anything like it."
Adira's fingers clenched down into Ravana's chest as he continued to speak. Did he not know what would happen to the two of them if he continued?
"I just wish that only my eyes were allowed to see her in such a way, My Lord."
"Is this so?"
Ravana nodded his head, lowering his head to her exposed nape. "If she were mine, she would never be allowed to leave, My Lord. Such beauty cannot be thrown around aimlessly. Just as I bet, you feel the same with your lovely Lady Drima."
Drima's lips perked at those words. Even though her state was disheveled and her clothes exposed all, she couldn't help the blush that accented her cheeks. "He speaks so bewitchingly."
Kace's eyes narrowed, but he wouldn't fight against Ravana. Adira was not worth displeasing one of his esteemed Pillar Lords. "If that's the case, leave. Take her somewhere that only you can see her."
"Thank you, My Lord." Without giving Adira a moment to hesitate, Ravana scooped her into his arms. She could feel the firm muscles that lined his forearms beneath her bosom, and his free hand was tangled in her hair. He did not give her the chance to remove her head from his shoulder, and for once, Adira was thankful for that.
Embraced in his arms, she felt as if the world could not see her. Although she could hear their venomous slurs surrounding her, she could not truly hear them. Not over the thunderous beating of her heart and the ragged intake of his breath. Feeling his uneasiness brought her a sense of relief that she could not even put into words. Even he was terrified of her father.
✽✽✽
Adira did not move her head until she could no longer feel the crisp air against her exposed skin or the whispers of those vile demons. It was not until she could hear a click behind her that Adira finally loosened a breath that she had been holding. She slackened in Ravana's arms, her fingernails digging into his shoulder blades. No matter how hard she bared down, Ravana did not complain. Instead, his fingers drew even circles against the back of her scalp, and he gently lowered himself until Adira was sitting on her bed.
"You can let go now, Adira. Nobody's here anymore. It's just you and I."
Adira gently pulled away, blinking her eyes to adjust to the sudden change in lighting. She was back in her room, and the servant had not even followed her in. He wasn't lying; it just was the two of them.
Adira swallowed deeply, sitting back further until she no longer embraced him. Long ago, Adira realized that she lacked the ability to produce tears. She could only scream, could only grit her teeth to relieve herself of the stifling emotions. Her cheeks were flushed, and she rubbed at her eyes a few times. Even though she could not cry, they still tingled.
"You should get out of those clothes," Ravana said, and Adira pushed away from him, her lips curling in disgust. "If Kace comes here and you look like that, then what will you do? I won't touch you, Adira. Not now."
Adira's eyes softened, and she lowered her head. When he had said those words, she had thought he was implying something different. She dropped her hands from his chest and nodded her head. Tendrils of silver hair slipped to cover her face, which she was thankful for. She was not used to Ravana being so sincere. He had always had a dominating presence. Whenever she stood beside him, she felt like she would be smashed beneath the
power that radiated off him. But, at this moment in time, she did not feel that way. Even though she felt weak, weaker than she had ever felt before, she didn't feel as if she were beneath him.
The softest of a flush had accented her ears, and she nodded her head. "You're right. I need to get out of this." She pointed towards one of the wardrobes in her room. "That one. Grab something out of that one."
Ravana did as she instructed, opening the wardrobe. In the corner beside the wardrobe, Ravana could see piles upon piles of shredded dresses. But, these were unlike the typical ones she usually wore when she slept. These had all been dresses that her father had made explicitly for her. The fabric was stunning, sheer and luscious, although now it had been shredded to the point of no longer being recognized.
The only dresses that were left in the wardrobe were plain ones. They were the type that was long-sleeved, high-necked, and would end at one's ankles. He randomly picked one out of the drawer and turned towards her. "Will this one-" Before he could finish his sentence, Ravana choked on his words. He covered his eyes with his hand, turning his head respectfully away from her.
Adira had already removed the dress from herself, the sheer fabric pooling around her ankles. She was completely exposed before him.
"What are you doing?"
"Changing. Now, give me the dress."
"Shouldn't you have waited until I was gone?"
"Why would I?" She whispered in an inquiry. "Isn't this what you want to see? Isn't this your objective?"
Ravana shook his head, still covering his eyes. "I won't have this conversation with you like this. I know you don't want me to see you like this."
"Who are you to decide how I wished to be viewed?"
"Snap out of it, Adira. I'm not him. I don't want to see you like this, at least not while you are behaving this way."
It would have been simpler if he had said otherwise. Adira needed for him to stare at her, to allow that lust to fill his eyes. At least if he did that, she could allow that hatred to flow through her body again. When he acted this way, she didn't know what to believe.
"Put the dress on, Adira." He said again, demanding this time as he pressed the dress out towards her. Adira's eyes narrowed on his hands, and she begrudgingly grabbed it. She slipped into it, pulling at the hem around the neck before she walked away from him. It was loose around her frail frame, covering most of her skin.
"You can turn around now."
Ravana slowly allowed one eye to open before he realized she was telling the truth. Adira was standing by the window, starring outside of the single windowpane down at the courtyard below. Demons of large maltitudes were still gathered down there, singing their praises. This festival would continue long into the night and the following days. But, as the crimson sky darkened, so would the beasts around them.
"Do you have anything to say?" She asked him, although her eyes did not leave the courtyard below. She followed their every movement, a distasteful look on her face. Why were they allowed to experience such joy when they had given nothing up for it?
"How long?"
"How long what?" She inquired, although her tone was flat.
"Has he always been like that?"
"What? Are you now worried about my safety? It is not like you to fret. Do not worry, Ravana, I am not soiled goods if that is what you're inquiring about."
"I don't care about that." He snapped, and Adira lazily looked at him over her shoulder. She could not believe that he was any different, especially with his words and actions.
"You don't care? Ravana, are you not like him? Do you not touch me as you please? Have you not tried to court me since I was a young child?"
"I..." He started, but he couldn't deny her words.
"What you did for me tonight... I will never forget it. You're right; my father will see me again. After the celebration ends, he'll visit me. He'll skin me alive as he always does, and he'll make me scream his name. That's the kind of man my father is and will always be. So, in many ways, I truly will not forget this day."
"But, he's-"
"My father? Is that your argument? You would be a blind man to believe that it wouldn't be possible, especially amongst our kind. I've always wondered, Ravana." She whispered as she pressed her hand against the window-glass. "We always say that humans are the worst creatures possible. They are the reason for our misery and our suffering. But, when I look out this window, I do not see any humans. All I see are demons. Is it not us who are the worst creatures on this world?"
"I have never suffered at the hands of humans, only demons. There is nothing I can do to stop it. Suppose it's not the demons around me, then it is my own family. Say, Ravana, have you always wondered why we live longer than them? Why does time pass by so differently here? Do you think it's a punishment from the gods above?"
"Shut up!" He screamed, slamming his fist on the bed in front of him. "This is not like you, Adira."
Her eyes narrowed, her crimson irises dull to look at. "There you go again, saying those words-"
Before she could continue, Ravana crossed the room. He grabbed her by the wrist, slamming her against the window. Her eyes widened from the sudden force, and she clenched her teeth at the sharp pain that jolted up her wrists. Outside, she could still hear the demons crying in pleasure. She hated it. She wanted it to stop.
"You know what they are going to do to me, don't you, Ravana? Isn't that why you've always been around me since I was brought into this world? You know their plans. You know what they are planning to do to me." She whispered, her eyes settling on her breasts. “But I never was asked, Ravana. I never wanted to be born into a world where my only choice was to become a weapon. I don't want to wake every day knowing that I could be skinned, torn alive, for the sick pleasure of one man. You've done it before, haven't you, Ravana? You've killed many demons before me."
"W-What are you saying?" Ravana's words caught in his throat, and Adira's fiery irises met his own.
"You know exactly what I'm saying. I don't want to live, knowing that my only purpose is to be a pleasure toy for others. Kill me, Ravana. Spare me the pain of being alive any longer."
"You want this?"
"I truly do." She whispered as she pressed towards him. "I was brought into this world not as a byproduct of love, but as an experiment. My parents do not love me. I have nobody to turn to."
When Ravana looked into her eyes, he could see it all. Although she could not produce tears, her face was pulled in such a manner that even made his heart hurt. She was such a frail, little thing that didn't want any of this, but she had no choice. She truly did want to die.
His fingers fell on the dagger he always kept by his side. The fashioned blade was not straight but curved. The slightest pressure against one's skin would be more than enough for the sharpened edge to slice through muscle and bone. All it would take would be one quick slice across her jugular, and Adira would collapse from blood loss. From there, all he would have to do is consume her soul, and she would be dead. He could do it all within a blink of an eye.
Adira's eyes closed as she stiffened. Ravana pulled the dagger, placing it against her throat. She could feel the blade bearing down, beginning to fray her flesh. This was exactly what she wanted, but why was she so scared? She had been sliced so often, yet she couldn't stop the hammering of her heart.
She braced herself as she heard Ravana exhale, but there was no pain. She was expecting to feel something sharp as the blade tore through the thin flesh on her jugular. But, she didn't even feel the warmth of her blood spilling down her chest.
She slowly opened one eye and, to her surprise, Ravana was no longer holding onto her wrists. The blade had been removed from her throat, and he forcefully clasped her hand around its hilt. "Turn to nobody but yourself, Adira."
Ravana stepped away from her, and Adira stared at her hand in disbelief. She fell onto her knees and shook her head. "What are you doing? You're supposed to kill me!"
"It would be a shame fo
r me to kill you. After all, if you were to die, then who would be my wife?"
Adira's eyes widened in shock, and she gritted her teeth. "Y-You!"
"Yes, before you were even born, I knew what your purpose was going to be, but that's not why I've pursued you." He said, walking towards the door. "If that were the case, then there are many things I would have done differently. I would not have stood up to Kace, the demon who made me who I am today. If you want to survive in this world, Adira, then you can turn to nobody but yourself. The only person who can protect you is you. The only person that's worth living for is you. Once you can do that, then maybe you can turn towards others."
"I'll let you decide what to do. I'm going to return to the festival. If, when I return, you have not killed yourself within two hours, then I will not touch you. But, if you slit your throat, then I will consume your soul. The choice is yours, not mine. I will not be the one to take your life away."
"Ravana!" She screamed as he opened the door. "Don't leave me! You can't do this to me!" But, Ravana did not stop. He slammed the door behind him, leaving Adira with the dagger that glinted in her hands. Seeing her reflection in the blade made her hands only clench down further, and she screamed into her lap, loud enough until she coughed up blood from her torn vocal cords.
✽✽✽
On the dot, Ravana returned to Adira's room. If it had been any other day, he would have even found it humorous how he had tried to enter her room many times before, and yet he had seen it twice that day. He pushed the door open and, to his surprise, Adira was not by the windowpane. She was in her bed, her eyes already closed, and her breathing shallow in her chest.
He walked by her side, and the blade of the dagger glinted in the light thrown by the crimson sky outside. Her lips were parted as she took in rhythmic breaths, and Ravana couldn't help but smile. His hand fell to her cheek, and Adira did not stir.
