After a day of rest and a proper meal, my body finally felt like it belonged to me again. Rita insisted I eat more, worried about the long days without food, but my stomach couldn't handle much. The evening passed quietly, leaving me nothing to do but examine my room.
It was enormous. Gold and black paintings adorned the walls, curtains perfectly tailored, masculine patterns—but classy. I couldn't believe this room belonged to me. Perhaps coming to Ares wasn't so bad after all.
The door opened slightly, and a head peeked in. Silver locks—not deep silver, more ashen, yet striking. I blinked. "Come in."
The figure stepped fully inside. "Rita?" I whispered, surprised. She had removed her disguise entirely.
"Hello," she said quietly.
"I… I was right. You are a witch," I said, almost rude in my bluntness.
Her eyes widened. "You knew all this time?"
"Not really," I replied, carefully. "You just… you could do a lot of things witches could do." I cut myself off, unwilling to let her know I'd been reading about supernatural beings in the royal library, hiding behind romantic novels. She caught my suspicion anyway.
"Why did you read them?" she asked, settling beside me.
"I… I was curious." I cleared my throat. "You look beautiful. I've never been this close to… a witch." I tried not to sound rude.
I hesitated, then asked, "Have I been out long? I mean… have you seen the King?"
She smiled knowingly and nodded, pouting teasingly.
"What does he look like?" My curiosity got the better of me.
"Oh," she said carefully, "he told me to let you know he'll be out for the rest of the week. Kingdom business."
"He was here yesterday?" Alarm rang in my mind. Why?
"To check on you," she said, bowing her head. "He saw your scars. I swear he just budged in after you left the bathroom in your nightdress, and I had no choice but to answer his questions."
I froze. So… he found me disgusting? My thoughts ran wild, only to be interrupted by her next words:
"You were too weak to walk, so he carried you to bed and tucked you in."
My cheeks flamed pink. Embarrassment made me glare at her. She burst into laughter, which quickly infected me.
"You didn't tell him about the palace incident, right?" My heart raced.
"No. It's not my place. I'll support every decision you make, princess." Her words made tears sting my eyes. She wrapped me in her arms, comforting me.
I couldn't face it alone. I just… couldn't. I drifted to sleep in her embrace.
The rest of the week passed quietly. I made a few friends among the castle maids—they were patient, kind, unlike the others I had known. My routine became simple: room, library, garden, or light activity with Mr. Walts, the gardener.
But I had lost my appetite. Food smelled strong, overwhelming. I either forced myself to eat with Rita nearby or subsisted on juice and fruit.
One day, nausea struck violently. I barely made it to the bathroom before bile rose uncontrollably. I cleaned myself up, tried to steady my shaking body, and stepped out—only to freeze.
Rita was pacing the room… but this wasn't her. The energy radiating off her was wrong, foreign.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" I demanded. Rage surged. How dare she impersonate my friend to harm me?
"That thing in your womb is an abomination," the figure hissed, stepping closer. "I'll take it out and let you live. Quietly. It will be over before you know it."
Oh Christ, help me.
I screamed Rita's name in my mind.
"Get away from me! I don't know what you're talking about!" I shouted.
The witch's voice exploded all around me. "You are an abomination, and your parents pay dearly for their foolishness! Now you, too? I'll kill both of you before you become a problem!"
I braced myself. The air buzzed with energy, the glow of light radiating from me—subtle, faint but strong enough to stun her.
"You… you're not human," she whispered, eyes wide.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice trembling.
Before she could respond, the door slammed open. Relief washed over me as I saw her. Rita.
"It was you," she said simply. She stepped forward, confronting the witch.
"You know this is an abomination…" the witch hissed—but her words were cut short as Rita hurled a flaming ball at her face, taking her completely by surprise.
"Leave. And never come back."
The witch froze, glared, and disappeared with a final warning.
I staggered, vision blurred. Rita's clothes were tattered. She had fought too. My body could not hold on. Darkness claimed me as I collapsed.