Kasia's pov
I sat in that dark place, unsure of its exact location. My hands were bound with cuffs made of pure silver, leaving marks whose color I couldn't tell, as I never had the chance to see them. I tried repeatedly to move my body, but I couldn't. I was exhausted and starving… I hadn't eaten anything for two days, and my feet barely responded to my touch, frozen from the cold. On top of that, I was in excruciating pain.
I had lost track of time—I couldn't even remember the last time I had seen sunlight. Perhaps it had been eleven years since I was locked in this basement… alone. No one tried to save me, and I doubted anyone even knew I existed.
How long… how long must I endure this? When will I die and be free from this hell? All I wanted was death… to escape his grasp. I was utterly fed up. Tears ran down my cheeks, yet perhaps that was good—I still had some feelings left.
Then I heard it… footsteps. His footsteps. He was coming. Again. The torment would begin anew. I shrank into myself, shivering violently. My teeth chattered uncontrollably, whether from fear, cold… or both. The steps grew louder, clearer, until finally the door burst open.
There he was, looming in the doorway—my uncle, Albert.
"Well, well, how's my dear Kasia? Has anything new happened while I was away?" His voice was terrifying. I lowered my head, avoiding his gaze. He was a mirror image of my father… yet so evil. How could someone so vile be my father's brother? My father—the man whose warm smile made everyone feel safe. But he was gone, along with my mother.
I still remembered that day as if it were yesterday. I was ten, riding in the car with my parents on a peaceful outing, when those creatures appeared—enormous, hideous things. The car stopped abruptly. My father leapt out to protect us, but it was futile. One of the beasts pierced his chest, ripping out his heart before my eyes. My mother, trembling, placed me in the back seat, murmuring strange words. Her eyes shifted from blue to violet, black veins crawling across her face and hands. She became terrifying. For the first time, I realized my mother was not entirely human.
She fought them, chanting words I couldn't understand, until all the creatures lay dead. Covered in blood, she rushed to my father, pressing her ear to his chest—but it was too late. He was gone. We could only hear our own sobs. Then, footsteps echoed. My uncle Albert. My mother ran to him, begging for help, but all that reached me was his maniacal laughter. Then, a black dagger pierced her heart. Her eyes met mine one last time before she fell motionless.
I couldn't feel my legs and collapsed to my knees. My parents were dead, murdered by my uncle… the very man who now had me.
"I need you, my dear Kasia. Don't worry, I'll keep you alive… at least until you lose your worth."
A punch struck my stomach. I spat blood and fainted, only to awaken restrained.
"You've been ignoring me lately… becoming very obedient," he murmured, and a slap to my face made me lose sensation entirely. I was now his captive, his treasure, the vessel of the rare blood I inherited from my mother. He used it to feed his demon soldiers, hiring them as mercenaries.
This time, two of those demons appeared, nearly two meters tall each.
"Don't be greedy. Finish quickly, or you know the consequences," my uncle warned. They approached me. I tried to pull away, but my restraints held me tight. One sunk its fangs into my wrist, the other into my neck. Pain, sharp as fire, coursed through my body. Slowly, my strength and awareness drained away. I wished they would kill me, to end this suffering.
Suddenly, they vanished. My uncle shoved them aside angrily. "Idiots… you nearly killed her. Get out of my sight!" The demons disappeared in a flash, their hungry, gleaming eyes lingering on me one last time.
He bent down to my level, lifting my face to meet his.
"Good. All you have to do is obey and assist me… and you'll keep your life."
He pushed me hard; I collided with the wall behind me. Pain exploded in my head, warm, salty liquid running into my mouth. I was bleeding.
He didn't care. He left, tossing a stale piece of bread behind him and locking the door with countless locks.
This was my life now. Every day. Tears streamed down my face as numbness claimed me. Eventually, I drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep.