"Where am I?" Marie asked as her eyes darted around the unfamiliar room.
Her body ached but her heart ached more. She had done something she never thought she could bring herself to do, but she had no choice. She couldn't give Sybil the satisfaction of killing them both.
Sargon now had a chance to survive, run his kingdom, and live his life with whomever he wanted to. It would never have been her. She would have had to bear the heartbreak no matter what. She did not belong in his world. Tears began to form but she fought her hardest to stop them.
"This is my room." Nicholas said as he walked over to her with a cup of water.
When she didn't take the water from him, he placed it on the night stand next to her.
"Don't worry, I don't need to poison you. You are already easy to kill." He shrugged his shoulders and stood near the bed, looking down at her.
"Why am I here?"
"Did you prefer to stay in the kiddie room? I can always let them take you back there." He said. Marie looked at him confused.
"I have another room in here. Don't worry so much."
Marie looked around the room. It was very simple, and everything was in its place. It seemed as though he liked black and white. There was a perfect balance of black and white throughout the room. The bed was extremely comfortable as well. It was much nicer than the small bed she slept on in the child's room.
"How did Sybil and the other witches let you bring me here? Isabel seems to not like you very much."
"What do you mean? Everyone loves me." He said as though surprised. Marie couldn't tell if he was genuinely surprised or being sarcastic.
Nicholas definitely had an interesting personality. Marie was almost glad he was there with her. However, she knew better than to trust him.
"What happened at the ceremony? Was the bond completely broken?"
"Yes. Do you remember anything?"
"I remember it being painful in every way. I remember the visions." Her stomach tightened as she replayed what she remembered in her mind.
"Yeah, I heard it's really bad. You passed out as soon as it was broken. I took you from the other witches and brought you here. They had enough time to torture you."
"Sybil let you take me away?"
"I guess she felt a sense of loyalty to her and betrayal to the Alpha by you willingly breaking the bond. She doesn't feel so threatened by you. You are doing what she wants." The reality of what Marie had done, set it.
Sargon had no idea she was going to break the bond. He didn't know what was going on. She couldn't imagine how he felt during the process. She wondered if he felt anything now or if all of his feelings had already faded.
"He probably does feel betrayed. He doesn't know what is going on. I just hope it wasn't as bad for him as it was for me."
"Well, it was painful for him, but he is designed to withstand the most severe pains. He is an actual beast, a monster. Don't forget that."
"You are right about him being able to withstand pain, but I wouldn't call him a monster. He has never done anything horrific to me. At least he didn't feel what I did. It was probably much less. His feelings have probably faded already while mine linger."
"Do you regret breaking the bond?"
Marie was thoughtful for a moment as she sat up in bed, pulling the soft sheets up to her neck.
"I don't regret it. I do not want to be responsible for the death of anyone. I don't want to put anyone's family in danger. If this was the only way, then so be it."
Nicholas leaned on the bedroom wall with his hands in his pockets and stared at her. Marie couldn't read his expression. She had no idea what he was thinking. She wondered if he could read her mind.
"You do know that if you give your power up to Sybil, you will be responsible for the deaths of many, right?"
"Are you on Sybil's side or my side?"
"I am on my side actually. Life is about choices and currently, it is my choice to be here for the moment. I don't mind what anyone says. Sybil doesn't worry about me. She cannot control me either."
"Why not?"
"That's just the way it is. For the record, you are better off here with me than alone in that little room. You will go crazy in there." He said as Marie shook her head in agreement.
"Are you still willing to help me get out of here?"
"Hmm…I kind of like having you around, he said with a smoldering gaze."
Marie twisted her face at his expression.
"Am I that repulsive?' He asked teasingly. Marie wouldn't answer that. He was attractive and she had no desire to take things in that direction.
"I want to leave this place. There must be a way."
"I can help you get out of here, but she will simply find you and bring you back. She always finds you unless she doesn't need you. Then she moves on to the next person to obsess about." He said, gazing into space.
"I wouldn't know the first thing about trying to leave. I would need your help."
"I will think about it. Are you well enough to take a bath yet? You have been in ceremony clothes for long enough. You are starting to smell." He said as Marie's eyes widened.
"I do not stink!"
"Did you lose your sense of smell too? Those herbs you were lathered with can smell strong for a long time." He said with one lifted brow.
Marie remembered how the herbs smelled before the ceremony. She couldn't smell them now, but she wanted to feel clean anyway.
"Well, I think I will take a bath if you do not mind."
"Of course, I don't mind. Follow me."
Nicholas guided her into the washroom. On the counter was a new set of clothing, a fresh towel and other toiletries. Marie carefully inspected each item. She walked over to the tub and turned the water on to fill up the tub. She reached for the bath wash on the counter, opened it and inhaled the floral aroma as she closed her eyes.
As the bath filled, she poured the bath wash into the water, watching it bubble. When she stood up and turned around, Nicholas was watching her every move as he leaned on the door frame with his arms folded in front of him.
"Are you going to just stand there and watch me the entire time, creep?"
"If you let me." He smirked.
Marie walked up to him standing only inches away from him, tiptoeing, she looked into his eyes.
"I mind. Now let me take a bath in peace please." She said as she pushed him just enough to move him out of the doorway.
"Alright, alright, I am out of here." He whined.
Marie closed the door behind him as soon as he walked away. She was happy to take a bath and get out of the ceremonial dressing. She needed to wash away all that happened. She also needed to figure out what the dream she had a moment ago was about.
She saw Vianna near Sybils house. Sybil tried to attack her. She tried to warn her. Why would Vianna be there? The dream felt like the ones she had with her mother. They were so real. It made no sense. She hoped Vianna was ok. Somehow, she needed to get her powers back.