by Lily Wallis
“That’s impossible.”
“Is it? Have you seen his magic?”
“Yes,” I reply, hesitantly, remembering the rose he crafted right in front of my eyes.
“Can you explain it?”
“I guess not,” I say.
“Malvado. Do you know what it means?”
“His name? No.”
“It comes from Spanish and means evil.”
“He wears his name well then,” I say, leaning back on the sofa. “I’m just glad that I don’t see him.”
“Me too,” Theroux replies. “Every second that you were by his side was like a thousand knives digging into my skin. Though, there was nothing I could do.”
“I can’t believe I trusted him.”
“You had no choice, it was that, or die.”
He’s right, those were my only choices. Had I not given in; I probably would have been killed. My thoughts take me back to New Orleans and the words I was given by the Voodoo queen. I didn’t believe her then, at least not wholeheartedly, but I’m really beginning to question everything now. The sparkle of my jewel catches my eye, and more thoughts enter my mind.
“A penny for your thoughts?”
“I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
“This thing,” I say, moving my wrist. “The ceremony. Were you there?”
“Yes,” he replies, looking a bit uncomfortable.
“What exactly happened?”
“Well,” he says, squeezing my hand. “Do you really want to know?”
“Yes, I do.”
“In our ceremonies, to welcome a new member, it requires a sacrifice.”
“Sacrifice, what do you mean?”
“Do you remember your first dinner at the table?”
“Kind of,” I say, trying to recall that night.
“The naked woman in the corner, the one Malvado had removed to make you more comfortable, she was the sacrifice.”
“What? How?”
“Obviously, it was delayed because Malvado wanted you to make the decision to join us. The day of the ceremony, Malvado carried you outside where we all had been waiting. He laid you down on a table, and removed your clothes.”
“Oh my God,” I say, completely ashamed.
“The woman was brought out, and Malvado took a knife to her wrist, removing her jewel to place it into your skin. Then, with a knife, he slit her throat, letting her blood spill over your body, until she passed.”
“No,” I say. “No, that’s…how could he do this?”
“It is what he does. What the Baron demands.”
“There’s more, isn’t there?”
“Yes,” he says, his head hung low.
“Tell me!”
“Malvado summoned the Baron, and he overtook his body, and that’s when he had his way with you. It could have very well been the night that you conceived. At least, it’s what Malvado had hoped.”
I’m left speechless, feeling dirty, ashamed and used. I would have never imagined that this happened, all while I was sedated. I couldn’t have made it up in my worst nightmare. John was right, we are in hell.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Three days have passed since I learned what really happened on the night of the ceremony, and Theroux has done his best to comfort me. Knowing that he saw me in a vulnerable state like that doesn’t sit well with me at all. Then again, he saw me covered in blood while losing my…I never considered it my baby, and that troubled me. There wasn’t a connection, though I knew life was growing inside of me. When I miscarried, I did feel a loss, one that I of course kept to myself. It was the nights where I would feel myself choke up, tears flowing while everyone slept. What brings me solace is that the child will never have to live in this world, Malvado’s world. Looking over at Madame Benoit as she knits, her own loss enters my mind.
“Madame Benoit,” I say, and she looks at me with a sideways glance. “I heard about what happened with your daughter before you came here. I am sorry.”
“We all have our stories. Some are best to be left in the other world.”
“I understand why you came here; I do.”
“No one could have known what the future held. We were blind followers.”
“You saved your son,” I say, and she puts down her knitting needles.
“A son that cannot even speak to me without hate in his eyes. Maybe we all would have been better off dead.”
“I have thought that about myself many times,” I say. “I never felt loved, I never felt as if I belonged. Though I fought through it, and I continue to fight.”
“Now you have something to fight for.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“My son loves you, and in any other circumstance I would whip up a nice dinner and celebrate the possibility of a union. This world isn’t easy, and can change in an instant, as you have witnessed. You always have to be on your toes, never get too comfortable.”
Truer words have never been spoken. She is right, you can never be comfortable…not here. As she continues to knit, I wonder what she would have done if she knew how her and Theroux’s life would turn out. Getting up, I decide to go outside. I have to be back in the kitchen in two hours to start the dinner preparations, so a little fresh air will do some good. Well, as fresh as it can be. I remember my first time outdoors after being locked in the mansion for so long. I inhaled the scent, never wanting to forget it. In truth, that scent is anything but wonderful. We are somewhere in the bayou, swamps surrounding us. It is hot, and the smell of death rings through the air every so often, and I hope it is just an animal that is rotting somewhere. Walking near the perimeter, the rustling picks up, and the whispers begin. When I come to a small clearing, my jewel glows and the whispers grow in volume.
“What are you trying to say?” I ask, speaking into the vast nothing in front of me.
I try to focus, but it’s hopeless. Not one of these whispers can be put into a single word. Hell, for all I know they could be French, something I can’t understand anyway.
“Playing with fire, aren’t we, ma chérie?”
Quickly, I turn around and am met with the blue eyes that used to give me comfort, but now, terrify me. With my mouth agape, I feel myself begin to shake, unable to take my eyes off of this monster.
“Is that how you greet your King?” he asks, a big smile gracing his lips.
Pulling myself out of my fear, I quickly curtsy, bowing my head. The chuckling in his voice, is evil, very evil.
“Now, that is much better,” he replies as I bring myself back to a standing position.
“Yes, your highness,” I say, avoiding eye contact.
“Do you enjoy your new position?”
“Yes, your Grace.”
As I stand there, frozen, he begins to walk around me, circle after circle, not saying a word. I feel his stare penetrate my soul, ripping it to shreds with every breath he takes. Suddenly, I feel his hand on the front of my neck as he stops behind me, and his hot breath comes close to my ear.
“You may think you are in hell now,” he whispers. “You are not. Just a few more steps toward the whispers, and you will be at hell’s gate, with no way to ever get back. Be smart, Violet. Be very smart.”
He releases the grip on my neck and with that, he is gone. My eyes search the entire area, but there is no trace of Malvado. My heart is pounding, my breaths labored, and sweat is starting to run down the side of my face. Was this just my imagination or was this one of his tricks? As I still try to make sense of it all, I hear a very faint voice calling my name. Turning toward the whispers, I try to listen closely, and the voice becomes clearer. My hand reaches out in front of me, and that is when I feel my entire body being jerked backward.
“Violet!” Theroux says, as his arms hold me tight. “Oh my God, I thought I was going to lose you.”
Looking him in his eyes, I’ve never seen fear reflected until now. Immediately, he pulls me in, holding me close while his hand
rubs my back.
“I came just in time,” he sighs, and I look up at him.
“How did you know I was here?” I ask, not having seen him anywhere close.
“I saw you in the distance. I ran as fast as I could. I called your name, but you didn’t respond.”
“I heard my name,” I say. “I thought it came from the whispers.”
“It’s what they wanted you to think, Violet. They will play tricks on your mind; they will do whatever it takes to consume you.”
As we walk back to the mansion, I look at the jewel on my wrist, then turn to glance at Theroux’s. His is blood red, and I try to recall if I even saw a hint of it when I met him in that bar in New Orleans.
“Are you lost in thought?”
“Theroux, how did you get to New Orleans?” I ask. “How did you pass the barrier?”
He exhales deeply, closing his eyes. Stopping at a tree, he leans up against it, running his hand through his hair.
“You have to tell me, please,” I say. “Have you seen what lives beyond the barrier? Have you seen the whispers?”
“I will tell you everything, Violet,” he says. “Tonight, once everyone is asleep.”
Chapter Thirty
Sitting in my room, I patiently wait for Theroux to appear. It is late, very late. I heard Madame Benoit retreat to her room about an hour ago, and wonder what is keeping Theroux. Getting up, I begin to pace up and down, looking out of the window at the darkness. A few minutes later, my door opens, and I see him standing there with a grim expression.
“Theroux, is everything all right?” I say, rushing to him.
“Malvado wants to move you,” he says, and my eyes widen.
“No,” I say. “Why?”
“He said you must have too much free time to enjoy walks outside during the day,” he explains, and it confirms that I wasn’t seeing things. “Violet, I don’t like it, but I can’t do anything about it.”
“Where is he moving me?” I ask.
“You are to be his maid,” he responds, and I gasp.
“No!”
“Violet, I tried to sway him as best as I could, but he was firm.”
“Oh my God,” I say, sitting down on a chase. “What is going to happen?”
“I don’t know,” Theroux replies. “I don’t know if he has a sinister plan or if he is trying to punish you. Violet, you have to be strong. He can smell fear, and he feeds off it.”
“When do I start?”
“Tomorrow.”
“I don’t even know what to do, I am going to fail,” I say, feeling myself choke up.
“Elodie will be with you for the first week, he assured me of this.”
“Why do you sound unsure about this?” I ask, my hand on his chin, forcing him to look at me.
“Because Elodie is a force to be reckoned with.”
“What? Elodie? The one that used to be my maid?”
“Yes.”
“She was always very friendly. I didn’t trust her, but she never gave me a reason to think she was anything but humble.”
“Remember the position you held, Violet. I wouldn’t expect anything less of her. You don’t know Elodie’s story, do you?”
“No, she only said that her life wasn’t going well and he saved her.”
“Elodie was a married woman with two children. Malvado said the Baron demanded that she join our Kingdom, and Lazare brought her here. She was the first and only one that wasn’t troubled, or alone. When she disappeared, her husband searched for her, and he still searches to this day. It was a mistake on…” he pauses.
“What? Malvado’s part?”
“I would say the Baron’s, but sometimes I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Do you really believe this Baron guides Malvado? Do you believe any of it?”
“I grew up in it,” I say. “It’s all I know.”
“Have you ever heard of a cult?”
“Yes,” he replies. “It is much more than a cult, believe me, Violet.”
“So, Elodie’s husband continues to search for her. When was she taken?”
“Six years ago.”
“But why? To be a maid?”
“The Baron was tiring of his concubines, and sought out a fresh one. Once he was through with her, she was assigned her position.”
“When I was in the Rose Room, the screams I heard next door. Elodie went through that?”
“She did, and sometimes, still does,” he exhales. “But it is her goal.”
“Her goal? What are you talking about?”
“She is protective of Malvado, developed a closer bond to him. She steps aside as needed, but is of service when he demands.”
“This is unbelievable. How can she do that?”
“She is a believer, and subconsciously it could come down to survival.”
“If all this is true, she won’t let me step in to be his maid,” I say.
“She steps aside as needed. Though, she will possibly make the week very difficult for you.”
“Will he make me,” I start. “Will I end up in that room as well?”
“I hope not,” he replies, pulling me close. “I really hope it won’t come to that.”
Could I have avoided it if I didn’t go outside today? I feel as if I am about to enter the dragon’s lair, armed with nothing. I have never believed in God, though now I pray to him. Please keep me safe.
Chapter Thirty-One
Waking up the next morning, I notice that it is still dark outside. Turning around in my bed, I see Theroux next to me and it is then I remember us talking into the night. While my head rests on my pillow, I nestle my hands between it and my cheek, staring at him sleeping peacefully. For a moment, I can imagine myself in a different place with him under different circumstances. Had we met in New Orleans, and he were to have been just some regular everyday guy, where would we be now? Sighing, I realize it doesn’t change our reality, and it’s a dream that should just be forgotten. Still watching him, he begins to stir, and when he opens his eyes, I smile.
“Good morning,” he says, his voice muffled.
“Good morning,” I smile.
Without hesitation, his hand wraps around the back of my head and his lips greet mine as if it were a normal occurrence. Even though it isn’t, it feels comfortable, and I return the kiss.
“Did you sleep well?”
“I did,” I say. “Probably the best since I’ve been here.”
“Me too,” he replies. “You feel like home, Violet. A feeling I’ve longed for my entire life, one I never want to lose again.”
We lie snuggled up together for a few more minutes, enjoying our little escape from the world. Our peace is interrupted moments later with a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Theroux says, as I pull the sheet closer to me.
“Theroux,” Madame Benoit says. “Lazare is here to see you.”
She barely finishes her sentence, and Lazare darts past her, directly into my room. His eyes make their way to me, looking away immediately as if I were indecent.
“Theroux, the King demands Violet to be brought to his chamber.”
“What is going on?” Madame Benoit askes bewildered.
“Nothing, Mother,” Theroux replies. “Lazare, please step out so Violet can get dressed for the day. I will escort her myself.”
“He instructed that I escort her,” Lazare replies, and panic strikes me. “I will wait in the other room.”
Closing the door behind him, I am left with Theroux and his mother. She is desperately trying to make sense of it all, and I can understand why. Their position lies in my hands, and I hate it.
“Mother, calm yourself. Violet has been assigned a new position, that is all,” he explains, making it sound so matter of fact.
“What position?”
“The King’s chambermaid.”
“Oh,” she says, looking as if she is deep in thought.
“Yes, nothing to worry about, so let’s go about our day
as we should,” he says, walking to the door to show her out.
As I get out of bed, he shuts the door and we meet in the middle of the room. Our eyes lost in a silent conversation, for words aren’t coming easy. With a half-smile, he takes me into his arms, and holds me tight, rocking me back and forth. Exhaling deeply, he kisses the top of my head, and I look up at him.
“I wish I could be there with you,” he frowns. “I hate this.”
“Me too,” I say, and he leans in to kiss my lips.
“Remember, don’t let him know you are afraid. Be strong, be courageous.”
“I will try,” I say, hoping I sound confident.
“Just do as you are told, and we will take it day by day.”
Once I get dressed, wearing my kitchen uniform, I meet Lazare in the front room, and he grips the top of my arm, leading me out of the door. He stays silent, and even though it is uncomfortable, I welcome it. The grip on my arm stays the same as we pass the main hall. It is empty, not a single soul in sight. Once we get to Malvado’s room, Lazare releases me and knocks at the door. We are granted access and Lazare opens the door. Stepping in, we find Malvado standing near his desk.
“Good morning, your Majesty,” Lazare says, bowing.
“Good morning, Lazare. Violet,” Malvado replies, and I immediately curtsy.
“Good girl, we’ve learned something. It’s a start,” Malvado says, coming toward us. “Lazare, you may leave us.”
As Lazare turns around to leave, I quickly scan the room for Elodie, but she is nowhere to be found. Malvado paces around me, just as he did outside the other day.
“Violet, Violet, Violet,” he begins. “What are you wearing?”
“I am wearing what I have been given,” I reply.
“Well, we’ll have to change that, won’t we?” he grins. “Take it off.”
“Right here?” I ask, and that is when he comes up behind me.
“Right here,” he replies, leaned close to my ear while undoing the tie of my apron.
As I begin to remove my clothing, I continue to tell myself to be strong, and imagine I am anywhere but here. Peeling the dress off my hips, I am now left standing in bloomers and shoes. With him still behind me, he runs his hand over my shoulder, past the back of my neck, and to the other, before traveling down the front of my chest. I close my eyes, as his hands continue to run up and down my body.