Aria's POV
I woke up with a start, disoriented and confused. As I sat up in bed, I realized that I must have dozed off without realizing it. The room was quiet, and the sunlight streaming through the windows indicated that it was late afternoon.
I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the haze of sleep.
As I looked around the room, I felt a pang of restlessness. I'd been spending too much time cooped up in my room, with nothing to do in the archives, I was left with nothing to keep me busy.
I threw off the covers and got out of bed, deciding to take a walk to clear my head. Maybe some fresh air would help me shake off whatever I was feeling. I decided to go out.
As the door creaked open, I ran into Jax standing in the doorway. His presence was as unnerving as it had been the day I first met him. He had taken to being my personal unwanted shadow. He was always lurking outside my room, I once jokingly asked him if he had nothing else to do with his time, his reply was to stare at me blankly before pointedly ignoring my question.
"Do you need anything?" he asked.
I hesitated, not wanting him to accompany me.
"Actually," I said finally, "I was just planning to visit the gardens."
Jax nodded, his expression neutral. "I'll accompany you then"
I tried to dissuade Jax from accompanying me, telling him that a walk within the castle grounds wouldn't require his presence. "I don't think it's necessary for you to come with me," I said. "I'll just get Elara to accompany me."
Jax's expression turned stern, his voice harsh. "I'm afraid that's not an option, miss. I have strict orders from Kael to accompany you at all times."
I felt a surge of annoyance at his tone, but I tried to remain calm. "But I'm not leaving the castle grounds," I said. "Surely, that's not necessary."
Jax's face remained impassive, but his voice was unyielding. "Orders are orders, princess. I won't be disobeying Kael's instructions."
I felt a shiver run down my spine at the mention of Kael's name. Why was he so insistent on controlling everything I did?
I tried to push the thoughts aside and focus on the present moment. "Fine," I said, resigned. "Let's just get this over with."
He nodded curtly and fell into step beside me as we walked towards the garden.
As I strolled through the garden, Jax trailing behind me, the silence between us felt oppressive. His gaze lingering on me with an Intensity that made my skin crawl. I tried to focus on the beauty of the garden, the vibrant flowers and the soft chirping of the birds, but my awareness of Jax's presence made it hard to relax.
The air was filled with the sweet scent of the flowers, but even that couldn't ease the tension that had settled between us.
Jax's boredom was palpable, his movements listless and mechanical, as if he'd rather be anywhere else. The combination of his unnerving stare and obvious disinterest made for an awkward and uncomfortable walk.
I wandered along the winding path, trying to lose myself in the tranquility of the garden. But Jax's presence was a constant reminder that I wasn't alone. I once again felt like a prisoner, which sadly I was. I had just gotten so used to this place that I had forgotten that not so little detail.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the garden, I slowed my pace. I didn't want to return to my room just yet, but I knew I couldn't avoid it forever. I waited until the stars began to twinkle in the sky, then nodded to myself, satisfied that I'd waited long enough.
With a quiet sigh, I turned and made my way back to the castle, Jax falling into step beside me. The silence between us was still awkward, but I was too tired to care. I just wanted to retreat to the safety of my room and forget about the unsettling walk.
After freshening up and getting ready for bed, I sat on the bed not long after, the room began to spin, and I felt myself being pulled back into a dreamlike state. I tried to resist, but it was too late. I was sucked into a what I came to realize was a terror filled world.
I was standing on the banks of a river, the water flowing gently in the moonlight. The air was cool and calm, and I felt a sense of peace wash over me.
But as I looked out across the water, I saw him standing on the opposite bank.
I felt the familiar terror creep over me as the hooded man began to walk towards me, his movements slow and deliberate. The water seemed to grow choppy and turbulent, as if it was being stirred up by some unseen force.
As the man drew closer, I saw that he was holding a long, thin rope. The rope as if having a mind if its own, wound itself around me, binding me tightly. I tried to struggle, but it was pointless.
I was suddenly pushed into the water, and I felt myself being dragged down into the depths. I tried to scream, but my voice was muffled by the water, my tied limbs useless, unable to swim or cry out for help.
The more I struggled, the more water filled my lungs. Every desperate breath I tried to take was a struggle against the crushing weight of the water. My lungs were burning with a fire that the water couldn't quench.
My body thrashed about in a futile attempt to break free from the suffocating grip of the water. The world above was nothing but a distant memory, fading with each passing moment, as the water's dark, suffocating presence closes in around me like a living entity, squeezing the life from my very being.
My mind screamed for air, for relief, for life, but the water's relentless pressure silenced everything, as my body finally went limp, losing all hope for life.
I sat up in bed, trying to catch my breath, to get as much air as I could into my lungs. The dream still lingered in my mind, the feeling of being dragged down into the water still fresh. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the feeling of helplessness that clung to me like a leech.
As I swung my legs over the side of the bed, I noticed that my sheets were damp with sweat. I got out of bed and went to the bathroom to splash some water on my face.
The cool water helped to calm me down, but the image of the hooded figure still lingered in my mind.
I went back to my bedroom and sat down on the bed, trying to think clearly.
As I sat there, I heard a faint noise coming from outside my room. At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but then I heard it again.
My heart started racing as I wondered if someone was outside my room. I got up and went to the door, listening carefully. The footsteps seemed to be coming from the hallway.
I slowly opened the door and peered out into the hallway. It was dark and quiet, except for the faint sound. I stepped out into the hallway, trying to locate the source of the noise.
As I moved further down the hallway, the footsteps grew louder. But when I turned to look, there was no one there.
Suddenly, the sounds stopped. The hallway was silent. I stood there, frozen, waiting for something to happen.
And then, I saw it. A shadowy figure standing at the end of the hallway. Watching me.
As I stood there, frozen in fear, the shadowy figure began to take shape. And then, I saw Lyra's face. She was watching me with what seemed like concern etched on her features.
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked, taking a step closer to me.
I let out a breath, feeling a mix of relief and embarrassment. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, trying to shake off the fear. "I just thought I heard something."
Lyra nodded sympathetically. "I was just checking on you," she said. "I heard you cry out in your sleep."
I nodded, feeling a bit awkward. "I had a bad dream," I said, trying to downplay it.
Lyra came closer and put a hand on my shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I wanted to share my dream with Lyra. But something about her gentle tone seemed to put me on edge.
"No, it's okay," I said. "I think I just need to get some fresh air."
Lyra nodded understandingly. "Okay, but if you need anything, don't hesitate to come to me," she said.
As Lyra turned to leave, I felt a shiver run down my spine. "Lyra, wait," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
She turned back to me, a questioning look on her face. "Yeah?"
I hesitated, unsure how to phrase my question. "You said you heard me cry out in my sleep," I said, trying to sound casual. "But how did you hear me? This side of the castle is pretty isolated."
Lyra's expression faltered for a moment, and I could have sworn I saw a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. But then, she smiled and said, "Oh, I must have been passing by your door. I didn't mean To intrude."
I nodded, but the explanation didn't quite sit right with me. I was certain that Lyra's wing of the castle was on the opposite side of mine, and it seemed unlikely that she would have been passing by my door at that hour.
"Thanks for checking on me, Lyra," I said, trying to let it go.
But as Lyra smiled and nodded, I couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. And I found myself wondering if Lyra was telling the truth about hearing me cry out in my sleep.