CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN

CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN
Delora's Pov

We were in the palace, and I didn't know how I got there with a heavy barrel I was struggling to carry. Usually, Esau would carry these for me, but he seemed to be nowhere around. I stumbled, and the weight of the barrel was about to crush me.

Before I knew it, a hand was beside me, helping me bear the load. His strong arms took some of the weight and he managed to set the barrel down safely.

As we stood there, catching our breath, Luther's face appeared in front of mine, his expression changed from concern to curiosity the moment he looked down at my belly. His eyes were glued to mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. "Who's the father of the child you're carrying?" he asked, his voice low.

I didn't respond. I couldn't. My mind went blank, and all I could focus on was the way Luther's eyes seemed to bore into my soul.

He took a step closer, his face inches from mine. "Is it mine?" he whispered, his breath tickling my skin. "Did our last... encounter result in this child?"

I still didn't answer. Luther's eyes flashed with frustration, and he grasped my arms, pulling me closer. "I just want the truth," he said, "Tell me, and everything will be yours."

Everything? What did he mean by everything?

"Luther…"

Suddenly, his lips were on mine, and I froze, unable to contain the rush that exploded through me. The world around me melted away, and only Luther's kiss mattered.

But then I sprang up from the ridiculous dream that I had. My heart raced in my chest but I struggled to push the feeling aside, trying to shake it off. I was in the building and it was very late at night, how could I have had such a dream in the worst place ever?

I tried to go back to sleep. But my mind wouldn't let go of the conversation with Odessa about pregnancy urges. It must be why I thought about Luther. Could it be true that my child's survival depended on satisfying certain... needs?

I couldn't help but wonder if this desire to be wanted by Luther would arise again and how long would it continue? The big question was, what would I do? There was no way I would search for him to distract myself.

Could anyone else fulfil these desires?

As I lay there, I realized that my feelings towards Luther were more complicated than I had initially thought. There was a part of me that responded to him, that felt drawn to him in ways I couldn't explain.

The dream had left me with more questions than answers. So I rose up and just paced around, unable to sleep any longer.

As I remembered that I was not technically alone in the building, I thought to walk to the stairs, to the strange room.

The last time he had opened his eyes, it was brief and he had gone back to his deep sleep. I had lots of questions for Esau's father but he wouldn't answer them, so I thought to search for an answer for myself.

I walked to the body. It looked like he had been attended to because he was clean and fed. I took the blanket off his face because 8 didn't like how he was being covered as if he were dead

"I wouldn't mind being in your shoes" my voice sank through the air of the night. "I think it's way better than the life I was born to live, what do you think?" My fingers played with his pale and unalive fingers.

"No, you think this is worse, but mine is actually worse. I have the hardest of luck on earth." I continued.

"No, it's okay. There's no need to compensate me, it is beyond me. Maybe the goddess has her favorites" I squeezed his palm in mine and then a loud exhale escaped my nostrils.

"Who am I? Where was I born? Is there even a family that misses me, that searches for me?" My thumb grazed the necklace pendant settling on my chest. Even when I wore my mother's emblem all day, there was no one to find me.

I barely had a complete memory of how Uranus brought me here. But I knew I was of no important figure, at least not important enough to be abandoned for several years.

"What fate does this child have?" My hand rested on my belly. "Would it be treated in the same slavery as I was treated? How would it survive to hear about my reputation as a known murderer? Was it even worth bringing a child into this world?"

These were things I could neither rant to Denise nor Esau, so yes, this stranger who was half alive and half dead would be of help to hear my miserable stories without judging.

"Enough about me, how about you? How did you end up here? Are you related to Esau? Was there a tragic accident? I would also love to hear your side of the story."

My fingers went to his nose and I felt his hot breath on my skin. He was beginning to…

"Oh my goodness!" My voice screeched when he suddenly sneezed on my body. "Oh…" my lips fretted as I rubbed his saliva off my skin with his blanket. "That was sudden! Why would you do that?" My tone hardened like I was scolding a toddler.

The man remained in the bed, his eyeballs rolling about finding the right spot to settle, until it stayed in the middle, and then he met my eyes.

I also remained frozen in place, realizing his open eyes were not like the previous ones, because he had sneezed.

"Who…are…you?" His frail voice made up the sentence.

"You can speak?"
I didn't know what made me think he could not, not I was shocked. He was awake, he was alive.

His eyes remained on mine, but I couldn't tell what his expression read. Was it concern, fear, or shock? Would he tell Esau's father about this?

"You're safe," I told him. In case he ever thought he wasn't.

"Who…are you?" He asked in that same frail voice again.