Chapter 20 20
Phoebe~~
I shifted backwards, my lips trembled.
He stood up, picked up the knife from the ground and began staring at it. As I was about to stand, he stretched his hand towards me and cocked his head to the side, “Finish what you started…”
My eyes popped open. What the fuck does he mean? Who would live to watch them be killed? I tried to get up, but my limbs were quivering, and my wolf wasn't helping matters as it had always warned me about Knox.
“Didn't you hear me? You wanted to stab me, right? Just do it already…” he said again, standing and coming closer. He put the knife in my palm and pointed at the side of his neck. “If you hit this spot, I wouldn't be revived.”
So insane!!
I dropped the knife and jolted to my feet forcefully.
He didn't try to stop me or come after me. I reached the door and tried opening it, but couldn't, then I turned to him. “Please, open it.” I pleaded, but he scoffed. “I'm begging you. I won't come near you again.”
“Just let the camera capture your face up there, and it would open,” he said, picked up the knife, and threw it to the sofa, not even attempting to stop me, and that was the worst feeling ever.
I looked up and instantly had a shutter sound, then the door opened, and I ran off, heading to my room. I wasn't even in the mood to go see the mistress and know how she was fairing. I felt so guilty and only wanted to stop existing at that point.
Now that he was acting like I hadn't attempted something so vicious, what would he do next? He wasn't going to sit back but come after me, so I locked the door, even knowing that he could easily unlock it.
It was as though I was in my nightmare, crouched to the floor beside the bed, cuddling the pillow and shivering in fear. I stayed there, my heart racing like I was in a marathon, while I stared around like he could show up from any corner of the room.
What a torture I was in. Even the air I breathed was like a thorn to my nostrils.
Picturing my family thrown back into the palace building and the building set ablaze, my father's three guards who were shot to death before my very eyes, how Angeline was thrown into the cell and shot with a silver bullet, the mistress who was whipped until she only smelled of her blood…I thought it was all haunting me.
I caused all those. It was my stupidity that put us all in those conditions.
For the first time, I wasn't myself and wished for death so desperately. It didn't matter if my people would be slaves forever. What mattered was that I met my demise and not drowning in the thought of those who suffered for my sake.
Hours elapsed, and the only person I saw was the servant who brought in my meal. I didn't have the appetite to eat, and the meals piled up to more than five trays, all untouched.
I was still waiting for Knox to show up in the room, but I hadn't even perceived his scent. It was so tormenting. I needed him to act, so I could know my fate.
Days turned to nights, until I was so weak and got fed up. I hadn't even taken my bath, and I looked like I was drawn out of hell. I staggered out of the room, heading to the mistress. I didn't even know if Angeline was executed or not, but the worst thing that would happen to me was losing any more souls.
When I reached the mistress's room, she was deep asleep and didn't wake up to the sound of my footsteps. I went closer to the bed and checked her back, and it was healing gradually. Pain and guilt struck my chest upon resonating how agile the woman had always been, cheerful and always welcomed me.
I sat on the floor for some time, and when she wasn't waking yet, I decided to return to my room. Maybe I would just die of starvation, and my people would fend for themselves. Besides, staying alive was a threat to their lives because Knox would use them to torture me.
As I stood, my eyes went straight to the bottle lying on the table beside the window. I reached out to it and read its content. It was used for a deep bruise like that of the mistress, and shouldn't be ingested as it could lead to death if immediate attention isn't taken.
I glanced at the woman, sniffed and slid it into the pocket of my gown, then I left.
I was totally fed up and needed to stop everything from happening further. I was the weapon used against others, and that wasn't good at all. How many more people will get hurt before Knox understands that I should face my penalties alone?
If I were to live, I wouldn't lie low so easily when I was being tormented by the man who made me homeless, one who deceived me, claiming that he loved me.
Again, I entered the room and locked it up, and another extra tray had been added to the ones already piled up. I picked up a piece of paper on the floor, and it was more like a warning written on it.
\[Do you wish to die that badly? I could come over and force those meals down your throat.\]
I hissed and dropped the paper to the floor. It was Knox; I didn't need to be told when I knew his handwriting so well.
The clock ticked so loudly, as though waiting for me to take action.
‘Phoebe, you aren't that stupid, right? Did I tell you I craved death? There's still a chance to right the wrong,’ my wolf wailed in my head.
I scoffed, ‘What fucking wrong are you talking about? You aren't seeing how other souls are suffering because of us?’
‘Then stop acting rashly!’
‘Does that guarantee our safety? How much more should I endure? Do you think our family is happy with us?’ I scolded her and quickly pulled out the bottle in my pocket. ‘Let's do this, okay. That way, everyone will be fine, instead of living in fear of what will happen next.’
My wolf went quiet.
I shook the contents in the bottle before I unsealed it, then I poured it down my throat immediately.
My wolf howled continuously, but I knew that before anyone would find us, we would pass on already.
I relaxed my back on the bed, slowly choking up. I began sweating heavily until I couldn't feel my wolf anymore.
It worked. We were going.
Now that I have lost my wolf, I would die so easily.
I choked up again and threw up a mouthful of blood that spilled all over my dress and on the floor.
‘Knox, at least, don't kill any of my people again, even if they would forever be your slaves.’ I said in my mind and threw up another mouthful of blood.
My visions began fading. My body went numb that instant.
As my eyes shut slowly, the image of my family in tears as they were taken back into that building flashed through my mind. Everything replayed slowly until my mind went blank.