5

~Aspen

"I can't believe he did that."

I stuff my head deeper into my pillow. "Neither can I."

My friend stands by my bedroom window, gazing out.

Kaia has been the only friend I've had since meeting Oliver. He made me cut off all of them, and right now, he doesn't know I'm close to Kaia. He suspects, but ultimately, he thinks so little of his staff, I don't think he believes I would befriend her.

"We need to get you out of here soon, okay?" She turns, looking tense.

No one wants Oliver dead more than me, although Kaia is very close behind. Over the years, her and I have conspired to get me out, but it's always fallen through.

Oliver has power in this Territory. No matter where I wanted to start my life, people would turn on me, and I would be sent straight back into his arms.

"I'm taking money where I can, but it's not as easy as you think. If I'm caught, he would either lock me up, or kill me," I murmur, turning over in the bed.

I haven't got out of it for a few days since denying Kastriv's job request.

"I know. I've got plenty of money saved," she reminds me. The staff get paid well here, which is only because Oliver wants to maintain that he is a generous man.

It's laughable, really.

"You know I don't like using your money." I sit up, watching her.

The afternoon sunlight drenches her, casting a halo of her copper coloured hair. I envy her freedom, her ability to walk from this looming estate to enjoy a relatively normal life.

She stalks toward me. "You're my friend...I want you out of this abusive relationship more than anyone."

"I'm going to have to go far. Somewhere I can't be tracked down, because he will stop at nothing to kill me," I muse.

I'd even agree to go to a more desolate Territory, like Eleven or Thirteen. Or maybe I could go to Territory Twelve, and blend in amongst the large city and all it's unique inhabitants.

"I know that. I'll help you. I've always wanted out of here," she insists.

I get up, throwing my arms around her. "I love you, Kaia. You are a true friend. My only friend."

When she pulls away, she's grinning mischievously. "So, did you sleep with Kastriv?"

My skin immediately heats. The word must already be spreading, which won't be pleasing Oliver. Everyone thinks I've become the Noble's toy, and frankly, I'm not ashamed. There are worse titles to be anointed with, including being Oliver's wife.

"No. It was a set up to test Oliver. Kastriv didn't lay a hand on me," I tell her, my voice hushed, despite us being in my private room.

Kaia taps her finger against her lower lip. "Oh...Wow. I would say you're lucky, but I would do terrible things to bed that man."

Her and a lot of people.

"Were his words true that night, I get the feeling I wouldn't have enjoyed it." He only said it to strip Oliver of his remaining dignity, but they have haunted me ever since.

"I'm glad you're safe though. Oliver is a monster," Kaia muses, grabbing a book off my bedside table, flicking through the pages mindlessly.

I sit back on my bed, plagued by unnerving thoughts. "Surprisingly, Kastriv isn't. He likes Demon's. In fact, he offered me a job to help find them."

Kaia's head shoots up, and she stares at me with wide eyes.

"Really? How would you do that?"

"He didn't say..." I shrug. He doesn't know I'm a Demon, so I'm still grappling with the job offer. Perhaps it's another way of ruining Oliver's life, which although I'm not opposed to, is not the reason I want to start my new life.

Kaia can't hide her amazement. "Did you tell him you accept?"

"No, I declined. Oliver would kill me, you know that," I grumble, getting up. I start to pace, thinking about what Kastriv must have thought receiving that letter. Was he angry? Does he think I'm weak?

"You would have a Noble to protect you," my friend reminds me, leaning against the window sill, watching me incessantly walk back and forth to the point I'm convinced I'm wearing a path into the carpet.

"I can't risk that. Kastriv may just be serving his own agenda, which I imagine he is, as he doesn't owe me anything," I remind her.

Pretending a Noble can be trusted to protect me when they are serving their own agenda would make me a fool.

Suddenly, a knock sounds from downstairs.

"Stay hidden up here. I don't think that's Oliver, but it could be one of his advisors," I instruct, pointing to the corner of my room.

Kaia nods numbly, tucking herself into the shadows before I stride from the room, down the stairs and to the front door.

I barely open the door before it's pushed back, and someone stalks in, causing me to stumble back in fright.

It's Kastriv, dressed in fine black clothing, looking as though he has just come from an important meeting. He looks so incredible, I feel like I've been struck into a dream, because there is no way this can be real...

He looks toward me, dark eyes revealing nothing. "You declined my offer."

"Kastriv...What are you doing here?" I ask, closing the door quickly, as if Oliver may stride in at any moment.

"Follow up to see why you declined my offer." He folds his arms over his chest, staring down at me. He doesn't sound accusatory, but there's an undertone of anger in his voice.

Now I'm going to have to defend my decision, and I'm not sure how.

"It's just not right for me, is all. I'm busy," I mutter, waving my hand around as if to materialise whatever is supposed to be keeping me so occupied.

Kastriv frowns, stepping closer, but I step back. I'm not frightened of him, I'm just frightened he's going to be right, and I'm not going to be able to defend my crumbling relationship with Oliver.

"Being his slave isn't a job, Aspen. Work for me," he insists.

Panic is starting to rise up within me, threatening to escape out in an explosion. "I can't..."

"Why not? What are you afraid of?" His voice is rising in tempo, as he continues to push me, trying to uproot what I'm holding back, and I'm scared it's going to come back.

Summoning a deep breath, I step away, removing attention from the heat of Kastriv's gaze.

"Nothing. Searching for Demon's is not suited to me, anyway," I say dismissively.

Just drop it. Please leave, and don't push it.

He grabs my arm, but I pull back like he's hit me. No other man has touched me in many years, and although his touch was light and atop my sleeve, it's still disconcerting.

He frowns, but thankfully doesn't note my strange reaction to him. "You don't know, you've never tried."

"I fear them. I am certain there is someone more qualified for the job," I say. I want him to admit he's only offered this to me to garner a reaction from Oliver.

Kastriv shakes his head, closing the gap between us. "I asked you. Please accept."

This time, I don't step back, letting the full power of him encompass me. He looks so

"I'm sorry, Kastriv," I whisper.

He reaches forward again, and this time, I can't pull my arm out of his strong grip, tugging me closer to him.

"You are married to man who is willing to sell you off to a powerful Noble to get what he wants. I don't want to believe what the spirits tell me he does to you, but the moment I saw him, I knew there was something going on between you two," he murmurs lowly, the intensity of his tone, his gaze, causing me to wince.

"Kastriv, this is a surprise visit."

I've never distanced myself from someone so fast, looking toward the door I hadn't even realised had opened.

Oliver doesn't look angry, painting that faux easy-going expression on his face. I don't miss the tension in his shoulders, though, holding back his instincts to immediately punish me. And he would, were Kastriv not standing right there.

Kastriv is watching my reaction intently. "I suppose it is."

"What are you doing here?" Oliver asks, trying to sound friendly, but the grating edge to his voice is unmissable.

"Ensuring Aspen was doing what I told her to do during one of our...love making sessions," Kastriv says steadily, revealing nothing about the job offer I'm grateful he hasn't exposed.

Oliver's eyes widen. "What was that?"

Kastriv tilts his head, a mischevious glint to his eyes. "What was it again, Aspen?"

I freeze, as their attentions fall on me.

I've only had sex a handful of times, and each was with Oliver, before our relationship turned to what it is now. So when I search through my mind for what Kastriv could possibly have said to me that would warrant him coming back to follow up, I'm left stumbling over my thoughts.

"He asked me to touch myself every night to the thought of him for an entire week after..." I offer up, not having to fake my embarrassment.

Both Kastriv and Oliver stare blankly at me, before the former claps his hands together, the sound echoing through the foyer.

"Exactly. And she has, so I shall leave."

"Wait, Kastriv," Oliver cuts in, before the Noble can walk straight out the door. "Any news on the Demon's?"

He rubs the back of his neck. "No."

"Another has murdered close to here," Oliver explains. I shiver. Yet another murder of an innocent. I hurts me to think about, and makes me doubt whether ever trying to find Demon's is a good idea.

"And you know for certain it was a Demon," Kastriv presses.

Oliver laughs, as if he thinks the Noble is stupid. "It's not hard to guess."

"You truly hate these creatures, don't you?" Something shifts in Kastriv's expression, a darkness passes through his eyes.

Oliver doesn't even hesitate. "I hate them more than anything."

"That's interesting," Kastriv murmurs, gaze shifting to mine. "Considering you're married to one."