3: Cleansing

I'd barely slept when the door opened and two women rushed in, startling me from my sleep. I sat on the bed which was more soft and comfortable than my bed at home and stared at them, pissed by their disrespect. The candle has barely burned past halfway.

Does the king need to sleep with me now?

My eyes widened at the thought and my heart thumped slowly in my chest.

" I am not ready, please," I blurted and they exchanged looks.

" Can you tell him to wait till tomorrow? My visitor came and we cannot do it. Or can we do it with blood flowing? No. He wouldn't like it. The blood smells," I rambled on and they just waited for me to finish.

" We have been ordered to bring you to the cleansing arena." One of the women said and I just stared at them in confusion.

" Is that where we are going to do it?" I asked them, demonstrating with my hands. " Making babies," I added and they chuckled at my naivety.

" No. A rogue touched you before you got here. The king needs to be sure you are still pure before breeding can start. " The first lady answered.

" Rita is right. King Voidheart loves his women untouched. A rogue touching you is forbidden and only the revelation rites can change his mind about your purity." Selene chipped in and I couldn't help but scoff. Bulshit!

" The rogue only touched my hand. I AM PURE. " I emphasized but they didn't budge.

" Come with us or we will be forced to take you," Rita warned but I shook my head. I will not leave this room. What if they are trying to kill me?

' unless the king comes here by himself, I will not follow you to any stupid rites. " I say and fold my knees to my chest.

Rita stepped forward and I yelled at her to stay away, not wanting her to come close. These women looked old and scary. Their grey hairs tells me they possess some dark powers. Every part of me repels them.

I hate this place.

Rita stopped and clasped her hands together, making me jump. Her voice was low and convincing as she spoke.

" I assure you that you do not want the king to come here and get you to the arena by himself. Haven't you heard of him? He is ruthless. Cruel and heartless. You wouldn't want to get on his bad side, child. You wouldn't want us to be in danger for not performing our duties,"

I stared at her, lips pressed together. She is talking to me with some charms, right? I blinked and shook my head, trying to snap myself out of whatever spell I believed she had me in.

" You said you are pure. What is there to be scared of? Those who are innocent are never afraid. Besides, the earlier you have a son, the earlier you can leave." Rita said.

Now that is convincing. Because if I have an opportunity to leave right now, I wouldn't hesitate to grab it. She is right. The sooner I have a son the sooner I can leave and control my life. Just a son.

Just when I was about to get out of bed, the door flew open, banging loudly that I had to cover my ear with my palms and there he stood, in his luxurious black robe, hair neatly combed backward, his eyes as cold as ice that it froze my heart.

The women didn't hesitate to shoot me a look of displeasure before going on their knees and bowing.

I just remained on the bed, my heart pounding, unable to move or think of anything.

" Disobedient. Aren't you?" His voice was deep and I found myself shaking my head in response. He is so big and scary.

" Get her change into the trial clothes." He ordered and the women scrambled to their feet. My heart pounded so hard in my chest that I could hear the beat in my ears. I know he can hear it too and I hate that he could hear and sense my fear.

I am stripped off my garment and made to wear a long-sleeved white gown that covers my feet. All along, he didn't look away. He stared, devouring me with his eyes. It was the first time a man had ever seen me bare. I traced his eyes and they were fixed on my chest. I let out a sigh, knowing I was covered and no longer at the mercy of his eyes but it didn't stop the tingles and sensations in my sex, the wetness between my legs, and the heat flushing my face. I've never experienced this. This feeling is so new and embarrassing.

I stood, waiting for his instructions but instead, he stepped closer, bridging the gap between us. I felt the air leaving my lungs as his piercing gaze landed on my face. His finger grazed my cheek, making me gasp softly as a hot lingering sensation ran through my face down my shoulder.

The pin holding my hair made a clinging sound as it fell to the ground, my hair falling on my shoulders down my back.

" You reek of rogue," he says, disgust evident in his tone and I felt a lump in my throat.

" Take her to the arena." He says softly but underneath the softness is a commanding tone that prompts the women to scurry up to their feet and grab my arms, pulling me after him.

We descended stairs and after minutes of walking through the eerily quiet hallways, I finally had a breath of fresh air as my bare feet touched the cold fields.

Nightbane kept walking and came to a halt where a woman in a white dress that reveals her thighs and boobs stood. Her lips were pale and her iris were as white as snow. She creeped the hell out of me. I felt chills in my stomach as the cold night breeze penetrated my thin garment.

" Make it quick." He says as if running out of patience. The women didn't let go of me. My arms were starting to hurt from the way they gripped them.

A creepy snow sorceress or whatever she is stepped forward, holding a calabash. She stood before me and tilted my face up with her long white nails that looked like the claws of an eagle. She leaned closer and sniffed me. She was cold. Her temperature was so cold that I was shivering from the nail under my chin.

My heartbeat accelerated as she propelled the calabash up.

" Open," She instructed, her voice like that of a small child. It was creepy that my chest rose and fell in fright.

My lips parted slowly, leaving a small hole in my mouth.

" Wider," she said and I widened my mouth, even though I didn't want to. I don't want them forcing my mouth open with their strong hands.

She placed the calabash closer to my mouth, the foul smell filling my nose as I resisted the urge to throw the content in my stomach out. Between her mouth and the calabash, I didn't know which smell was worst.

Liquid dropped into my mouth and I shut my eyes closed. It was tasteless or a little bit salty but it was difficult to swallow.

" If you throw it out, you are guilty but if you swallow, you are innocent. If you swallow and develop rashes, you are guilty and if you don't, you are innocent,"

I struggled free from their hold and placed my hands over my mouth as I crouched to my knees. I've never tasted something so nauseating before. With a big gulp, I swallowed and rolled over on the ground, trying to suppress the urge to throw up. My eyes brimmed with tears as I lay chest facing up on the grasses and stared at the sky. I remained on the ground, counting the stars and the nausea started fading. I didn't know how much time had passed as I was pulled up to my feet.

" She is innocent my king," I heard her say and at that moment, I almost passed out from the cold and the trauma I just went through.

" Cleanse her of the rogue smell," Nightbane says and our eyes meet. His midnight eyes locked with mine and I saw something flash in them. Perhaps, I hallucinated it but I could swear I saw his lips spread.

Rita and Selene grabbed my arms and led me to where a big pot filled with water sat. My heart pounded and I turned to him for help. The water was dark. I didn't know what was inside. Instead, he signaled her to go ahead and before I could react, I was carried and thrown inside the pot. The chilliness froze my body as they submerged me in the freezing liquid with invisible things crawling my body.

I couldn't breathe.

" It's only for three minutes," I heard her but her voice faded away slowly.

" Get her out, Now!" As I slipped into darkness, I heard his frantic voice and felt something pull me out of the water.