Chapter Seven
I opened my eyes and was surrounded by darkness. Where was I? To my great dismay, it felt as if every possible bone in my body was broken. Even my head throbbed painfully. My hands tried to search for a clue about where I was, only they were stopped immediately by a tightly bound rope around my wrists.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, allowing me to recognize the rom. It was the basement of Riddle Manor. I was captured in my own home.
Barely had I recovered from the first shock when I was confronted with another: I was not alone here.
From behind the bars of my cell he was staring at me, as terrifyingly calm as always. His eyes frightened me more than ever, and I was wondering why my mind was all blank. Each time I tried to remember anything, my head ache increased. Perhaps he had sedated me.
"Finally awake, are you?"
Tom.
"I've been waiting for you to come to. How are you feeling?"
I did not reply. I still felt so disoriented I didn't know if I could, if I wanted to.
"You don't have to speak. I imagine you're in quite some pain. Do you remember anything? I expect you don't, you hit your head rather hard. I believe it is called anterograde amnesia: the inability to remember anything before a certain accident. But don't worry, love, most likely it will come back to you very soon. In fact, I am surprised it has not come back yet as we speak".
I did not remember anything about an accident, but what I did know was that Tom's presence was unnerving me.
He just chuckled. I saw the look in his eyes, and suddenly it hit me. He must have noticed it too, for his grin widened.
"Ah, there it is".
The moment I received that letter about Julian's death, I knew this was no coincidence. My secret visit, the feeling I was being watched… I should have understood it then. I should have done something to prevent it. Anything.
Tom did not even deny it the moment I confronted him. His confession cut into my heart like a thousand knives.
"You left me no choice, dear. He was distracting you and putting strange thoughts into your head".
At that moment something happened to me. A rage so strong it brought me in a daze took me over.
"How dare you!" I screamed. "You're insane! Completely insane! ".
Hot tears ran down my face. I was so frightened. Not only I feared Tom, but myself as well. When I threw myself at him with the almost carnal desire to hurt him in any way possible, I knew for sure I had lost all control. I did not care about anything anymore, as long as I could scratch his eyes out, or kick him.
Unfortunately, Tom was stronger. Despite my adrenaline rush he quickly got hold of me.
"I think it is time for you to calm down now, dear".
He snapped his fingers and within moments his friends Avery and Nott appeared from out of thin air. It was almost as if they had been waiting around the corner to be called.
"Take the lady downstairs" Tom instructed them. "She's not taking it very well".
"How dare you, Tom!" I screamed again. "I will not! Let go of me!".
Again, I struggled against Tom's firm grip. I could only think f one thing, and that was to get out of here, before it was too late for me too.
Then to my great fury I felt a needle sink into my arm. I was not going to give up that easily. When Nott and Avery took hold of me I did my best to hurt them. I fought against the upcoming sleep: a result of whatever medicine they put inside of me.
It was only when they threw me in a cell that I hit my head hard I lost consciousness. And with that I had realized I had lost the battle.
"Why?" I screamed when I had taken in my memories. Despite my bound wrists, I did my best to crawl away from Tom. What upset me the most was him acting like this was an ordinary day.
He unlocked my cell door and stepped inside, kneeling down by me.
"I am sorry I had to take such measures, but it was necessary. Some day you will see that".
I doubted that, and roughly turned my head away when he wanted to kiss me. He didn't understand. Tom would never understand what a family bond could be like.
Angry at being rejected, he turned my head back and sharply pulled my hair to bend it toward him.
"I don't think you quite got it, Eva. This is no game. I let you in this far. I recognized your abilities from the start and am willing to allow you to be my queen. We have wonderful potential together".
His grip on my hair was painful, for my head had been sensitive already from when Nott and Avery smacked it against the floor. It was easier to concentrate on the pain than on Tom's words, though what he said next sank in very well.
"Time to think is running short now, love".
I winced when he brought my face even closer to his. I could feel his breath against my skin.
"Either you join me completely, with no more of this drama, but with all the riches and success you can think of, or you don't. I cannot help it if you refuse, but I must assure you that in that case you will meet your brother again much sooner than necessary. You know too much to walk out now".
A shiver ran down my spine, yet I did not doubt the truth in his words. Tom had killed people before. He would not hesitate to do it again. The little hope I had had left about him loving me was all gone.
A man capable of these horrors did now know what love was. Perhaps he cared about me in some way, but not my feelings. He cared about the idea f us, about his power play. My heart sank, for I knew no way out anymore.
"You give it a last thought. When I return, I demand an answer".
When I heard the door lock and his footsteps fade, I realized I was alone. The only person I had been able to turn to for help, was dead.
By now I was fully conscious, so I could no longer escape into the world of sweet oblivion. I had never felt so alone before. There was no one that could advice me. My love for Tom had been my downfall. When –or if- he came back I was going to tell him I would rather die than join him in racist business like this. At least dead I would not be so alone anymore. I would see Julian again, and my mother and father. There was no day I did not miss them, and think of them.
Momentarily I imagined I would let Tom kill me. No more inner conflict, no more grief for my relatives. I smiled and slumped against the wall to rest my exhausted body.
My peace of mind did not last very long. I could tell the difference between day and night by a tiny window in the basement door that showed streaks of light from upstairs. As it got dark, something in me snapped. How dare I give up this easily! My family would turn in their graves if they knew. I was the only one still alive, so I should do something to keep it that way.
I did not think I would ever be able to trust Tom again. As I thought again of how badly he had betrayed me, I became all cold inside and a new wave of hysteria hit me. The tiny cell took my breath away. I screamed, begged and cried to be released, but no reply came. When I was so upset, I could no longer think rationally I thought perhaps it was Tom's intention to let me starve to death here. Of course that only made everything worse.
The night passed, and still no one came to see me. My screams had faded through the night as my voice got hoarse. My mind had become numb to primal signs like hunger and cold.
By the second day, my willpower changed. My throat was so dry I could not scream anymore and I was weakened by hunger. Tom got what he wanted. First he killed my only brother and now he had broken my will by starving me in a claustrophobic cell.
When by the third day he had still not returned, I was convinced he would never. This was his punishment for my disloyalty.
If he would only return, I decided I would choose to survive. My family would want me to. In a duel I would never stand a chance, so I would have to do it differently. I didn't have a choice but to become his queen. Just not the way he had in mind. As his queen, I would do my best to keep Tom from doing worse than he already had done. As much as I could, I would protect people and make the best of such a task. Such thoughts made it all a little easier. I sank down on the floor and did nothing to stop the sleep that was coming to get me. When I next opened my eyes, I was no longer alone.
"You were far away, weren't you?"
Tom. He was holding me in his arms and spoke so friendly. But I now knew what he was really like.
"Have you been thinking?"
I nodded. Right now I still had the option of saying no to what he wanted me to do. Perhaps he would kill me quickly, without too much pain. It would be easy, but no. I had a mission and would not choose the easy way out.
With the little strength I had left, I smiled as a sign of consent. Tom had won.
When he realized this, he was suddenly quite the gentleman again. I was immediately released from my cell, my hands untied, and carried upstairs by him.
"I assure you, you will not regret this, Eva" he whispered into my ear while he ran me a bath. Everything was done to ease my discomfort. A house elf had been ordered to bring me water and wine, as well as my favorite dish. Yet another was sent for clean, warm clothes. Tom himself acted as if he had just saved me from something that was not his own doing. He held me securely and helped me get into the bath when it was ready.
I was too exhausted to do or say much. While the water was lovely, I found I could not completely relax with Tom there. No wonder…
"You don't have to stay the whole time" I tried.
He just smiled and sat on the edge of the tub, running his fingers through my wet hair.
"I'll stay for now. I would not want my Queen doing anything silly".
So I had to be careful. He did not trust me yet, not even my intentions. I would have to make sure he did not find out my heart was not in this. I could never let my attention slack.
The next day when I had eaten and slept well in a warm bed, I was finally able to think reasonably again. The first thing that hit me in the morning was Julian. The grief was still so new that it took my breath away. I cried before going down to breakfast with Tom, but not too long. He surely would not approve of more drama, as he called it. Yet if I wanted to go on with my decision, I had to come at peace with myself first. I would have to go to my brother's funeral. Only then I would be able to say goodbye and apologize to him.
Tom was having breakfast served as usual. As if life was just going on as usual.
"Good morning, Eva" he greeted me.
"Good morning".
I sat down, my hands in my lap so he would not see them trembling.
"I want to go to Julian's funeral. I know how you feel, and what you said, but you must let me do this. I can only feel truly connected with you if you let me say goodbye".
That explanation had clearly been the right one. Tom's reply surprised me.
"Very well, dear. I had expected the request already. You may go, of course".
I was childishly happy that I had at least gotten permission for this, but what I did not know was that the whole funeral would be a test of my loyalty…
