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Author: Midika
last update Last Updated: 2022-07-05 12:36:53

~Kiva

Being back home feels good.

But my feelings of doubt about Caspian have chased me all the way back here.

You’re a Princess. Don’t forget your duty.

I grit my teeth as my fathers voice echo’s through my mind, collapsing onto my stomach, unable to hold my weight up any longer.

Ark crouches down beside me, flicking my forehead.

“You’re not focusing.”

“It’s hard to with your grating voice in the background,” I snap, pressing my check against the floor as if I can feel the frozen ground beneath.

“I hardly speak during training.” I can hear the frown in his voice.

Heaving myself up into standing position, I collect my throwing knives, flipping one over in my hand.

“I’m just feeling light headed, okay?” I mutter. And I’m tired, and not climaxing daily really is starting to bother me, although Ark doesn’t need to know that detail.

“Drink water.”

“I have been,” I grumble. I drink water, I eat food. It’s Caspian that has muddled my head, and most importantly, it’s the weight of my obliga
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  • His Desire    24

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  • His Desire    57

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    ~KivaI roll my head back, groaning.Consciousness has struck me harshly and quickly, dragging me back up to reality. My vision spins, something on the back of my head aching sharply.It slowly dawns on me that I was hit viciously on the back of the head.My vision eventually starts to steady, the messy splotches of colour finally piecing together to reveal my father."Kiva," he says in a calm, steady voice.I blink. I'm in the room where I saved Erin, tied down to the bed. When I lift my hands, they are weighted down by thick iron chains."Why am I tied down," I ask breathily, trying not to let panic overwhelm me."Did you follow me, sweetheart?" father asks, taking a tentative step toward me. Behind him are two guards who stare me down menacingly. "Did Ark have you follow me?"I let out a long breath, trying to process what is happening.My father now knows that I've learnt about what is going on here. I'm tied down in a place where girls before me have been tortured and murdered,

  • His Desire    54

    ~KivaSteadying myself, I head through the front door.Initially I planned to burst in and confront my father, to threaten him. However, once I enter, hearing voices drift down the hall, I decide to slow play this.Pressing my back against the wall, I inch closer to the room, keeping my eye out for anyone who could pass by.This place seems like any other home. Aspects of it have clearly been changed to suit a business, with what looks like a waiting room in the old sitting room and a reception in the foyer.I will investigate the intricacies of the place later. For now, I want to hear what my father is saying.“How do we know they don’t already have something on us?” The unfamiliar voice sounds panicked.“If this were about the business they would have killed my daughter.”I draw in a breath. They are talking about the rebellion. Father would never openly tell me what he thinks, so I listen keenly.“Maybe they were planning to.” The other voice sounds like they are pacing.“She doesn

  • His Desire    53

    ~KivaThe dining room opens up around as I approach where my father sits, enjoying his breakfast.A shaft of sunlight cast through the towering dining room windows gives my father a deceptively ethereal glow.He looks innocent. He couldn't be further from that.His eyes lift as I wander in. "Good morning. Feel better?"I school my expression into a smile, remembering the story. I was kidnapped, and now I am home and terrified the rebellion is going to come for me."I feel...fine," I exclaim stiffly, sliding into my chair.Father's gaze feels heavy as I carefully select my breakfast. A piece of toast I'm going to smother in spread, accompanied by some fruit.It's what I would choose if I weren't hiding something. It's what I would choose if I weren't moments away from throwing up on the polished floor."You have been through a few hard weeks, haven't you dear?"I ignore the bite of pain in my stomach. His sincere tone doesn't help the situation. I must fixate on Ark, his sister and all

  • His Desire    52

    ~KivaMoments later, a figure emerges at the window, clambering through.I tense, watching Ark duck his head under the glass, snow dusting his shoulders and hair. I admire the ease at which he climbed up the trellis considering the amount of times I have fallen from it.He removes his cloth mask, breath clouding in front of me as he meets my gaze.His expression immediately softens. "Hey, are you okay?"I look down at my hands, unable to face him. This is the most horrifying discovery I have ever made and I am still reeling from it."I...no."He's crouched in front of me in an instant, grabbing my hands in his gloved one's. The ice still lingering on the fabric burns at my skin, but I welcome the distraction."What happened?" he asks gently."I found something. Bad," I tell him, fighting past the lump in my throat to say it.I feel so stupid. How many years was this going on and I never knew about it? Ark allowed me to hate him for weeks, trying to protect me from the horror that I wo

  • His Desire    51

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  • His Desire    50

    ~KivaI let them come to me first.Their faces are concealed by shadows, but I don't need to see them anyway. They are just more rebels who would rather kill me than risk allowing me redemption.The tallest one lunges for me first.Anticipating their attack, I slash the shard of glass along their arm in a similar fashion as with a knife. Ark's training rings in the back of my mind, giving me some confidence in my ability to get out of here.The rebel hisses in pain but barely flinches, still advancing on me. They manage to grab my arm in a firm grip, holding the glass away from themselves.Someone kicks me in the lower back, a jolt of pain accompanying me in my fall to the floor.I hadn't even realised someone had come up behind me...The rebel who kicked me climbs on top of me, trying to wrestle my arms behind my back while another readies the rope to wrap around my neck.With my cheek pressed against the cold floor, I try not to let my panic exhaust me.They really are going to do i

  • His Desire    49

    ~KivaThis is bad. Really bad.Ark has taken me back to the compound again, letting me calm down. I haven't slept, unable to stop replaying the events of the other night over in my head.Caspian is free. I'm free from him, although not free from Ark.But that is the least of my concerns. Ark's accusation rings in my head. His sister is dead, and somehow Caspian is involved, and so is my father.Did they kill her? My stomach churns at the thought.Rolling over in bed, I tuck my knees to my chest, wanting to sob. I have no reason to trust Ark, and yet I believe him. Seeing his expression, hearing the way he spoke has made it clear to me that whatever is going on is terrible.I just can't wrap my head around how my father is involved.The sound of voices drawing near has me sitting up. The guards that are usually posted outside my room don't speak much, and don't dare come in.Not like Ark did...It's strange to think that he once guarded my door as these people now do. I don't even know

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