Chapter six

Diana

 

“Mine.” I heard the word loud and clear. At first, I thought it was just a predatory growl or something that got stuck in his mouth.

But no.

He was uttering the word that claimed me as his possession.

And here, I thought I could finally be free.

“Just let me go,” I begged, not really even meaning it because I knew it was impossible.

He was in front of me now, and faster than I could blink. I closed my eyes and longed for the inevitable end. My heart raced faster than my legs had run, and I just hoped that he wasn’t the type that liked to play with his food.

I never thought about how I’d die.

I just knew it was inevitable one day.

“How do we do this?” he purred, his voice low and unnerving. It stiffened my spine.

I stayed silent.

“Slow and painful?” I felt a hot puff of air flood my face and when I opened my eyes, he was right there, in front of me.

I couldn’t breathe.

My body couldn’t will itself to, paralyzed with terror.

“Or quick and painless?” his eyes glowed in the darkness of the forest, and his claws caught whatever waning sunlight they could, and glinted.

He brought it to my face. “Answer me, princess.”

I shook my head. I didn’t know what I was shaking it for, but I did. The first bouts of tears streamed down my face, and I broke down into a sob.

“Please,” I begged again.

“Please what?” he asked.

Please what?

Please kill me? Please make it painless. Please let it go.

Please what?

I didn’t know.

And so, I remained rooted to the spot, my shoulders trembling and my fate sealed in my head.

“I’m going to chase you again, princess. This time, back to the mansion. If I catch you, I will have fun with your bones and intestines while you’re still alive.” He took a few steps back.

I looked at him, confused.

“Ten…nine…eight…”

I didn’t need to be told.

I turned on my heels, scouted the house, and bolted in its general direction.

“Mine!” I heard that word again, signaling, maybe, the beginning of his chase. I sobbed and screamed at the world for putting me in this kind of mess. I hated my father more than ever and hoped that he would die a gruesome death.

I blamed my mother for leaving me in a ruthless world, all alone and at the mercy of monsters like these.

But I did not slow down. Not one bit.

As soon as I reached the front door, Muzan had it open with what looked like a smile on his face. I flew into the door and turned around to shut it, but he stopped me.

“What are you doing? Master is going to come in too, no?” his voice was a mix of humor and concern.

“That thing doesn’t need to come in through the front door,” I grunted and pushed the door shut.

“She’s right, Muzan. I don’t.”

I screamed.

Muzan just laughed. Hard enough, that he ended up on the floor, holding on to the handle of the door almost as though his life depended on it.

Edric was behind me, and he didn’t look even one bit out of breath. There was still the threatening glower on his face, and he still had leaves on his fur coat, so I knew for sure, that he chased me through the woods.

But how he had gotten in, even though I had the idea, I couldn’t fathom.

“Now, princess, you helped me get a little workout in today. That should be as much nuisance as you should cause me.” His voice held a tone of finality that immediately brought out a nod from me.

It was involuntary – my nodding and acceptance of his commands, but I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.

I couldn’t see myself disobeying him.

At least, not while he was watching.

I knew I was going to have to do something to get out of this mess, even though it meant taking extreme measures.

“Good girl,” he…smiled.

I couldn’t call it that. All I knew was that he approved of my timid nod, and turned around. “Now, you have a house to clean, no?”

He didn’t wait for a response and kept walking into the house until he was too far for the nearest light to catch his large frame.

I had to squint to see him enter a door.

Muzan came to stand beside me.

“Well, I hope that was a lesson well learned,” he sighed.

“Have you tried to run away before?” I asked him.

He looked at me with an amused sideways glance. “No. This is my home.”

I blinked. “He’s your father?!”

Edric looked not more than ten years older than Muzan. Imagine the relief on my face when Muzan shook his head.

“I was brought here as a baby, though.”

The confusion returned to my face.

“It’s complicated,” Muzan shook his head and shoved a broom back into my hands. It fits snugly, almost like it belonged to me. I hated it. “I believe you have some more halls to sweep?”

I followed him as he moved.

“Who was doing this before I came?”

“She’s…not here anymore.”

“That’s not very reassuring.”

“Oh, she was well taken care of, if that’s what you fear.”

I paused. “So, she ran away?”

“No.”

His way of talking to me was cryptic. It was clear that he didn’t want to talk about things like these, but he was still kind enough to give me answers and wasn’t a stuck-up brat like most of the workers in my father’s house who wouldn’t even talk to me.

I could deal…as long as it took me to figure out how to get out of here.

It didn’t take long, though.

The opportunity came quickly.

Muzan peeked through one of the halls I was sweeping.

“Master wants dinner.” He huffed, almost like he had been jogging lightly.

“I can’t cook.” I lied. Weaponized incompetence, people.

“He doesn’t care.”

I groaned, but then, the idea struck me. Oh, I could cook, alright. I could cook up a feast.

His last feast.