The Bell of Freedom (King and human romance)✔

Chapter Twenty-Two

I sit for a while on the staircase, listening to humans have conversations somewhere close to me. It's mainly slaves talking about how attractive some of the girls are. It makes me smile for a while, reminding me of a time when boys in my school would have such conversations with each other. I spent an hour sitting in front of an open window but I grew bored and explored the floor some more. There aren't many rooms up here, and those that are consist of mainly empty storage rooms with dusty boxes and odd things, such as pianos. I took a few piano lessons when I was ten so it was nice to play on it for a while, but just like everything else, it grew redundant.

I rest my elbow on my knee as I listen to one of the slaves talk about Bella. They are right around the corner, probably thinking they're safe to speak openly.

"She cornered me in the kitchen and I took her into the back storage room," one slave says, he sounds older with a deepness to his voice, like Christian. "She was very keen, if you catch my drift."

"No way," the other slave says. "You had sex with her?"

I open my eyes wide and silently move further down the steps. This is hot gossip; gossip I've never heard around here before. Christian never mentioned to me that the slaves and girls were having sex, maybe he doesn't know about it, or he doesn't trust me to know.

"Twice," he says. "It happened later in the day too. The King's ignoring her so she's got to find attention elsewhere."

"Do you think she'd do it with me?"

"All of his girls are desperate for it. Now they're not being fed on, they have a new lease for life, all these desires just burning up in them as they're becoming frustrated with their fates." His voice drops to a whisper. "I'm seeing Celine later."

"Celine?" the other says. "Wow you're lucky. I wish I could have your confidence but I'd probably have a panic attack if they offered it to me."

I smile, containing a light laugh from my lips. There is a pause and I clamp my mouth shut. They continue.

"I wouldn't even know what to do," he continues sadly. "Is it instinct?"

"Nothing about seducing a girl is instinct," the other says. "They're attracted to confidence, to a man that knows what he's doing. And for that, you'll need to study, learn. I can teach you. Come on, we're needed downstairs."

I hear their footsteps vanish down a hallway and I slump sideways, kicking my legs up on the wall of the staircase. Hearing about this isn't a complete surprise. There are too many humans in this palace for their desires not to blow up. For their paths to not cross and for a bond to start. After so long of silence, I've had enough.

I decide to be brave and I slowly walk down the staircase, turning my eyes left and then right. The hallways are empty. I make my way over to a wooden bench situated underneath an oval window, giving myself a clear view of all directions. I won't make the same mistake as last time, I make sure my hands are close to me at all times.

"What did she say to that?" a voice laughs from my left. "Is she. . . oh my god. Aurora."

I smile at Gianna as she approaches me with a small, slim blonde girl by her side. "Hey."

"We've never seen you out here before," Gianna says. "Are you allowed?"

"Probably not," I say. "Where are you going?"

"There's a room. . . just down the hall." Gianna points past me. "We meet there and listen to some music and drink a little."

"We drink a lot," the blonde says.

"Do you want to come?" Gianna says.

I bite on my lip. "I really shouldn't. Okay."

I stand up and walk with them down the hallway, keeping a little further behind so I can slip to the side if a creature starts coming towards us. I suddenly recognize this hallway and Gianna leans back as we pass the familiar double doors.