The foul smell in the tenebrous dungeon was beyond anything I had ever imagined.
Stains of urine, blood and stool covered the wet stone walls. It was stomach-churning, to say the least. I almost threw up.
I buried my head in my drawn-up knees, feeling the dampness of my tears against my skin.
Even though I tried to calm down my racing heart, it wouldn't. It was about to rip out of my chest.
If I made my unwavering determination clear and proved them wrong, would their attempts to force me into this marriage crumble?
I hoped so.
Maybe the Empress would lend me a hand. Perhaps she, too, knew the heartache of watching her spouse love another.
In that case, all I had to do was grit my teeth and bear through the growing thirst and hunger. I had to.
There was no room for failure. I didn't travel to the past to get married to that jerk.
A groan escaped from my lips when I least expected it. My hand instinctively flew to my chest as I winced in pain.
I looked down.
Every breath I took sent a searing pain through my chest. The wound was flaring up.
Everything had been fine just a few days ago, and I thought the bleeding had stopped for good. But now my dress was once again soaked with blood.
My time was running out. The unforgiving seconds slipped away like sand through my fingers. And I was still hopelessly far from finding the person I had come to the past for.
All I knew about the Demon God was that he was once a human named Vanir. His life before his transformation was marked by nothing but sorrow and misery.
The path that awaited him was a harrowing one – one filled with unheard-of agony that could break even the strongest soul and fuel him with an insatiable thirst for revenge against all of mankind.
That was his destiny and the will of the Heavenly Fathers.
"My lady!"
Glancing at the creaking staircase in the dark corner, I covered the bleeding wound with my auburn locks. It was Lara.
I let out a deep sigh, feeling the tension release from my shoulders. She came rushing to my cell.
Her green eyes were bloodshot and her nasal voice laced with genuine concern as she asked if I was all right. I cracked a bitter smile.
"Hey, I thought you said the Emperor liked me."
"He does miss! It's just that you... you've never talked back to him like this before, and- and he was so excited for you to be his daughter-in-law. He must've been so disappointed that he—"
"It's so funny. All of this... " I couldn't hide the smirk that started to form on my chapped lips. "I don't get why Hera would choose to live such a wretched life."
"What are you talking about, miss?"
"It's nothing," I said, smiling half-heartedly. "But if you're here to change my mind then forget all about it, Lara."
"But you must! You have no idea how miserable your life will be if—"
"And what about that Malachi guy or whatever? Why would he agree to this marriage when he clearly doesn't like me?"
"Oh, you bet he does, my lady! It's just that- that sneaky fox keeps messing with his head and- and talking trash about you! You guys were so in love until she showed up and got in the way!"
"That Nessa girl you told me about?"
"Hmm!"
"So, you're saying he loves me but that he's just... confused? Because that girl talks bad about me to him?"
"Exactly, miss!"
"So, what you're saying is that he believed – chose to believe – some random girl he just met over me? Is that it?"
"That's exactly—no, that wasn't what I was trying to say—"
"See? Why on earth would I marry someone like that? Try to understand where I'm coming from. Are you okay with Hera being heartbroken and miserable over that jerk?"
Lara, with a sad expression on her face: "As always, you're right, miss. It does make sense. Even if the Crown Prince loves you, he doesn't know how much he's hurting you."
I couldn't help but smile as I noticed a slight pout appear on her lips as she stood up.
"Why the long face? It's like I'm the one doing the comforting here! Shouldn't you, like, I don't know, say something else? Like how I'm better than that Nessa girl and that the Crown Prince will regret losing me?"
Lara halted as she was heading towards the winding staircase and gave me a sheepish smile. The sad expression on her face faded away in the blink of an eye.
"Well, I guess I should?" she said. "If I don't, you'll be as sour as a lemon and get all wrinkly!"
"Hey, what'd you just say!"
We both laughed. Lara's smile was then replaced by a hint of worry as she climbed halfway up the stairs. I could almost read her mind at this point.
"Hera?"
"Go on, say it."
"No matter what people say about you, I think you're the kindest and coolest person I've ever met."
So, that was the kind of person Hera was to Lara? A kind and cool person. I couldn't help but break into a smile upon hearing this.
Hera, she... she doesn't sound too terrible, after all.
"Thanks, now get going, Lara. Don't get caught."
I watched the stairs intently, my eyes following her every step until she disappeared completely.
Once again, the suffocating darkness enclosed me from all sides and left me to my own demise
I closed my eyes.
But not for long.
A searing pain shot through me. It was so intense that it felt as if literal flames were ravaging my insides.
clutched my bloody chest and clenched my jaw, desperately trying to block out the throbbing. With a groan escaping my parched lips, I jolted forwards and doubled over.
What in the world was wrong with this wound!? It was as if—I raised my glassy eyes and followed the intricate stonework as it led me to the corner across the spiralling staircase.
Startled, I tried to cover my wound.
"Looks like you've been cursed."
"W- what? Who- who is this?"
The sound of footsteps echoed through the drab dungeon as the dark figure slowly made his way to the middle of the aisleway.
As he trudged, he favoured one leg. A slight limp was evident in his gait.
It was impossible to discern what he looked like from this distance since his face was hidden beneath a hood.
My gaze shifted downwards. He was chained to the wall by his ankle. A prisoner? But he didn't have his own cell...
Crouching down, the stranger cocked his head, carefully studying me before speaking up.
"Whoever did this to you is very powerful."
"You can see it? The- the curse."
"Hmm. Don't want to scare you but that looks like black magic to me."
"Black magic? Like, some kind of demonic spell?"
His response was delayed. He seemed to be in deep thought, contemplating, as if he weighed his options.
When he finally tore his gaze away from the wound, he lifted his hood slightly and looked into my eyes.
"Yeah, that's more like it. But how did someone like you, Hera, end up cursed like this?"
He knows Hera. This was bad. I had no clue who this was even if Hera did. I needed to change the subject.
"You said the curse was done by someone powerful. What else do you know?"
"If you're asking me how to get rid of the curse; I don't know. But I know someone who might."
"Who is...?"
"The Goddess of Knowledge. She's been in the Abyss of Death for ages, though. But you might find a remedy there."
Hearing this, I leaned forwards, momentarily forgetting the ache in my chest.
"You know where it's at? The Abyss of Death."
The prisoner tilted his head slightly. His narrowing eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity.
"Maybe."
"Give me an answer that makes sense! Do you or do you not?"
"Does it really make a difference?" he said, standing up and getting ready to head back to his little corner. "They'll never let you leave the Empire, anyway."
In a last-ditch attempt, I gripped onto the cold steel bars. "If- if I manage to get us out of here, will you help me find the Abyss of Death?"
The prisoner broke off. There was a brief silence between us. Still facing away from me, he finally responded.
"I will."