"Do not tell me you are going to cry!" the man glared at Seraphina for mocking him.
They have been training for two long days without a break. He was once again shocked by his own strength and endurance. That wall would have taken at least ten men to break it down, but he had done it alone and he did not feel much pain after it.
"How much weight is it now?" he looked at her, who was lying on the bricks leisurely, she had placed on his back as he did the push up.
"Including me.." she tapped her fingers on the bricks. "It should be more than two hundred pounds. Why? Are you going to cry now?" He ignored her and continued the push ups.
She leaned forward slightly, her chin resting in her palm as she watched him. "You left your sister for this. Do you ever think about her?"
He faltered just slightly but caught himself and continued. He knew she was manipulating him like always, for some reason, this woman enjoyed playing with his emotions. He would not give that power to her anymore.
"Every day," he replied without looking at her.
"And yet you let her go!," Seraphina said, her tone was unreadable but he did not care what the vampires thought. Most of the time she was just a moody woman.
"I have to." he sighed and replied because he knew she would not let go until she heard a reply.
"Why?"
This time, he paused mid-push-up and met her gaze. "Because I know what it's like to feel powerless. To watch something get ripped away from you. If I am going to stop that from happening again, I need to be stronger than this. And I could not let her be my weakness while achieving my goals. Are you happy with the reply now?"
A look of surprise flashed in her eyes with a hint of admiration. Elias was not the first man she had chosen for her revenge. But three of them had broken down before she could prepare them for the final revenge.
But Elias had done good so far, he had fought with the humans and killed them without remorse. He had left his family without hesitation even when she knew he loved his sister too much and now he was enduring her hellish training without a single complaint.
Two long days, and he did not even look tired. Physically, he could endure more, but mentally she was not sure.
"Do you want to take a break?" she asked leisurely as she sat on him. But the man ignored her and continued to practice.
She looked at him with her eyes glimmering but he shook his head.
"You know," she said finally, tilting her head at him, "if you survive the next three days, I might start believing you are the one."
He scoffed. "There is no one else. You already made sure of that."
Her smile faded. "Exactly. So do not die under the pressure. It is hard to find men who would dare to stand for me." She stood up and jumped off his back with ease, landing lightly on the cracked ground. The rocks she had piled on him tumbled slowly, scattering with dull thuds as he finally pushed himself up to his feet.
"Does it mean I am standing against someone?" she paused and then laughed.
"Someone?" she repeated as she turned to face him. Her crimson eyes gleamed like blood under moonlight. "Oh, Elias! You are standing against everyone the moment you join hands with me."
Her boots crunched against the gravel as she walked back to him. She circled him slowly like a wolf assessing its prey, or perhaps its mate in battle.
"The humans who killed your kind is just the start. Next would be the elders who betrayed me." She stopped in front of him and spoke in a low voice, he knew that was not the last one, the list is longer than she was telling him. But he knew, he was not strong enough to know more. But he would be… one day!
She turned and walked toward the edge of the training ground, where the wind howled and reminded her of the threats lurking around.
"You have passed this test. You should be prepared for the next in one house. And if you want to eat something, you can cook!" She took a step forward and vanished before he could ask for more. That was not the first time she had done it, so he did not mind. He went to the kitchen and made a simple meal when he heard noises from outside and Seraphina's shriek. His eyes widened and he ran to her instinctively.
But as soon as he reached out, he was frozen. The scent of roses was overpowering.
Elias blinked as warm and golden sunlight poured across the garden path. His dirt-streaked hands were gripping the pruning shears like he had done it hundreds of times before. The familiar weight of the gardener's apron clung to his frame. The vines, once wild and overgrown, had been tamed under his hands.
His heart pounded harder than it should for a memory. He looked around baffled as he was sure that he was in the woods. A soft voice broke through the quiet hum of bees and breeze.
"You've done such a beautiful job with the roses this season, Elias."
He turned back in confusion. Lady Caldria approached with her usual poise. Her smile was no less beautiful than the roses he was tending to. Her lavender gown swept through the grass without a sound. She stopped in front of him, her gaze as gentle as the sunlight.
"I have always admired your dedication. Even when no one noticed, I did." His grip tightened on the shears. There was the same warmth in her voice as he remembered before the last accident. It made his skin crawl. He threw the spear away and stood up with rage burning his chest.
He could see the distant guards looking into his direction for a second longer but the girls shook her head and they looked away.
Elias barely stopped himself from strangling her, "Why am I here?" he asked slowly, searching her expression for any clue. "What are you doing?"
She laughed softly, tilting her head. "I just wanted to give you what you deserved. What happened was a mistake, Elias. But you were never just a servant to me, Elias. I liked you, I still do."
His breath caught in his throat.
"What are you talking about, woman?" he muttered.
Caldria stepped closer, her fingers brushing over his hand, "You don't have to serve me, anymore," she said gently. "I have already signed your manumission papers like you always wanted. You are not a slave anymore, Elias. You are free now. Yes, you are free to live however you want and now you can live your life with me."