W-what?
Liyah’s POV
To say that I was shocked would be an understatement. Frankly, I was dumbfounded, and no matter how many times I gaped at Nikolai breaking the silver chains off the werewolves, I couldn’t seem to get over it. When he was done, he made way for the two middle-aged women who were in charge of the hideout to clean and feed them, then make sure they were well rested.
I saw him look away when our eyes met and I couldn’t help but do the same. As I watched him walk out of the room and down the stairs, I began to think of possible reasons why he could be doing this. If there was anything I knew about him, it was how selfish and cold-hearted he was. So what was his motive? I wasn’t going to argue the fact that it was a good deed. He was saving lives, restoring hope and happiness in these people when they thought they’d never again find it. He built this large, well-equipped underground mansion, made sure they were clean, fed and safe. And from what I heard from Millie, the woman in charge, he made weekly visits to check up on them. It was the most selfless, heroic thing I had ever heard. But that’s not the man I had come to know.
Another thing I was confused about was the fact that he had saved me. With the amount of resentment for me that he had brewing within him, I had expected him to leave me there. After all, it was the perfect way to get rid of me once and for all. But all he did was treat me with indifference. I saw anger flash briefly in his eyes when he recognised me, and then without a word, he bundled me up and placed me in the passenger seat of the truck.
Making my decision, I whipped around and made my way down the stairs. I needed answers, and he was the only one that could give them to me. My palms began to sweat when I sighted him inside one of the rooms downstairs, his back facing the door. I needed to constantly remind myself that I was no longer his slave, and now I was entitled to my decisions and my opinions. And I had every right to speak my mind. So I tossed all the fear that came with facing him, and I walked in.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
I wasn’t sure if he’d heard me come in. But if he did, he didn’t show it.
“Why are you doing this?”
He turned around in surprise to face me for a few seconds, and then without a word he plopped down on a chair, and fixed me with a cold stare. I felt myself begin to falter under his gaze but I held myself strong. I had had enough of all of it, being pushed around and oppressed. I needed answers, I needed explanations. And I wouldn’t back down until I got them.
“So you’re the Silver Ghost? The one who has been saving all these people?”
When he didn’t respond, I scoffed. “What are you even trying to achieve? You’re trying to pacify your soul, feel like some kind of hero? Because you do one thing, one good deed, you think you can wipe everything away and have a clean slate? Like… like a serial killer who gives to the poor.”
As I stared him down, I began to realize just how much anger I was feeling. Why did he think it was that easy?
I saw the rage on his face slowly change to disbelief. But I was past caring to wonder.
“You’ve saved them, and now they all sing your praises and marvel at how selfless of a man you are. If only they knew what sort of monster was hidden under this façade… what sort of terrible things you’ve done.” I clenched my fists. “So go ahead, fool them. But you don’t fool me for even-”
“I brought Eve from here,” I heard him announce gently.
It felt like my chest had been punched in.
“W-what?” I clapped a hand over my mouth in horror as an image of Eve chained from head to toe came to mind. Eve tortured and malnourished… and in pain. When I saw those children from earlier, the first person that came to my mind was Eve. And now I find out that she really was one of them? I wasn’t sure what to say as my eyes riveted back to him. Why would he go through all the trouble of rescuing her and then letting her live under his roof. He was so unpredictable I couldn’t decide if he had a heart or not.
Sighing, I shut my eyes, saying a short prayer to thank the goddess that Eve was alive and well back home. I don’t think I had ever been grateful for anything as I was for that little girl’s health.
I swallowed bitterly when I remembered where I was and why I was here in the first place. “I saw one of Father’s men tonight,” I whispered, not exactly sure why I was telling him.
I held back the tears that began to pool in my eyes. “I’d always known he wasn’t exactly the nicest person. But I never in my wildest dreams imagined that he could do something so… evil. Treating people like dirt. W-why?”
As the words fell from my lips, I wondered how I hadn’t known. Father had always treated me with such hatred, I couldn’t imagine why I was so surprised.
“You have no idea what he’s capable of.”
His voice was so chilling it sent a shiver through me. I looked up in time to see the pain and anger in his eyes. “What do you mean?”
I saw him stiffen.
We stood in silence for a few moments and then he faced me. “Night is falling and we don’t have time. Let’s go.”
Before I could recover sufficiently to say anything, he had walked out the door.