Alchemised

by SenLinYu

She’d ascend to the highest floors, make discoveries, and do the kind of work that would change the world. Her name remembered forever.

She looked up at him. “You’re a monster.” He raised an eyebrow. “Noticed that, have you?”

“I’ll tell you if you swallow it like a good girl.”

PLEASEEE

“Why all this sudden interest in me?” he asked. She shrugged. “You don’t make sense.” He raised an eyebrow. “Oh, is that all? And here I was hoping you were plotting to seduce me.” She stared at him blankly. He gave a mocking smile. “Steal my heart with your wit and charms.” Helena scoffed. “Who knows, perhaps I have a proclivity for—” He paused, studying her, trying to find something. Helena walked away. “Maybe tomorrow.”

“Ah, and that’s supposed to explain why you spend so much time with her. And when you’re not, it’s the thralls following her.” Aurelia scoffed. “As if she’ll disappear otherwise.”

“Besides, if I didn’t leave you on the floor retching, you might make the mistake of thinking I care.” Helena inclined her head. “Yes. You seem strangely concerned about me thinking such a thing.”

“If I were to start complaining, the food would not be the first thing I’d bring up,”

“Why don’t you ever stop?” He let go of her, shoving her back. Her hand, numb with pain, lost its grip. “Why don’t you die?” There was no point in being coy. She wanted to kill him; they both knew it.

His lips curved into an insincere smile. “Prior commitments, I’m afraid.”

“Who do you hate so much?” Until then, she hadn’t realised the depths of his anger. It was like the ocean that went on and on, and all its promises were death. He seemed briefly startled by the question, then his emotions vanished like a box snapped shut. “Many people,” he said with an insolent shrug. He smiled, mouth curving like a scythe. “Most of whom are dead now.”

“Ferron always comes for me,” she whispered.

aside from being somewhat decorative, you are useless to me. If you ever go near her again, or speak to her, or so much as set foot in this wing again, I will kill you, and I will do it slowly, perhaps over the course of an evening or two. That isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.

GAGGED

“No one is going to steal your book,” he said as if he was trying very hard to be patient. He gestured around. “Who even would? If they do, I will buy you a new one. Leave it.”

Idk why but i love this

“You can do anything you want to me. I’ll never ask for any mercy from you, but please—don’t do this…” He stood, impassive. “It—this baby—it’ll be half yours. Don’t let them—” she said in a broken voice. “I’ll do anything you want—I’ll—I’ll—” She didn’t have anything to offer.

My heart 😭

When they’d gone, Ferron would sit on the edge of the bed and smooth her hair. Sometimes he would take her hand, his fingers moving absently against hers. The first time he did it, she thought he was playing with her fingers; then she realised he was massaging them.

“I have warned you, if something happens to you, I will personally raze the Eternal Flame. That isn’t a threat. It is a promise. Consider your survival as much a necessity to the Resistance as Holdfast’s. If you die, I will kill every single one of them.”