#Chapter 6 This Witch Isn’t Weak

Eloise’s POV I woke up to find myself in a completely darkened room. I tried to sit up but it felt like there was a huge weight on my body; and like a tight band was wrapped around my head. Pain shot up through my spine as I fell back onto the bed. W-where am I? “Oh, so you’re finally awake, huh, Eloise?” Adam’s voice rang from the darkness. He sat down on a chair that was next to my bed and lit up a candle. The light illuminated a portion of his face. Though Adam was smiling, there was nothing warm nor sincere about it. “How do you feel?” His voice was calm and kind like he didn’t just kidnap me. “Just let me go, Adam. I don’t want to be here and I definitely don’t want to be here with you,” I replied coldly. Adam continued on like he ignored my words entirely. He got up to pour me a glass of water. “Please, you must be thirsty after having slept for so long. Drink something.” He sat back down and handed me the drink. “Adam!” I yelled. “Our engagement has long since been canceled. Why are you doing this? There’s no point!” I waved Adam’s hand away harshly which caused the glass to shatter against the ground. His smile was bittersweet. “You know, Eloise….The times we spent together were the best moments of my life. You were so kind and thoughtful. I never knew happiness until I met you. When we were engaged, I thought it was a gift from the Gods themselves…” His smile faded. “Tell me. What changed?” “I’m sorry, Adam…” I lowered my voice. “Please, you need to give me up. There are others out there who will be better to you. Better for you. But I have my reasons for marrying Xavier.” “Like what?” Adam’s voice became agitated. “Did he touch you?” I paused and nodded my head. Maybe he’ll believe my lie and it’ll hurt him so much he’ll be forced to give up on me. No one wants a woman who was touched before marriage anyway. Suddenly, Adam’s hands were all over my body as he tried to tear off my clothes. “Where did he touch you? Here? There? Tell me now!” I swatted Adam’s hands away and grabbed at the sheets to cover myself. “You’re insane! Let go of me!” But Adam grabbed the sheets and threw them across the room. A light flashed in his eyes. It was like looking into the reddened eyes of a beast who had found their prey after days of not eating. His hands were all over me again as he tore at the nightgown I was wearing from the previous night. It ripped just enough to where it exposed my breasts. “Allow me to purify you from his corrupted touch, Eloise…” Adam growled. God! This isn’t the man I knew before. He's a monster who's trying to force himself onto me! Then a sudden frantic knocking came at the door. He paused what he was doing for a second. But then he continued to yank at what was left of the dress I used to cover myself. The knock then gradually swelled to impatient pounding. “Go away!” He growled. “Your Highness, you need to come out here quickly! A group of werewolves was spotted across the castle yards!” The person’s voice cracked from sheer panic. Adam turned around in an instant and wrapped me in his arms. Before I passed out, I watched as he shouted across the room and into the hallway. “Don’t let Eloise out of your sight!” “Yes, Your Highness!” A woman responded eagerly. My vision was blurry but I was able to see the woman step into the room. I tried to swat them away but it didn’t matter. They walked over to me and placed a bag over my head. Before I could yell, everything around me turned black again. ———— Getting knocked out twice in one day. Fun. I had no idea how long I was out for this time but a sudden splash of cold water was enough to yank me back to the harsh coldness of reality. “Oh? Well, if it isn't Miss Eloise Wisdom.” A voice spat out my name. After my vision adjusted to the darkness of the room, I was finally able to get a good luck at who was holding me captive this time. No way. I scoffed. It shouldn’t have surprised me to see Emma in the room. The young woman used to follow Adam around like she was his lost puppy. She would do anything and everything to please him and to make him see her worth. “You have some nerve for betraying Prince Adam like that!” Emma’s eyes narrowed at me. “He took pity on you because you’ve always been such a worthless, weak little witch. Being married to him would’ve been the best thing for your pathetic existence.” Emma never hid her disdain for me. I rolled my eyes at Emma’s comment and chose to remain quiet. But my quietness just managed to piss off Emma even more somehow. “What? Cat got your tongue? Are you still pretending to be pure? Even while your clothes are so obviously disheveled? Such a wanton woman you turned out to be.” I allowed a smirk to curl on my lips. “You’re so right, Emma! Look at how unworthy I am to be in the presence of Prince Adam. I’m such an eyesore, aren’t I? Wouldn’t it be more of a service to him and everyone else if you just let me go?” “You can’t be serious!” Emma threw her hands in the air. “It’s so obvious that his Highness has forgiven you for committing such treachery against him and his kingdom. Enough with your tricks! You are to stay here until Prince Adam returns!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Treachery? What, the engagement that I broke off BEFORE I married Xavier? I committed no treacherous acts or done anything to betray Adam.” I paused for a moment before continuing. “You know, since you’re being so persistent, now I’m curious. Why do YOU care so much about Adam’s marriage anyway?” “Unlike you, I’m,” Emma placed her hand on her chest, “LOYAL to Prince Adam. Of course, I’m going to care about him and ensure that his plans and dreams come to fruition, even if they involve such an unworthy person as yourself. After all, I am his most trusted and faithful maid.” “Yeah, that’s the point—you’re nothing more than a little handmaiden. Since when are lowly maids qualified to talk about the marriage of aristocrats?” I rolled my eyes and mocked her. I just need to provoke her a little more to the point where she’ll lose her mind… “You BITCH! I’ll rip your mouth off!” It worked! Like a switch, wrath enveloped Emma as she bore her fangs and lunged at me. I smirked and held up both of my hands. With a spell, Emma had been rendered frozen in mid-air. She tried so hard to wriggle herself free. How cute. Even though it’s completely pointless. “Since when have you been able to use such advanced magic?!” The pure shock on her face was absolutely hilarious to witness. I stood up from my bed and started walking towards her. “I’m not some lowly little witch anymore. What a shame. You can’t walk all over me like you used to.” I continued to talk with each step I took. “I’ve endured your nasty comments and pettiness for so many years because I didn’t want to cause any trouble. But now?” I snapped my fingers and conjured a red flame. “I think it’s time you paid for the pain you’ve caused me.” “W-what are you doing? Don’t come any closer! Guards? Guards! Someone help me!” Emma yelled as she struggled even harder against the spell that trapped her. I smirked. “You know, the neat thing about this magic is that it creates this cute little barrier around the person I’ve cast it on. I can expand it to where I can fit inside of it, too. You can cry and yell all you want, but no one will hear you.” Emma continued to yell as loud as she could as tears streamed down her face. I could see how scared Emma was since she had never seen me wield such power before. The flame I conjured was now only centimeters from her face. The scorching temperature made her too scared to breathe. “Oh, and be a nice little pet and tell your master to never come after me again. I’m no one’s property—I never will be.” “Help me!” Emma cried.