Prologue - Rotten

“You will never compare to her.” Antares stared down at her hands, her vision blurring as she took a breath. "Yes sir."

The man who stood in front of her lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes were dirt brown. Nothing about him stood out. He looked exactly like the kind of person you would think of him to be. Rotten. “Child.. Do you know why we are back here again?” The man walked around her. Circling her. Like a hawk about to catch its meal.. Antares shrugged and her smug smile returned to her face.

“Maybe it’s because you’ve truly missed me.” She mocked.

The man rolled his eyes before kicking her chair over, with her along with it. She was tied down so she had no choice but to lay there on her side. She laughed, “Perhaps not then..”

The man walked over to where she laid on the ground. He stood in front of her face, so she had no choice but to stare at his shoes. They were covered in black shine. She wouldn’t be surprised if he spit shined his shoes. “You are here because I sent for you. You are alive because I wanted you to be.”

Antares’ smile faded, she knew where this was going.

“And you failed to remember this when I sent you to take care of an asset..” He spoke firmly.

Antares felt a pain in her chest. “He is not an asset… Nor is he one of your monsters created just for you to manipulate.” Antares used every ounce of energy as she could to stand up, with her hands still tied behind the back of her chair it was rather difficult. The man watched her with a calm smile on his face. She wished she could remove it from his face forever.

“You were sent to bring him back here. To me." The man paused briefly. "But instead you decided upon yourself to live with him?” The man’s smile was no longer there. Yet his eyes were full of curiosity. He wanted to know everything.

“He asked me to stay with him.. That is all.” Antares hesitated in her speech.

The man tilted his head slightly. “Oh really? Because rumor has it that Mortem isn’t just a lousy librarian.. He is now the King of the land. Which by the way.. I heard a rumor recently.. One that has been spreading to all of the other kingdoms… That the King of L.A. is engaged.”

Antares frowned before he even spoke the words. She knew that the rumor had spread. She just didn’t know how far.. “So what? He is the King. He can do as he wishes.”

The alarms began to scream and voices began to shout. It was almost impossible to think.. Yet, the man didn’t move. He stood there. Watching her. As if he knew. As if he was waiting for this to happen. He walked over to her and began untying her from the chair. Antares was frozen while he did this. She couldn’t figure out why.

Then the man stepped over to her and whispered in her ear. “Congratulations.. I’ll be sure to tell your husband that at the wedding.”

Antares felt weak. Her whole body shook as she watched the man walk out of the room. Leaving the door open behind him. She fell on her knees and stared at the open doorway. They were no longer safe.

Antares could no longer go home and ignore her growing worries. She could no longer enjoy those dinners they have together. She would never be able to dance with him again. They weren’t safe and they never will be. She sat there, on her knees, with tears streaming down her face. She would never be able to love anything. They would always take it away. For as long as she and Mortem existed. They would always have to run.

Antares felt a warm hand on the side of her face. She looked up to see Mortem knelt on the ground in front of her. “I couldn’t find you anywhere.. But Jilo gave me some information.. I hope you don’t mind.” Mortem smiled slightly, but the shaking in his hands sold him out.

“Thank you..” Antares placed her metal hand over his own. “I’m okay. I promise.”

Mortem frowned, she always said this. They both knew the truth behind those words.

“He wanted to know about why I never turned you in..” Antares whispered. 

Mortem thought over this for a moment. Antares watched him silently. It didn’t matter that his face was covered in these dark black veins. To her, he was everything. “Well.. I never minded having a new face around the house.”

Antares laughed. She must be thought of as insane to be happy in a facility surrounded by death. “Especially one that you’re in love with.”

Mortem took her hands in his own.“Especially one that I’m in love with.”

Author's Note

Thoughts?