Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Sierra pov.

After two long hours of working, I felt as though my life had been drained out of me. My stomach grumbled loudly, and I knew that I needed to find something to eat soon.

Exhausted, I sat on the floor, surveying the room. Despite having made progress, I still had a long way to go. The weight of my fatigue was bearing down on me, and if I didn't eat soon, I felt like I would collapse.

I lay down on the ground, my body coated in grime and dust. As I looked up at the ceiling, the world seemed to be spinning around me. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

The sound of my growling stomach filled the silent room, and the pain in my gut intensified. I knew I had to find something to eat soon, or I wouldn't be able to continue my work.

I stood up, unable to sit any longer. As I thought about my next move, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. I knew that I had to eat something before I could continue.

I opened the door slowly and looked out into the empty hallway. Hoping to avoid being seen, I made my way outside, scanning the area for any signs of food.

I walked into the garden and sat down on the soft grass, feeling the cool breeze on my skin. I looked up at the sky, which was beginning to darken. I sighed, feeling overwhelmed and uncertain of what to do next.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached, and I quickly hid behind a nearby tree to see who was coming. I saw Alex, looking angry as she spoke on the phone. She stood beside a flowers, the phone pressed tightly to her ear as she shouted into it.

"I've told you already, the child has died. Don't call me anymore. We have no connection now that the thing that linked us is gone."

As I watched her abruptly end the phone call, my eyes followed her retreating figure as she walked back into the castle. The sight of her confident stride and the sound of her clicking heels on the stone floor added to my confusion. Who was she talking to? And what did she mean by what she said?

The conversation played through my mind like a broken record, as I struggled to make sense of the cryptic message. Lost in thought, I didn't realize how stressed I looked until I caught sight of my own reflection in a nearby window. My forehead was creased, and my brows were furrowed, as I tried to piece together the clues.

But hunger interrupted my thoughts with a low grumble from my stomach. I became aware of the physical discomfort as I held my stomach in my hands, feeling the emptiness within. I knew I needed to find food, but I also knew I couldn't risk running into Alex.

So, I walked back into the castle, cautiously avoiding anyone's gaze. The hallway was empty, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The quietness was soothing, and I felt safe for the moment.

As I made my way towards the room, I noticed the long list of tasks that still needed to be completed. The overwhelming amount of work made me feel like I was drowning, and I placed my hands on my head, trying to calm myself down.

"What should I do now?" I asked myself, looking around the room for inspiration. But the silence was deafening, and my thoughts were becoming jumbled.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Alex walked in. I felt a knot form in my stomach as she looked at me and then around the room.

"You're still cleaning," she observed, her tone sarcastic.

"Sorry, I was feeling a bit hungry, so I thought maybe I should rest a little," I explained, hoping she would understand.

But Alex's expression was cold as she walked towards me, her eyes locked onto mine.

"Listen here, slave," she said, her voice low and menacing. "Like I said before, no work, no food. Got it?"

I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. I was starving, and the thought of going without food was unbearable.

"But I'm hungry," I protested weakly. "If I don't eat now, I might go insane."

Alex's laughter filled the room, mocking me.

"You're hungry?" she asked incredulously. "Well, I guess you'll have to work harder then, won't you?"

She walked away, not saying anything, and I just stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do at that moment.

I felt like a slave now, begging for food. I still couldn't believe that all this was happening so fast. If I were home, my mom would have treated me to a nice meal, and I wouldn't have to beg for food.

Just as I was about to sit back down on the ground, the door opened, and I saw Alex holding a plate of food. My mouth watered, and I just wanted to grab the food out of her hands.

"You say you're hungry, right?" she said.

Just hearing her say that, I knew something wasn't right. For her to bring food for me, I didn't think she was doing me any favors. I looked at her as she stood waiting for my reply. I nodded without saying a word, and she smiled and walked over to me.

"Okay, you can have it," she said as she just stood there with the food in her hands.

I looked back up at her, wanting to know if this was one of her tricks waiting for me to fall into it. I stood there looking at her face, trying to know the game she was up to, but I couldn't stand it anymore since my stomach was making a hell out of me.

I took two steps toward her as I stood looking at the food before me. I looked at her, and she smiled and asked me to take the food.

I moved my hand a bit forward as I tried to figure out what kind of trick she wanted to play. Just as I touched the plate, she moved her hands away, pouring the plate of rice on my face.

I just stood there, not knowing what to say or do.

"You want to eat, right? Then eat!" she yelled and walked away.

I looked at the little food on the floor as I got down and started to eat it. I was so hungry that I had to eat like the wolf I am. The rice was cold, but it tasted like heaven.

Just as I was eating, the door opened, and I didn't look up to know who it was because I was thinking it was Alex, not until I heard another voice.

"What are you doing?" the voice said.