Adrian sat in the dim glow of the study's single lamp, the amber light casting soft shadows that danced across the dark wood of the desk. His fingers drummed quietly on the leather armrest as his eyes remained fixed on the door. Patience was his weapon, honed through years of waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Tonight, control would be absolute.
The door opened soundlessly. Two guards appeared, their faces unreadable as they pushed forward two girls. The first moved with a cautious grace despite her weariness, Alicia, the elder sister by three years. Her dark chestnut hair hung in loose waves just past her shoulders, framing a face sharpened by fear but tempered with a flicker of defiance. Her deep emerald eyes, inherited from both parents, glimmered with the kind of strength that had kept her going this long. Standing nearly five feet seven, she carried herself with a poised restraint that belied the trembling in her hands.
Close behind was Sophia, smaller and more delicate. Her hair was a lighter shade of brown, almost ash, falling in soft curls that brushed the nape of her neck. Her eyes matched Alicia's, same rich emerald hue but in them lay a vulnerability her sister tried desperately to shield. She was shorter by a head, barely five feet four, and her slight frame trembled visibly as the cold from the stone corridors seeped into her bones.
Adrian said nothing as he watched them enter, the silence stretching heavy in the room. The younger girl's breath hitched, and she bit her lip to quiet a whimper. Alicia's gaze met his, steady and sharp, but behind her emerald eyes was the fatigue of too many sleepless nights and too many horrors witnessed.
The guards stepped back, closing the door with a faint click. The weight of silence thickened until Adrian finally leaned back in his chair. His voice was calm, almost bored, but each word struck like cold steel.
You have been here for days. You know why.
Sophia flinched visibly at the sound, her wide eyes darting between the menacing figure and the door as if searching for escape. Alicia nodded once, small and tense, her jaw tightening as she swallowed the lump in her throat.
Adrian rose smoothly, moving with the deliberate precision of a hunter closing in. He circled the desk slowly, closing the distance until he stood mere feet from them. His pale gray eyes flicked over their faces, lingering on the subtle details, the faint bruises on Alicia's cheekbone, the cracked lips of Sophia, the way their shoulders stooped under invisible weight.
Your father's betrayal left a debt that cannot be paid with coin.
Alicia swallowed hard, her throat dry. Her mind flashed briefly to the night they lost everything, the screams, the blood, the knife that glinted cruelly in the dim light.
Adrian's gaze hardened, but his face remained an unreadable mask.
This world runs on respect. Your father shattered that, replacing it with fear.
He stepped closer, forcing the girls to raise their heads. Sophia's lower lip quivered as she tried to hold his cold gaze, while Alicia's amber-flecked emerald eyes met his with defiance, even if her body betrayed exhaustion.
Fear, he said quietly, is more loyal than love.
The silence returned, oppressive and suffocating.
Adrian opened a drawer and retrieved a small black box. Inside lay a simple silver chain with a worn key dangling at its end.
This belongs to the cellar where you will return when I am finished.
Sophia's breath hitched, the key a cruel reminder of their captivity.
Adrian replaced the box and closed the drawer with care. He stepped close again, the faint scent of cigar smoke lingering around him.
From now on, every breath you take, every movement, will be at my command. You will rise when I say, eat only when permitted, work until the scales are balanced.
Sophia's emerald eyes filled with tears, glistening in the low light. Alicia's jaw clenched, lips pressed into a thin line as she fought to maintain control.
Adrian turned, dismissing them with a cold finality. The guards seized the girls, leading them toward the door. Before they left, his voice cut through the air one last time.
You will remember your father's screams. You will remember the smell of his blood. Mercy is not a currency here.
The door shut behind them, leaving the room in quiet amber hues and a silence heavy with threats.
Alone, Adrian returned to his chair, the weight of his decisions settling on him. The sisters were pawns in a game of power and revenge, a game he intended to win at any cost.