Page 154 of Soulmateless
I lower my head, keeping my eyes on the floor of one of our spare courts. Father stands in front of Mother, who sits on a throne cushioned in pale pink. The room is so large that every sound bounces off the white walls.
Father has never been so angry with me. Quite frankly, I don't care enough to react.
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Father yells, anger shaking his body. "Doing this to your Mother. Doing this to the kingdom!"
"Bruce, calm down," Mother stands from her seat, reaching a hand towards Father.
"How can I calm down? Our son is acting out of line for some freakshow!"
"And you think he's in the right state of mind after he's been abused for who knows how long?"
I snap my head up. "She didn't abuse me!"
"Shut your ass up," Father scolds. “This isn't how I raised you!”
"Bruce!" Mother growls. "This lashing out isn't how to treat a victim!"
"I'm not a victim," I snap.
"You know, if you weren't our son, you would be in prison!" Father snarls.
"I don't care. I did the right thing!”
"You released a monster!"
"She isn't a monster! And if you really are so concerned about the law, just imprison me." I look down again. "Do what you think I deserve. I don't care."
"We will do what it takes to teach you a lesson."
"Do what you want! Beat me, punch me, put me in jail, kill me if you think any of that will work. I don't care." I look back at him. I don't have tears to cry over this. I don't have anger rushing through me. Just a weight for a heart. “Do what you must.”
Father's glare slowly turns soft as he stands over me. "Amias…"
I don't say anything. I stare down to my hands, thinking back to Ignatia, remembering her touch.
I hear Mother's light steps coming closer. "See Bruce? We shouldn't punish him. We should help him recover.”
I remain silent. There's no use of talking if no one's willing to listen. Besides, my silence speaks for itself.
"My poor little dove," she murmurs, stroking my shoulder. "We'll look into therapy, and maybe even a psychiatric hospital if you need it."
I scrunch my nose. I hate how everyone is so concerned about me, when an innocent woman was almost killed because of them. They should be more concerned about her.
But they refuse to see the truth, and they will never open their minds. Even if they were served evidence right under their nose.
Chapter 54
Amias
I didn't even bother getting up from bed this morning, no matter how many times people knocked and called for me. Staying curled up in my soft white blanket within four beige walls, I go back and forth between sleep and wondering if Ignatia is okay.
"Amias!" Mother called. "I want to talk things out. I want to make sure my dove is okay."
I didn't reply, only covering my head with the blanket.
"Amias! You're upsetting your mother! Come out! Now!"
I didn't react to Father. I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.
