The Truth Beneath The Rose

Waking up was rough. Mercy’s body was stiff and she was still exhausted.

Sitting up, she glanced around the room, rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms in the air. Her eye caught sight of the clock, and she scrambled toward, running her eyes over the large numbers in fright.

It was 3:27 P.M.?!

She looked around once more, stifling a yawn, and realizing she was completely alone in the dim-lit room. Well, since no one’s here…

She lie back down on the bed and snuggled into the mattress.

The door suddenly opened.

“You’re not going asleep on me, are you?”

She practically avoided him, mumbling her tiredness into the pillow. But then, her stomach yowled and she sat up, holding it uncomfortably because she knew he heard it.

“Hungry much?” He smirked, waving a tray in his hand. “Ready for lunch?”

Mercy nodded frantically, reaching out for the tray like a small child. He smiled, then set the tray in front of her. Breakfast in bed. Dad had done that for weeks after mom died, as if to try to make her feel better, but it was really so he could feel better about himself. For making their family so poor. For ruining their future. Mercy knew he hadn’t done that. He had done his best, and she didn’t care about the rest.

Mercy ate her food slowly, mostly because she didn’t like people staring at her while eating. While doing anything, really. It reminded her of the rainy day at the cemetery. Where the people had all stared her while she struggled to break free of her assailants holds.

Breaking the silence, she asked, “How long have you been like this?”

He freezes, and Mercy immediately looks away, knowing she had done wrong in asking. But then, he answers softly, as if speaking loudly would break the warm air.

“Since I was thirteen.” He looked over at the door, and Mercy stared at his cheek. He was just like the beast in so many ways. He had a strange violence in his eyes that lured her his way. That could scre her to death, and then make her fall to pieces all at once.

“How’d it happen—?”

“Sir! Sir! Sir!” He stretched the last word a little longer then he should have. A butler hurtled through the door, panting like a dog. He crouched down to catch his breath, before informing his “sir” of what was so important he had to crash through the door.

“You…your father…he’s…coming…” The poor butler panted, waving his hand as if to dismiss them.

Mercy turned urgently to Edge. “Your father?”

His eyes suddenly widen, and he leaps off the bed. “Hurry, go back to your room and change. Come back here—quick!” And then he waves her off.

“Oh, um—okay.” Mercy replies awkwardly.

One step forward…

Three steps back.

It’s progress, right? I’m one step closer to finding out who Edge really is.

Mercy changed into something presentable, and met Edge outside his room. He nodded approval of both of them and then walked swiftly down the hallway, where other servants seemed exasperated and overworked. She could hardly keep up.

When they made it to the main hall, plenty of maids and butlers already stood there, looking at the door with expectant eyes, holding their breaths. Edge’s father didn’t seem to be in any hurry, because they were waiting like that for five minutes. Maybe more.

But then, the doors open and bright sunlight poured in the room. For moments, the figure in the doorway was a shadow. The man steps forward and his face and body are now visible.

“Hello, son.”