Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 68 – Playtime

“Pleasure is sweetest when ‘tis paid for by another’s pain” – Ovid

Lady Sanguine

The essence saturating my former parents” room flooded my mind with memories freed from their burial chambers. Memories of hiding under their bed to spook them fresh out of the shower or drenching my clothes in Ashley’s expensive perfume. My childlike innocence lingering in the corners of the teal walls, fading away to nothingness. There’s no question that I loved Ashley and Steven–they were my world, my role models, and my protectors rolled into one. A part of my heart still aches for them; a relic of my younger years that wished for them to call me their Princess again.

But they stripped their princess of her crown because of their cowardliness.

I hated this ache. Dull. Bothersome. Gripping the hilt of my bloodied blade, I had the choice to carve it out of my chest or eliminate the source. Who am I if I didn’t choose the latter? It is why I’m here, isn’t it?

A sparkle suddenly flashed in my peripherals. I turn to the black vanity table ornamented with jewelry and framed family pictures. The magnetic pull of the sparkle drew me to a gold necklace resting in a small box lined with black velveteen, glittering underneath the fluorescent lighting.

My eyes bulged out of their sockets. It wasn’t an ordinary gold necklace. Hooked around the bail was a bumblebee pendant with its wings spread. I picked it up by the pendant to flip it over, fingers running over the engraving.

“To our little Honeybee.”

“I’m not a little bee! I’m a big bee!” A voice echoed in my head, loud and proud. Tears pricked my eyes as 1 remembered how I got this necklace. My Sth birthday.

“You’ll always be our little bee, Hali.” Ashley replied with overflowing love. I can feel her hands smoothening out my wild curls. “Even if you become a big bee, you’ll be the queen of the hive!”

“I won’t get a king? Why isn’t there a king bee?”

“Because the queer

queen doesn’t need a man at her side.” Steven chuckled before poking my nose, making me squeal. “No man is good enough for my baby girl, let alone to be her king.”

“Ah, love, you’ll eat those words when she gets older! Her mate is somewhere out there, waiting for her.”

“Ew!” I cringed, sticking out my tongue. “That means kissing. Gross! You and Daddy do it all the time. Aren’t you scared of cooties?”

“Adults don’t get cooties, baby girl.”

“They must get something, then.”

“They get babies.” Raina butted in, earning a push on her shoulder from Ashley, laughing. “Can’t we eat some cake now? I’m dying here!”

“It’s my cake!” I stuck my tongue out at my older sister. She retaliated the same way, squinting her eyes. the queen bee today and what I say goes!”

“What do you say then?”

“Time for cake!”

“I’m

The dull ache graduated to a resonate agony. I grabbed my chest with my free hand and tried to breathe through the pain. I hated it! How could they love me one year and treat me like trash the next? It makes

beneath my heel. Broken memories will stay broken. No matter how

pay for what they did to me, no matter

fate with ease. The bathroom doors suddenly burst open, and a body tackled mine to the ground. My blade flew out of my hands,

“How dare you!”

knees against the carpet.

else, Kiya!” Steven bellowed, grip tightening around my wrists. “This isn’t the way to get revenge! You’re

kill everyone if it’s the last

entered my ears in a twisted melody. “Think about what you’re doing, Honeybee! Can you live with yourself

and kicked Ashley in her chest, launching her into a wall. Literally. She slid to the ground in a painful heap and I bashed the back of my head to Steven’s jaw, drawing blood. When

old man.

out of my life! They’ve been allowed to live for too long, but

want to repent for your sins? Your

my marionette. Impenetrable black filled the room where only my eyes pierced the opaque fog. Choking echoed through the horrid atmosphere; strips of black wrapping around Ashley and Steven’s necks like snakes to their prey, lifting their

breaking glass blitzed

2/5

– Maytime

I seized my fallen blade off the floor. Ashley and Steven writhed in pain outside on the ground, oblivious of the next stage of my vengeance. Chaos ruled the atmosphere, but their screams of death will make

their prey helpless underneath their preeminence. The anticipation of knowing they have the power to dictate if

another fix.

not, here I

the window ledge, I aimed my blade above my head, focusing on Steven. I’ll kill Dear Ol‘ Dad first, then Sweet Mama after she feels her mate bond

of my blade finding its place in Steven’s skull, is buried in dirt. The couple rolled out of the way and escaped into the forest in a frenzy. Giggling, I rose on my heels and followed them, relishing in each panicked step and sob of terror. This must be what stalkers feel

on! Dying won’t be that bad, I promise!”

domain. The moon rules in darkness and in darkness, I thrive! They were slippery ones; escaping my grasp whenever they are able, but I’m a stubborn mule. I don’t give up.

sparkle in my peripherals interrupted my fun. This time, it wasn’t jewelry. I followed the streak of light to spot Diana perched on a branch, haloed in pulsating silver. Her golden eyes examined me, full of silent emotion. For that moment,

illusion? How can a bird create this?

“Diana…?”

knew that. But this was different. I felt safe. The chaotic background noise drowned into silence as I tailed the bird to wherever she

cooed softly, tilting her head curiously. Our dynamic is so

her. So

I murmured again, my bloody fingers reaching out to touch her. I wanted to feel the softness of her feathers and hear her

Chapter 68–Maytime

her. My entire body froze in the

melody perforated holes in the darkness and opened the gateways for much–needed clarity. Osiris was a persistent presence in my mind, but this

voice boomed. “You can fight this! I believe

opened my mouth to speak, but my throat dried up. I couldn’t

Diana hobbled onto my thighs and rubbed her head against my torso, but her touch felt like fire. Pitiful whimpers escaped my lips and my fingers dug into my scalp to combat the impounding headache. My head pounded like a jackhammer to concrete as Diana’s touch became a warrior and fought

heightened. But I didn’t have time to appreciate it as a storm of black penetrated the illusionary white dome Diana created. Angry, the black focused on my bird. I hugged Diana, protecting her with every fiber of our being with my pain–wracked body. She

“Don’t touch her!”