The Devil Tainted Us (A Gothic, Age Gap and Forbidden Romance)

The next day while Agatha rests in my room, I head to Geryon’s chamber, knowing he won’t be there at the moment. During this time, he is checking all the chores the patients are doing throughout the building.

So, I have enough time to contact Julius through the radio. This is the only communication device in Geryon’s chamber but sometimes due to the weather it’s tough to send messages.

Finding the table at the corner of the room beside his bookshelf, I close the door behind me before I take a seat. There is an attached small shelf where a pen stand is resting. I turn it around, letting the shelf shift up and revealing the radio that is hidden behind. Geryon had this mechanism built to avoid the patients from contacting anyone. Just as I’m about to switch on the radio and connect the wirings, Agnes enters the room.

I meet her gaze over my shoulder, seeing the suspicious expression frowning on her face. She saunters towards me with her arms crossed while she remains quiet.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, ignoring her and finishing setting up the radio. But then I remember I can’t give any direct message to Julius because she will know why I’m here and inform Geryon.

So, I think of another way. Morse code.

I pull out the telegraph key that Agnes has no idea of and connect it with the radio’s signal wire before placing it on the table.

“I wanted to ask about what happened with Bethany?” she questions, standing right beside me.

“I told you to stay out of it. Your work was to take care of the body and you did. No need to put your nose into businesses that don’t concern you,” I retort and bring my focus back on the radio.

After Agatha fell asleep, I took care of Bethany’s body and buried her in the grave among the others with Agnes’s help. I later told her about it before coming here but she didn’t react much to it as she was still recovering back to reality. Though later she started to sob from guilt in my arms. And the only way I helped her was through my words and touch of comfort.

“You are hiding something for sure but when I find out, I will surely tell Father Geryon about it. That time we will see who is more controlling, you or him,” she seethes through her clenched teeth with anger painting her tone.

But at the moment I wanted her gone before Geryon came back.

“Do whatever the fuck you want, Agnes. Get the fuck out of here before I smash your head against the bookshelf,” I threaten her and after making sure the telegraph key is connected, I start to tap on the knob that made the continuous clack sound of every dit and dah signal I started to send.

Thankfully Agnes gets the message and while feeling her scorching glare upon me, she finally leaves the room. I tap quickly on the knob and send out the message to Julius, where I’m hoping he must be receiving it.

Need your help to save her. Bring a boat on the back side of the island by tomorrow. Hide it beside the vast palm tree and wait at the Vailburg dock. I will be arriving with her in three days.

He will understand whom I’m referring to and I hope he gets my message on time. I pull back the connections and put everything back in place, deciding to leave quickly. But as I pass by the table, a name catches my sight, making me halt instantly along with my heart racing.

Eros.

My brother.

The one whom I gave up my life for to Geryon.

I swipe away the other papers resting on top of his name before bringing the piece of slightly brown, crumpled paper.

Without wasting time, I start to read every line, every word written on the paper. But the more I read the more I feel my heart crumbling into uncountable pieces as my soul darkens with sorrow and loss.

It’s a letter that was sent a few weeks ago, giving the overall update about Eros’s condition. He was living under the basement of some shitty house and doing odd jobs as a garbage boy in Brinecliff, another island which is a few miles away from Vailburg but the state of it has a more miserable scenario.

But when I read the part that he is physically not doing well and had no means to treat himself, it took everything in me to control myself from fleeing this place and going after my brother.

“Fuck,” I curse under my breath, feeling my hands tremble as I put back the paper. But then I find an open book with a rough drawing on it. I take it and go through the pages but I can’t understand anything as the language seems to be from ancient times. With the brown and torn edges of the paper it’s clear this was written a long time ago. I see the rough drawing of a circle similar to the one Geryon performs on but at the center there was a human like figure instead of the skulls. This seems to be a different ritual and I’m not sure if it’s part of the Magdalene or not.

I quickly put all the things back to its original place and made my way out of the room. Now that I know where Eros is, I can go after him…I can finally save him.

But Agatha’s safety is in my mind too because she is important as well. Now all I can do for now is wait for Julius to send the boat so that I can take the chance and take Agatha far away from this place so she will no longer be in the shadows of the Magdalene.

This time I won’t let fate defeat me. This time I will take the leash and control it to mend my past and present in order to lean towards my future. All I hope is it doesn’t get too late.

AGATHA

I suddenly jolt awake from deep sleep, unaware what awakened me. I look at my side, finding it empty.

The moonlight streams through the window with the fog covering the view outside. The candelabras on either side of the bed illuminates the room furthermore. Reaching for the glass of water on the left table side, I finish it in a few sips.

I feel slightly weak from what happened the day before yesterday but I’m trying to recover as much as possible. Though a part of me couldn’t stop thinking about Helena again and again. Eryx told me to trust him on this and realize that it was all fake…a hallucination.

But it felt too real to be denied.

Later Eryx informed me about the boat that must have arrived already and soon we will be out of here. We were both going to be free, but I couldn’t stop thinking that even if we left then Geryon won’t stop to hunt us down.

He won’t accept such betrayal from Eryx.

I think to look for Eryx and step out of the room. It’s dead silent in the main room. I wrap my arms around myself as I continue to walk when I hear muffled screaming from the upper floor.

I follow the sound and reach the floor, seeing the balcony doors opened where I’m assuming Agnes to be standing. Her body is shivering with her shoulders trembling like she is crying.

I slowly walk towards her while looking over my shoulder to see if someone else is there too. But it’s only Agnes.

But when I reach almost to the doorway, I find another shadow beside her and move back, hiding in the darkness.

“And you couldn’t tell me this before!” I hear Geryon’s vengeful tone as he yells at Agnes. I try to take a peek and see him holding her face by her jaw tightly, and it is clear she is hurting from the look of agony floating in her eyes.

“You were useless when you first came here and you are still useless now,” he seethes through his clenched teeth, looking like a monster who was about to pounce on Agnes to hurt her more.

He lets her go like he feels disgusted while she continues sobbing and trembling. “I warned that asshole…I warned him if he didn’t do his work then he would face consequences. And yet that fucker went behind my back,” he sneers.

He breathes heavily and closes his eyes like he is trying to calm himself but is failing miserably.

“At first Eryx fed those pills to Agatha and fucked up her mind according to the plan. I even told him to increase the dose so that he can gather the evidence quickly to send it back to Tristen. He didn’t pay us for nothing. He said the lawyers will make Agatha the permanent owner of her inheritance if the evidence of her unstable mentality wasn’t shown soon enough. But fuck knows what happened to that asshole that now he is willing to risk everything.”

The moment Geryon finishes his words I feel my world stopping…my heart freezing.

This can’t be true…he must be lying.

But there isn’t an ounce of hesitation in Geryon’s tone which only gives the proof that he is telling the truth…a truth that was hidden by Eryx who is my destroyer after all.

And this truth has shattered my trust in him in the blink of an eye.

“I-I told him that you won’t spare him when you will know what he was doing but he kept ignoring-”

“I didn’t fucking ask for your commentary on your weak ass threats.”

Agnes shrinks back while her cheeks are glistening from the tears she shed. But she still leans towards him and holds his hand like it was her way to show and feel comfort.

“I will never go against you. I am always loyal to you Father Geryon. My heart and soul only belong to you-”

He pries away from her hold and pushes her away.

“Keep your nonsense to yourself. Get the fuck out of my sight,” he warns before looking ahead at the forest.

“But-” Her words are left incomplete when Geryon slaps her right across her cheek so harshly that she falls on the ground, holding her face and sobbing harder.

“One more word and I will throw you off this balcony. Leave!” he orders.

This time she listens and stands up to leave. I quickly hide back as she runs away down the hallway and reaches her room before shutting the door.

“I’ve had enough of his bullshit. No more chances for you, Eryx,” Geryon mutters to himself.

“You have signed your soul to me, so, you bet your ass I will own it until your last breath. Even your death will be controlled by me,” he snickers under his breath, “-you are more interested in saving people’s lives huh? Let’s see who saves you tomorrow. It all ends tomorrow.”

He lets out a shaky breath before arching his head back and looking at the sky.

“Everything ends tomorrow,” he promises.

My heart hammers against my chest as I swallow the lump in my throat. I could barely think through after finding how Eryx was keeping me in the dark from his truth.

Every time I saw a hint of uncertainty and distrust, I tried to ignore it. But I should have seen those as signs of the lies he was telling me.

I look at Geryon who is unaware of my presence and I take that chance to escape and return to our- Eryx’s chamber. As I close the door behind me, I walk like a lifeless person to the bed and sit down while trying to look for a way to mend back my broken heart.

But I let Eryx destroy it.

I defy myself to shed a tear for him after what he did to me. He made me fall into his trap…and he even made my heart his victim as well.

I don’t know for how long I stay seated on the bed, thinking mindlessly about the betrayal I have faced. But when the door unlocks with the person who ruined me entering the room, do I return back to reality.

When his gaze meets mine, he senses the sudden emptiness in my eyes and frowns with a look of fret crossing his face. He comes towards me, kneeling in front of me and holding my hand like he cares about me.

“Agatha, what happened?” he asks. But none of his concerns mean anything to me. I pull away my hands and keep looking at those same eyes that trapped me.

Silence is my only response, but in that quietness, he is able to put the missing puzzles together and is starting to understand my ignorance.

“Agatha…I…” His words fade away like he is unable to put the right words to explain himself. But even he is aware that I’m no longer going to believe him.

“How could you?” I whisper. “You saw me struggle and cry in distress so many times. You pretended to care for and I fell for them like a fucking moron.”

His eyes close like he is truly in pain but I don’t help to soothe his pain because he deserves it.

“I didn’t have a choice. I have been a prisoner of Geryon’s orders for years just to protect my brother.” He tightens his hold on my hands, silently begging to listen to his side of the story.

“I have done this before with other patients and I thought I wouldn’t care about doing the same with you. But when I saw you shared the same darkness as me, my dead heart refused to make you suffer.”

Yeah, fucking right.

“And if you didn’t change your mind, then what? You would have let me suffer while pretending you are my savior?” I retorted.

His face grimaces in agony as he shakes his head. “No. I don’t know what I would have done, but I swear I don’t want to know anymore because I truly care about you-”

“Don’t,” I hissed. “Don’t you even dare say something you don’t hold value for.”

He leans up until our faces are closer as he cups my cheeks. Before his touch always felt like a soothing balm to my wounds but now, they feel like the thorns of the rose that is starting to wither nearby the window.

“How much did Tristen pay you?” I ask grimly.

“Agatha, you don’t-”

“How much?” I interrupt him while my eyes glare at him.

He is silent for a few seconds but when he realizes I will seek that answer one way or another, he finally gives in.

“A million.”

I snicker coldly under my breath. “At least I know my value now.”

He shakes his head, looking heartbroken like my words are like daggers that keep stabbing him again and again.

“I never cared about the money. It was about saving my brother but now you matter to me as well. I swore to save you and I will do that.”

“I am not going to repeat my mistakes and trust you again,” I mutter with a cold tone.

“Please, Agatha. All I want is you to be safe and get the fuck out of here before things get out of control. The boat is here and we can leave by tomorrow. Just let me help you and then later if you wish then I will never show you my face again.”

“And I am supposed to trust you in that? Why should I believe that you want to truly help me? Why shouldn’t I think that this isn’t one of your conspiracies?” I ask.

My nerves are burning with rage and pain, wishing I could channel it all onto him so he would know how much it’s hurting me deep inside.

“Because I want you to trust me with my truth this one final time…please,” he whispers, looking right into my eyes with honesty and determination clouding in his gaze.

“Please, Agatha…”

“Leave me alone,” I mutter, pulling away from his grasp and looking towards the window.

I hear his breathing turning ragged but he doesn’t protest at my words. “I know you must hate me now and if I have to spend my whole life repenting for it, I will do it. But I won’t be leaving tomorrow without you.”

He sounds serious and truthful but I no longer care.

“I will wait for you at the back door tomorrow. If you come then I will take away from this living hell. If not, I will still wait for you until you are ready to leave with me,” he mutters and gets up.

He leans down and kisses the top of my head. “Trust me with my truth like I trusted yours,” he murmurs and leaves the room.

I don’t bother warning him about Geryon and what he might do to him tomorrow. All I know I’m on my own in this journey. I’m my own protector now and I have to get out of here quickly.

I don’t know where he has got the boat located and I can’t waste time looking for it and risking either Eryx or Geryon finding me. So, following Eryx tomorrow is the only way. He said we will leave in the morning before anyone wakes up. When he will take me to the boat I will attack him and escape using the boat, leaving him to be punished by Geryon.

He will be the bridge to my freedom tomorrow, that I will be burning down when the time comes.

My eyes move towards the rose as I stalk towards it. It looks dull and dark with the top bent lower. I take it in my hand, feeling the loss and pain the rose must be feeling like my broken heart.

“Love has never been written in our destiny,” I say to the rose, lightly touching the petals.

“If darkness and sin is what our fate wants from us, then so be it.”

I hold the rose by the stem in one hand in a tight fist, feeling the thorns piercing my skin. But the pain no longer matches the agony my heart is feeling, as I keep gazing towards the dark sky…hoping tomorrow I will finally have my freedom.