Chapter 22 Athena's Pov

• The feeling of dread as I looked at the blood trickling down my hand, I was terrified. What have I done? She was so good but I let the voices in my head control me. I let them manipulate me into killing my friend, telling me that was the only way to survive. What would Jackson think if he found out? Will Simon even attempt to talk to me if he finds out what I did? What about other maidservants in the palace, how will they see me? Will Jeremy still be my friend? Will I be all alone in this world as I have always been? What was I thinking?
• My hands kept shaking as I dropped the knife, looking down at the limp body. Her eyes were still open, the look of betrayal in those eyes as she tried to say something but gave up entirely. I was so shaken up, the laughter everywhere, the sound of money being counted as men made their bets, his sickening laugh as I kept on crying over the person I just killed, he made me do it, they all made me do it. I didn't want to. How could I kill her? Someone please just save me from this nightmare, it's terrifying. They wouldn't let me see where she was being buried if they even buried her. For all I know, the same way he took me is the same way he also took her, with that convincing smile, feeling safe and far away from all your troubles but once you get trapped, they attack and you're stuck forever. There is no escape. They are bound to him. We had so much we wanted to do together. From escaping together since that is what she had been looking for, not marrying that man who kept pestering her. She always wanted to ride the horses and swim in the lake during the winter season. She always loved the cold but now I can't give her that because I took that away from her. What kind of a monster am I? How could I say I would love and protect her from danger and still drive a knife, not once but many times straight to her stomach? How could I even ask for forgiveness for what I did? If her parents ever found out what I did, no amount of apology could bring her back. I always live in constant fear of someone out for my head for killing her and I know this is how I would live forever.
• "Why do you look so depressed? Are the nightmares still attacking you? I thought you said the prescription from the Pack doctor works?" Jackson who just joined me on the balcony asked.