Chapter 5: You Belong to Me Now.

Chapter 5

The rough stone scraped against Sigrid’s skin as the servants dragged her across the manor’s back corridor, her bound wrists pulling harshly against the rope with every uneven movement. The servants struggled with her weight despite there being three of them, their breaths ragged and hurried as panic pushed them faster than caution ever could. Sigrid said nothing at first. She merely lowered her gaze toward the ropes around her hands and sighed quietly in disappointment.

The knot was terrible.

Loose in all the wrong places, unevenly tightened, tied by someone who understood fear far better than restraint. A single twist of her wrist would be enough to loosen it completely. Worse still, Lilith had gathered too many people for something that should have been handled cleanly and quietly. Desperation always ruined efficiency. Too many moving parts. Too many witnesses. Too many chances for failure.

Amateurish.

Still, as her body bumped roughly against the floor again, Sigrid found herself almost impressed.

Lilith had reacted quickly.

The moment she collapsed, the maid had already begun trying to dispose of her before she could wake and speak. Fast thinking. Reckless, but fast. Had she been dealing with anyone else, it might even have succeeded.

The servants finally hauled her toward the waiting carriage stationed near the manor’s back gates. One of them grunted loudly as they lifted her into the back compartment and threw her unceremoniously onto the wooden floorboards. The impact would have hurt once. Now it barely registered.

Sigrid remained still. Through half-lidded eyes, she watched Lilith outside the carriage, barking rushed instructions to the coachman while constantly glancing toward the back as though expecting Sigrid to rise from the dead at any moment. Fear clung visibly to her face, turning her movements sharp and uneven.

Then the carriage lurched forward. The wheels rolled violently over the rough road, shaking the entire carriage with every stone and dip along the forest path. For several moments Lilith continued peering back anxiously through the small window separating the driver’s seat from the carriage interior.

But slowly that fear began to fade.

Relief replaced it little by little, crooked and ugly as it spread across her face. Her breathing eased. Confidence returned. By the time the carriage pushed deeper into the forest road, a faint smirk had already begun tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Sigrid almost pitied her for it. Her gaze shifted toward the two servants sitting across from her inside the carriage. One was thin and nervous, barely older than a stable boy. The other was broad shouldered and thickly built, likely brought along because Lilith assumed muscle alone solved every problem.

Neither noticed her hands moving.

With one smooth twist, Sigrid slipped free from the ropes entirely.

The larger servant looked up first, his eyes widened but too slow.

Sigrid moved instantly, driving the sharp heel of her shoe directly into his groin with enough force to fold his entire body inward. A strangled cry tore from his throat as he collapsed sideways onto the carriage floor clutching himself in agony.

A small smile touched Sigrid’s lips.

Good.

Even after returning to the past, her body still remembered. Years spent surviving assassination attempts, political coups, and wars had carved those instincts too deeply into her to disappear so easily. Queens who survived long enough to become legends rarely relied on guards alone.

The smaller servant panicked immediately.

"T-The lady’s awake!"

His voice cracked halfway through the sentence as he lunged toward her in blind desperation.

Sigrid did not even bother standing fully.

Her fist closed sharply before slamming straight into his jaw.

The crack echoed through the carriage.

The servant screamed and crashed backward, blood spilling from his mouth as he curled against the corner trembling in pain.

Outside, the carriage jerked violently to a halt.

"What is happening back there?!" Lilith shouted from outside, her voice strained with alarm.

The carriage door swung open.

Lilith stepped down from the front seat, clearly prepared to scream at the servants for their incompetence—

And froze.

Sigrid stood inside the carriage calmly, completely untied, one servant writhing on the floor while the other sobbed weakly into his hands.

Fear crashed back into Lilith so suddenly it drained every trace of color from her face.

For one long second neither of them moved.

Then Lilith turned and ran.

She bolted toward the forest without dignity, skirts gathered desperately in trembling hands as panic finally overtook whatever courage she had forced onto herself earlier.

"Help me!" she screamed breathlessly. "Someone help me!"

Sigrid stepped down from the carriage slowly, brushing dust from her sleeves before watching Lilith disappear deeper between the trees.

"Does she truly think running will save her?" she murmured before she followed her.

Lilith ran carelessly through the forest, branches scratching against her arms as sobs tore unevenly from her throat. She stumbled repeatedly over roots and stones, blinded more by terror than tears.

"Leave me alone!" she screamed behind her. "Please, leave me alone!"

Sigrid walked after her at an unhurried pace.

The difference between them was almost laughable.

One fled like prey.

The other hunted like something that had long forgotten mercy.

Lilith’s foot suddenly caught against a cluster of broken twigs hidden beneath the grass.

She cried out as her body slammed hard against the ground. Pain shot violently through her ankle the moment she tried standing again. The joint twisted beneath her weight, forcing her back down with a sharp gasp.

Tears spilled freely down her face now.

"Why did I try kidnapping her?" she cried shakily to herself. "I did not know the young lady was this terrifying—"

Her breathing hitched painfully.

"She was always locked away in her room... she never even spoke to anyone..."

The sound of approaching footsteps made her entire body stiffen.

Slow.

Measured.

Calm.

Sigrid emerged from between the trees without even appearing winded.

"You surprised me, Lilith," she said mildly.

Lilith shrieked at the sound of her voice.

Sigrid smiled faintly as she continued walking closer.

"For a maid, I did not expect you to be this ambitious. Or perhaps being my father’s paid whore simply gave you courage."

Lilith recoiled as though struck.

Regret flooded through her instantly now, thick and suffocating. Every decision leading to this moment suddenly felt idiotic.

Sigrid tilted her head slightly.

It almost amused her how terrified Lilith looked, as though she were standing before death itself.

Then the memory of the god’s words returned clearly to her.

"As long as guilt exists within them, your judgment can reach them."

Interesting.

Sigrid crouched slowly before Lilith.

"You were sleeping with my father," she said evenly. "Do you understand how disastrous that scandal would become if exposed? The Duke of Beaufort bedding servants while his wife remains inside the estate caring for his children."

Though inwardly, Sigrid’s thoughts were colder.

The duke was hardly innocent either. A man like him likely held power over every servant beneath his roof.

But Lilith had still returned willingly afterward.

The vision had shown her enough.

Lilith lowered her head quickly.

"I-I’m sorry, my lady," she whispered shakily. "I did not mean for any of it to happen. The duke forced me. I had no choice."

Sigrid watched her quietly.

"He threatened me," Lilith continued desperately. "He said he would dismiss me... or worse. I was afraid."

Her voice cracked perfectly.

Convincing and carefully crafted.

Had Sigrid not already seen the truth with her own eyes, she might almost have believed her.

But the vision had shown no fear or force. Lilith had walked willingly into the duke’s bed.

And somehow that disgusted Sigrid more than the affair itself. Perhaps because she remembered Maria’s mother too clearly.

Remembered what that woman did the very same thing to her mother, Duchess Sigrid.

How betrayal repeated itself endlessly in households like this.

Sigrid reached forward suddenly and rested a hand gently atop Lilith’s head.

"It’s alright, Lilith," she said softly. "I understand what kind of man my father can be."

Lilith slowly raised her head in surprise.

Sigrid was smiling.

Warmly.

Relief flooded Lilith’s face almost instantly.

She shakily pushed herself upright, though her injured ankle still trembled beneath her weight. Her eyes remained cautious, but Sigrid’s expression looked sincere enough to ease some of her fear.

Smiles could not be faked that well.

Or so Lilith believed.

"It is fine," Sigrid continued gently. "But there is one condition."

Lilith nodded quickly.

"You will spend the rest of your life serving me faithfully. You will never betray me. And if you do..." Sigrid’s smile sharpened slightly. "You will suffer for it."

"Y-Yes, my lady," Lilith answered hurriedly.

Sigrid stepped aside calmly.

Lilith turned slowly, relief practically weakening her knees.

Idiot.

The moment Sigrid looked away, Lilith’s expression twisted viciously.

Her hand shot downward, grabbing a thick fallen branch from the forest floor. Rage and humiliation burned through her as she raised it high above her head.

Stupid woman.

Did she truly believe she would willingly become her servant after this?

Lilith swung the branch downward toward Sigrid’s skull—

And screamed.

Her body seized violently mid-motion.

The branch fell uselessly from numb fingers as unbearable pain exploded through every nerve in her body. She collapsed instantly onto the dirt, convulsing as agonized screams tore uncontrollably from her throat.

"W-What is happening?!" she sobbed.

She felt pain everywhere.

It felt as though invisible claws were tearing through her entire body from the inside out.

Trembling violently, Lilith forced her eyes upward—

And saw Sigrid smiling down at her.

Dread consumed her completely.

Sigrid observed her calmly, fascination flickering briefly through her gaze.

So this was how Judgment worked.

Not merely punishment. Authority.

The power itself had understood Lilith’s betrayal the moment intent formed inside her heart. This ’gift’ was interesting, dangerous and useful.

Sigrid glanced upward toward the darkening sky and chuckled softly to herself.

’What a terrifying gift you gave me god.’

Then she crouched beside the shaking maid once more.

Lilith shrank away instantly.

Sigrid smiled wider.

"I warned you," she said quietly, her crimson eyes glowing. "You belong to me now."