Trapped With The Devil's Spawn

CHAPTER 2

TIARA THORNELLS

I looked at them with a polite but strained smile. Each one seemed desperate eager for me to remember who they were. But no matter how hard I tried... their names, their faces, their voices, I can't recognize them.

“She’s still not feeling well, don’t overwhelm her,” a young woman said, stepping in with a calming voice.

I stood silently for a moment, taking them all in. They looked so kind... caring. Their concern was genuine, that much was clear. I felt a little warmth inside me that softened my expression, and this time, my smile came a little more naturally.

“I believe I’ll recover in time,” I told them honestly. “But... I can’t promise my memories will come back. All I ask is... help me too. Help me return to who I was. Help bring things back to how they used to be.”

My words seemed to strike a chord. I saw a flicker of sadness in their eyes, some of it tinged with frustration.

“That Hawkins family...” Theodore muttered, his voice now trembling with restrained anger. “They worked you like a dog. You almost died because of them! Heartless, cruel people!”

“Dad, please...” the young woman said softly, gently placing a hand on his arm.

“They’re truly horrible...” Betty added in a low voice. “That family is infamous around here for how they treat their servants.”

I could feel the sincerity in their words, and the care they held for Tiara. And though I still couldn’t remember them, their presence gave me a strange sense of safety.

“Tiara,” Lucas said. “And I’ll bring your favorite fruits, just like I used to.”

That made me smile wider, truly grateful. “Thank you so much, Mr. Lucas…”

He chuckled lightly. “Don’t be so formal! Just call me Lucas. You’re like a niece to us, Tiara. Please, get well soon. And try to eat more, okay?”

“I will,” I responded with a nod. “I promise.”

"Tiara... I haven’t told you my name yet."

I found myself staring at the daughter of Betty and Theodore.

"My name is Peony. You love flowers, don’t you? Every time you come back to the village, you invite me to pick wildflowers in the meadow... Would you like to go there now? The breeze is always cool, and the whole area is filled with all kinds of blooming flowers..."

"I’d love that... But I’ll just let Grandpa Alfred know I’m heading out."

"I’ll come with you!"

Peony walked back with me to the house. When we asked for permission, Grandpa easily agreed. We then headed to the meadow, the place she said I used to hang out often.

On the way, Peony told me that her parents had spiritual powers, but she didn’t inherit any of them as well, like me.

She wasn’t born with the healing ability they possessed. Because of that, she now works as a servant for a wealthy baron. Thankfully, her master is kind and not abusive.

She also told me that my parents died from a werewolf attack when I was just a baby and Grandpa took care of me. My mom has no powers too even though she is the daughter of a healer. It's like a lottery if you get the chance to be born like one.

Many of the healers have daughters and sons who didn't inherit any healing power like us.

However, hearing about Tiara's parents' death, I felt sad hearing that story, Tiara lived in pitiful life just like mine, in the real world. In my past life, I didn't even meet my parents. They abandoned me.

We stayed there for a few hours, talking about how I lived and she shared some happy stories to lift the mood.

“You’re back already?” Grandpa Alfred called out from the kitchen when I returned, he was cooking again.

“Yes... And I was wondering where I could put these?” I slightly lifted the armful of flowers I had gathered.

“Just replace the ones in that vase.” He gestured to the kitchen table where a vase sat in the center. I walked over and began removing the slightly wilted flowers.

“Tiara, I’ve been assigned to duty at the northwest barrier. I won’t be home until tonight. I would like to stay here with you if I could, but I can’t ask to be excused.”

“That’s alright,” I murmured gently.

“I’ll prepare your lunch and dinner now so you won’t have to worry later.” I nodded in gratitude.

“Where can I take a bath?” I asked.

“There’s flowing water behind the house. You’ll find it easily if you go out.”

“Yes, Grandpa.”

I went to the back of the house and discovered that the water came from the side of a rocky cliff, not too steep and it cascaded down into a natural stone basin. I took a wooden bucket and washed myself there.

When I returned to my room and took off the servant’s dress I had been wearing, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the full-body mirror again and that’s when I saw...

Bruises. Dark and hidden along my arms and thighs. I had no memory of how they got there. But I know, Tiara had been mistreated in her previous life. This new body of mine carried the silent marks of suffering and hardship.

In the days that followed, I took care of myself.

I ate well and treated my wounds and bruises, and slowly, they began to fade.

With the help of the kind people around me, my strength returned. I started to feel alive again.

“Your peach pie is so delicious, Grandpa,” I said cheerfully, savoring every bite of the pie he had baked.

“Of course. You’ve always loved it.”

As I chewed, I took a deep breath, and thoughts of Mrs. Winnie filled my mind. She was the last person I had been with before I died. My chest tightened at the thought. I knew that once she found out about my death, it would break her heart.

“Are you alright, Tiara?” Grandpa Alfred asked, concerned.

I looked up and smiled at him.

“Y-Yeah... I’m fine.”

It was just an ordinary afternoon, and I was in the middle of my meal when the sharp, rhythmic sound of horse gallops echoed from the distance, growing louder with each passing second. It's heading straight toward our house. I noticed the distinct pause, the horse had stopped right outside our door.

“OPEN THIS DOOR IN THE NAME OF DUKE HAWKINS!” a commanding voice thundered from outside.

Grandpa Alfred and I exchanged a startled glance. Without a word, we quickly rose from our seats and headed to the door.

He opened it slowly, and there stood a knight clad in full armor, sitting tall on a majestic black horse. His tone was flat and formal, his eyes unreadable beneath his helmet.

“By Duke Hawkins’ order, Tiara Thornells is to return to the manor immediately due to a shortage of servants. You are expected to arrive by tomorrow,” he declared with no room for negotiation. With that, he turned his horse and galloped away, leaving dust and silence.

I watched the knight ride off until he disappeared from view. Behind me, I heard Grandpa let out a heavy sigh.

“I’ll... pack your things for tomorrow,” he said slowly. “I’ll make sure you have enough food to bring with you.” His voice was quiet, tinged with worry. He turned and walked back into the kitchen.

I followed him without speaking, standing by the doorway as he began sorting through the pantry.

I could feel the burden weighing on his shoulders. He always worried about me, especially when it involved the Hawkins Manor.

“How long do you think I’ll be staying there?” I asked softly.

“I can’t say, Tiara...” he replied. “Only the Hawkins family holds the clock to your time.”

“I understand. I’ll go pack my things,” I said, trying to reassure him.

I left him in the kitchen and walked to my room. From beneath my bed, I pulled out my vintage wooden luggage. Its hinges creaked slightly as I opened it. One by one, I folded and packed my clothes, my hands slightly trembling with uncertainty.

By morning, I found Grandpa Alfred already awake and busy preparing food. He was packing a large pouch bag with fruits, bread, and assorted pastries.

“I’ve already called for Theodore,” he told me as he worked. “He’ll be the one to take you to the manor.” Then he glanced toward the dining table. “Eat something before you go. I’ve cooked your favorite breakfast.”

I looked toward the table, my breakfast was already laid out warm. Next to it, he placed the heavy food pouch bag gently on the table.

“This is your travel pack,” he added.

I walked over and stood in front of him. For a moment, we just looked at each other.

“Grandpa… please don’t worry,” I said, my voice serious. “I promise you... I’ll come back safe.”

His eyes welled with tears again.

“I don’t know what might happen to you inside that... That... cursed manor... The place is filled with demons... as cruel as the immortals...” he whispered.

I stepped forward and embraced him gently. His old arms wrapped around me in return, a little weaker than before.

“I promise... what happened to me before won’t happen again,” I whispered back.

He said nothing, but I could feel how tightly he held on, trying not to cry hard.

He gave me one warning... to be careful.

Even if the Hawkins family weren’t vampires, they were still ruthless masters.

Once I finished my meal, Theodore arrived. He helped load my luggage onto the back of his humble carriage. With a quiet farewell, I climbed in, and we left Spring Field Village behind.

The journey to Hawkins Manor took nearly seven hours. The sun was already dipping into the horizon when we arrived.

From the moment I stepped down from the carriage and laid my foot on the entrance steps, I was met by a stern, unforgiving gaze.

It belonged to the head housekeeper, an elderly woman with tightly pulled hair and an expression carved from stone.

“Welcome back, Tiara...” she said slowly. Her voice carried a faint, twisted amusement. “I heard what happened to you. Quite the survivor, aren’t you? They say you lost your memory too.” Her lips curled into a thin smile that never reached her eyes. “No matter.. as long as you still remember how to do your duties, I'll gladly accept you. What a tough little rat.”

A chill ran down my spine. The tone of her voice was sharp, laced with sarcasm and unspoken malice. Her eyes bore into mine, making my knees tremble.

This was it... my first day back as a servant.

“The laundry is waiting,” she said coldly. “Go straight to the laundry area. I’ll escort you there.”

And without waiting for a response, she turned and walked ahead, expecting me to follow.

My legs felt heavy, but I moved, clutching my pouch tightly.

I didn’t say a word. I simply nodded respectfully and followed her in silence.

As we walked down the long hallway, we eventually arrived at an indoor well. There, towering heaps of laundry immediately caught my eye. Several servants were gathered around, loudly chatting while scrubbing clothes. But the moment they noticed the housekeeper beside me, their voices died out and the noise dropped into silence.

“Tiara’s back,” the housekeeper announced sternly.

“Yes, Mrs. Cora,” they all responded politely, and with that, she left.

As soon as the presence of the senior servant vanished completely, the atmosphere shifted drastically. I could feel it. The expressions on the faces of the other servants changed from polite obedience to something sharper and almost mocking. It unsettled me. Looking at them, they seemed about my age, but the way they regarded me now made me feel like a stranger in my own skin.

Grins crept onto their faces.

“We’ve been waiting a long time for you, Tiara...” one of the girls said, stepping forward. She stopped right in front of me, her eyes raking over me from head to toe. “Looks like your rest did heal for you. You’ve got color in your cheeks now. You’re.. glowing.”

“Yeah... I had decent rest,” I answered softly.

“Well, that’s perfect. You can do all of this, then,” she said with a sly smirk, motioning around us. My eyes followed her gesture to the mountain of laundry surrounding the well. The sheer amount of clothes looked like something that would take me three days, maybe more to finish on my own.

I turned my attention back to her. “Wouldn’t the work be faster if we helped each other?” I asked carefully.

She burst into laughter, a harsh sound and her companions quickly joined in, as if I’d just told the funniest joke they’d ever heard.

“Did you all hear that?” she said in between cackles, eyes gleaming. Then she stepped even closer, her tone turning cold. “Know your place, Tiara. No excuses. Just do your work.”

“There’s no way I can finish all of this by myself,” I replied, my voice now steadier but still calm. “It would be much better if we all worked together—”

She didn’t let me finish.

A sharp, stinging slap landed across my face. My head snapped to the side with the force of it. My cheek burned. I stood there frozen.

“How dare you speak to me like that!” she shouted at me, her voice echoing off the walls.

Slowly, I turned my face back to her. I didn’t mean to glare, but something shifted in my eyes. My gaze hardened more than I’d ever intended.

She saw it. Her face twisted with anger and she raised her hand again, ready to strike once more.

But this time,

I caught her wrist mid-air and gripped it tightly. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at me, stunned that I had stopped her.

“My... face is too beautiful for you to slap,” I said calmly, locking eyes with her. “Try it again… and I’ll return it twice as hard.”

Then I threw her hand away from me with a sharp flick, releasing her roughly. She stumbled back slightly, her expression frozen in disbelief, completely stunned by how I had responded.