Ria
When I woke up everything was dark and my head hurt. I could barely see what was in front of me, but I knew I had to run away.
I tried to move, shaking my hands to try and free myself from the shackles binding me, but no matter how hard I tried they wouldn't bulge.
I stared at the darkness and cussed.
" Fuck!"
Nothing was going my way.
No matter where I looked I couldn't find a single exit or a place where I could escape. As a matter of fact I didn't even know where I currently was. It was a mystery for me. All I knew was that I had to get out of here.
The last thing I remembered before going down was Allea smiling above me. Then the whole world went white.
Fortunately she was nowhere to be seen right now, but I couldn't say it would stay like that forever. I had to run before she came back.
I pushed the fear that was clawing at me deep down into the depths of my heart and begun thinking rationally. I just needed to think for a second.
There was no way I was getting out of this alone. I needed help. The only problem was that everyone that could have helped me seemed to be on her side and I wasn't stupid enough to begin screaming, calling god knew who.
Instead of panicking I really looked at the shackles. They were made out of pure metal, or something close enough that no matter how hard I tried they wouldn't break. I wasn't prying them apart any time soon. I had to think of something else.
My eyes fell on everything in the room, which wasn't much considering it was barely big enough to fit me.
Despite being so small I couldn't see even a few inches away from me. The darkness was absolute, as if this place had stayed in the dark for so long that it had forgotten that it was possible to see the light.
I tried to find the spirits or anything else that I could use to threaten Allea into doing what I wanted and letting me go free, but as I said before there was nothing I could use.
" Well, this is looking great"
With nothing better to do I made myself more comfortable, positioning myself as well as I could on the hard, cold chair and closed my eyes a little, pretending to sleep.
When Allea came I was going to be ready. I wasn't going to lose this time. At least now I knew what powers she had and what she was capable of. This time I wouldn't underestimate her just because she used to be my friend. I was going to go all out and if she died in the process... Well, so be it.
It would be great if I didn't have to kill her and someone else came to my rescue, but I knew better than to hope. Arsheus wasn't coming. Who did I want to trick? He was very likely with her in the first place.
I pushed those thoughts away and pretended to sleep.
It took relatively long before someone opened the door slightly and entered. For just a second I could see the outside, just another corridor in the castle, but the light was gone far too soon, Allea replacing the light and salvation.
The moment I saw her rage surged throughout my whole body. I wanted nothing more than to go at her and try to kill her, but I knew better. I gritted my teeth and closed my mouth, tasting blood when I unintentionally bit my cheek.
Allea didn't seem to notice I was truly awake as she leaned in, a sad expression on her face.
Seeing her like that made me want to laugh. She thought I was going to take pity on her? Why the fuck did she act like a victim? I was the victim, she was just herself. She was the villain that had kidnapped me and was very likely going to torture me now. I knew she hadn't done it yet and was greatfull for it. Nothing in my body hurt except for my head, but that made sense taking into account the fact that that was how she had taken me out in the first place.
" I'm sorry" Allea seemed truly apologetic as tears fell down her face.
I didn't buy it. She wanted something or was playing for someone, but there was no one I could see.
I thought about my choices for a second. I could stay still and wait for a little longer until she had a weapon and steal it before escaping or I could try to do it right now.
I looked at Allea through my eyelashes, her thin and slender figure barely recognizable in the dark and then at myself. I was trapped, good as dead if I attacked without a weapon. Even with a weapon I was probably fucked too, but at least that way I stood a chance.
Allea turned to look at me and I played dead again, pretending the contact of her legs on mine, or the way she rested her hands on my shoulders didn't bother me one bit when all I wanted to do was get up and stab her in the face and make her pay for what she'd done.
I held my rage inside, using all my strength to not jump on her and try to kill her.
' Just a little bit more' I told that lie to myself, but it didn't seem to work.
I was kidding no one. If I couldn't kill her now I probably couldn't kill her, but I wasn't about to let her torture me and kill me without a fight. My life was worth more than that.
Allea gave me that fake smile of hers one last time and turned to look at where I now knew was the door.
" I'm sorry" I heard her whispers one last time before she shut up and opened the door.
Another shadow was already laying in wait before Allea even finished opening the door.
When it finally opened the dark figure smiled and entered.
Shivers ran down my spine and my blood froze. Everything inside me was telling me to run away, but I was safer pretending to sleep.
I held my every instinct that told me to run on a leash and hoped they wouldn't do anything to me, at least not until the new creepy figure was gone. I thought I could maybe win a fight against Allea if we were one on one, but if they ganged up on me then I was done for.
" Is this her?" The stranger's voice was soft and dark.
His every word gave me the creeps and made me wish I was as far away from him as possible.
" It is, master" Allea sounded like a tamed shrew as she answered. Her voice sounded even and calm, but underneath it all if you payed enough attention you could notice the tremble in her voice.
Allea was scared of that stranger. Maybe I should be too.
" Good job"
When the stranger spoke for a second time I became sure of something. I didn't know who this was, but I knew two things about her. First of all was that she was a woman, the voice was too soft and high pitched to be a man's, and second of all, she was scary as fuck and I never wanted her to go near me again.
" You can go now"
Through my eyelashes I saw Allea hesitating. She stood in the door, leaving it ajar as she looked at me.
With the new found light I could finally see her expression. She looked sad and guilty as she closed the door behind her, the light going out with her. Before she disappeared I managed to get a look at the woman holding me captive.
It was only for a second, but I could've sworn I had seen that face somewhere before, but where?
" I heard you can call the dead" The woman sounded proud of herself as she leaned in, her breath attacking my nose.
Now I was sure of it. I knew that woman. I had smelt that smell before, but I couldn't quite place it. I knew it was in the castle, but not when or where.
" Do it right now"
I closed my eyes tighter and pretended to be asleep. She couldn't ask demands of a sleeping person. Even she had to know that she would have to wake me up first and when she tried to do it I would magically attack her with my non-existent power and I would somehow defeat her. At least that was the plan.
It sounded good in my mind, but the moment it was time to put it to action the whole thing fell apart.
When the woman leaned in to talk to me I was ready to attack her, but the moment her lips touched my skin my whole nervous system fried in a second.
I found myself unable to move or do anything as the woman leaned forward and stared into my soul with her penetrating green eyes.
Only when I had her that close to me did I finally realize where I knew her from.
My body freed itself and I was finally able to speak.
I opened my mouth to say something, but the woman was already shushing me.
" Be a good girl and stay still"
All I could think about as she tightened the shackles was that the woman from the ball, Cordelia, hadn't seemed so dangerous back then.
I should've known better.
Cordelia smiled as she moved to a side of the tiny room and picked something from one of the few drawers scattered around the room.
" Now you're going to tell me how to bring the dead back"
Her smile was predatory as she stood in front of me, knife in hand.
Fear gripped me, but I refused to give up. I wasn't about to give that psychopathic woman what she wanted.
" What would happen if I don't?"
Cordelia laughed, her teeth sharp as she took the knife to my throat. I couldn't tell whether she didn't recognize me or didn't care as the knife touched my skin.
" Oh, believe me, you'll tell me"
I looked for anything, desperate to get out of the situation, but there was nothing.
I really hoped Arsheus would come save me. That was my stupid hope as Cordelia leaned in and sliced my neck. Blood begun pouring out from the thin cut as my neck lit on fire.
I resisted the urge to acknowledge the fact that she had hurt me and gritted my teeth.
Arsheus better not have betrayed me again. He better come.
I looked at my sides, still no spirits. If he didn't come and I found some spirits they were all going to hell.
I donned my most sadistic smile and looked down on Cordelia.
" Is that all you've got?"
The woman smiled and took the knife closer to my hand.
" Not even close"