“I hate my family.” Kian said, leaning against the wall opposite the iron door. “That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to you, I can see the contempt in your eyes as you look at us. Oh—” Panic struck me at his words, not having realized it was obvious, and considering all the implications of that, but his chuckle made me pause. “Don’t worry, my family is too self-involved to have even noticed.”
Prince Kian laughed wryly as he ran a hand through his short brown hair, tousling it out of place. “They only get worse as each year passes. I don’t understand their actions, truly. I hate how they treat humans, and that may seem odd to you, coming from a Fae—a royal one at that, but I don’t support slavery, Asteria. It’s beyond awful, what has been done to humans, but what Cyrus and my father do—it’s incomprehensible.”
My mouth was surely hanging open, but everything I had learned about how to play the games of these courts since being placed here had abandoned me as Kian poured his heart out to me.
“I know you saw me the other day, and I also know you didn’t quite understand what you heard.” Kian peeled off the wall as he raised a brow at me, moving to open the iron door before my thoughts could spiral at his admission.
He walked through the door into a dark room, leaving me to follow—and promptly stopped short as I realized he’d brought me to a dungeon. Dank and dark, matted with blood and bodily fluids, with crumbling walls. This far underground, the crumbling rock only revealed dirt and worms, no light dared to touch this place.
Hanging from the walls, tied on racks, curled up on the floor in chains---humans were everywhere I looked. Blood and flesh decorating the space around them. I whimpered and turned tovomit, Prince Kian holding back my hair and rubbing my back, as I processed the horrifying sight before me.
“It’s alright. I’m going to get them out.” Kian reassured me in a low whisper.
I wiped the back of my mouth when I regained control of myself, and turned back to face him, unsure about his intentions.
“I can’t tell you much, not yet.” Kian declared, raw pain on his face. “Not when there’s a chance Cyrus could find out. You’ll learn everything soon enough, I promise. But this—” He motioned to the tortured humans around the room. “This is what they do, Asteria, this is what I have to stop.”
“I don’t—I don’t understand.” I shook my head. “Why? Why are they doing this?” There was no reason to torture people like this, none at all.
“I don’t know, truly. Whatever their current plans are, I know they’re twisted.” Kian sneered. “They get off on having power over people. They think of humans as nothing but cattle for them to do with as they please. My brother is worse than you have likely ever imagined, Asteria, and I’m worried for you. The way he is with you,” Kian shook his head sadly. “He’s obsessed, and that isn’t going to bode well for you.”
“I want out.” I blurted out before I could control my tongue. The rage that lived inside me clashed with the horror over what I was seeing, and it rose up in a violent swell that nearly bowed my back as it swept through me—cresting into an inferno, one trapped beneath my skin, screaming to be released.
“I’ve held back information from him, trying to gather enough to give me leverage, or something I can exploit. Anything to get away from here—to be free.” I told him, gambling on Kian’s sincerity. I didn’t think it was possible to fake a reaction like his. If he was truly working to help humans, then he may be my best chance at freedom.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Prince Kian smiled at me, relief pouring off him, “I’ve seen too many humans get used to their chains—forgetting how to live without them. When I first saw you, I knew instantly why my brother wanted you, and it was more than your beauty. He saw your fierceness, your discontent with the life you were given. He desired your fight because it makes it all the sweeter for him to break you.”
Remembering the words Cyrus wrote about me, his plans, I knew that was exactly what he wanted—what I would never allow him to achieve.
“What do I do?” I asked the prince plainly. Kian walked further down the hall, over the stains and torture instruments strewn about, averting my eyes before I vomited again. Kian came to a stop before a man hanging from his wrists, toes barely grazing the ground. I gasped when I recognized Raziel.
Kian clasped a hand on his bare shoulder, squeezing it lightly. I looked Raziel over, wincing at the state of his chest, completely covered in bleeding lacerations from being brutally whipped.
“Why did you do this? Get him in trouble?” I tilted my head in confusion. Kian barely managed to smile slightly back at me as Raziel struggled to open his eyes.
“He didn’t.” Raziel asserted, his words raspy and rough, but clear. “I wanted out, this is how. With the rest down here, we’ll all be freed soon.” My head spun as I locked eyes with Kian, who nodded to confirm Raziel’s words. I let out a huge sigh of relief, years living with the pressing weight of slavery coming out in a rush.
“How? Can I leave too?” I begged Kian, real hope filling me for the first time.
“I can’t tell you yet.” Kian shook his head. “Not until you’re far away from my brother. No offense, but you’ve never undergone torture before, nor do I wish you to.” He grabbed water for Raziel, and I noticed a full glass had been left just out ofhis reach, torturing him with the scant inch he couldn’t reach. Bastards.
“I can’t guarantee you won’t crack under torture, so it’s not safe to reveal what’s happening. Rest assured; we’ll find a way to get you out, I promise. It won’t be easy, not with how close my brother keeps you, but you’ve been busy gathering information. You know Cyrus’s plans, don’t you? You know who his spies are, their assignments?” Kian questioned as he focused on helping Raziel sip the water.
“I do.” I nodded in confirmation when Kian looked back at me, and a large smile took over his face.
“That’s wonderful news.” Kian paused; his eyes boring into mine, a heavy weight burdening his gaze. “That information is incredibly important, Asteria, and it will make getting you out a very high priority. I’m pretty sure he’s interested in getting you out anyway, but knowing you’ll be able to blow the lid off Cyrus’s plans will sweeten the deal.”
I tilted my head to the side, about to ask what he meant, and who exactly wanted me out—but I snapped it shut.
“Right, you can’t tell me yet.” I mumbled in frustration. I didn’t know who he believed wanted to help me get out, or why they would be interested in me beyond whatever information I could provide—and I had much more than anyone knew. Kian made it sound like someone was interested in getting me out before that was a consideration, however.
Kian laughed lightly at my grumbling, “I commend you, Asteria. I know it can’t be easy to be in your position, with my brother trying to wear you down constantly, but you’ve held firm. You’re not letting Cyrus, or your circumstances break you.”
“I don’t have another choice.” I admitted, shrugging a shoulder lightly. I was a bit uncomfortable receiving praise for something I saw as a necessity—let alone something I had failed at twice now. I refused to think about the times I had given in to Cyrus,of what had happened before that first time. Going back into that headspace would do nothing but bring back all of the pain. Instead, I would focus on getting free, and then use every single skill Cyrus taught me to bring him down.
Cyrus, in all his obsessive surety, believed he could tame me—but I was too full of wild rage and indignation to be tamed. Instead, Cyrus had ended up creating the very monster that would ensure his ruin.
Kian gave me a pained grimace, looking from me to Raziel. “No, I don’t suppose you do.” He agreed quietly.
