The Seventh Flame

Chapter 3

-Aspen-

Aspen was irritated. It had taken days and he had finally planned the perfect night, a perfect distraction from the pain of Callisto's absence... Now it was ruined. By another stupid assassin with another stupid flame tattoo. When would they understand their actions were futile? They would never succeed in their efforts. No, the only thing they succeeded in was spoiling was Aspen's night.

"Silas." Calum knocked lazily at Silas's door, he too hadn't argued when the girls and Lycus insisted that Aspen and Calum retrieved Silas while they took the man down to the dungeon. While the three of them were excited to rip into the man, the other two boys were ready to return to their night. "Silas. Would you please open up?"

Aspen wished he could be like Silas. Blissfully ignorant of his duties, not caring about the consequences. Unfortunately, however, he always found himself abiding to the whims of others.

"Silas get up." Aspen pushed Calum aside and banged loudly at the door. Finally, noises could be heard from within, and Silas swung open his door. He wore no shirt and the dark, shaggy hair atop his head was a mess. A stupid grin started to unfold across his lips.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told the guards, I don't care, and I'm busy."

"Aideen caught an assassin in the castle. He was trying to kill Theon. He is part of the Ardere. The rebellion. You know, the one that's trying to bring us to our knees?" Aspen answered, annoyance laced in his voice. He wanted to hurry this up. He had somewhere to be. Someone to see.

"Does he know anything of Callisto's whereabouts?" For a moment the smirk on his face faded and Silas looked as though he actually cared.

"That's what we're trying to figure out." Calum supressed a yawn, "Aideen, Eira and Lycus have brought him to the dungeon. We're to find out what information he holds."

"Well," Silas's grin returned, and he glanced over his shoulder to where a shape on the bed moved, "If those three have had a head start, I fear we're too late. I'm sure he's already spilled his guts. That or Eira's done it for him."

"Silas, we're tired, please just come so this can be done."

"Yes, I'm sure you are tired Calum." Silas rolled his eyes, glancing over his shoulder once more, "Fine, I'll come, just give me a minute."

"Silas no-" Aspen started, but the door was slammed in his face. Everyone knew that one minute for Silas was an eternity for anyone else. "He's right, the man will have given up any information he has before we even make it to the stairs."

To their surprise, Silas emerged only moments later, the wrinkled shirt he'd thrown on still half open. With a half smile of surprise, Aspen led the way down the hall. Maybe the man would know where Callisto was, and maybe he would be able to turn the night around before the sun rose.

Aspen was surprised when he heard no sounds of wretched sobbing or screaming as they descended the stairs that lead to the dungeons. Just a loud bang followed by the sound of Eira's frustrated yell. She had never been one for patience.

A few guards at the bottom of the stairs gave them nervous nods and pointed to a far cell at the end of the hall. Silas sauntered ahead, waving at any prisoners who reached their thin, grubby fingers out at them. Scrunching his nose in disgust, Aspen followed, Calum at his heals.

"Took your time." Lycus looked up from where he leaned against the rock wall, a board look in his mismatched eyes.

"I'm surprised we got here at all." Aspen nodded at Silas – earning a chuckle from Lycus – before turning his attention to the assassin, who looked even worse than before. He was on his knees, head lolled to the side, hands bound behind his back. A black eye was already forming; a result of what Aspen could only guess was one of Aideen's signature punches. There was a cut across his brow and the top of his lip was spilt. However, none of the wounds he bore compared to the pain Aspen saw in his eyes. They were emptier than they were in the throne room, almost completely devoid of life. He knew that feeling. He had felt it when they discovered Callisto had been taken by the Ardere.