The Seventh Flame

Chapter 4

-Callisto-

The air was heavy with the metallic stench of blood and sweat. It was not cold, as one would expect from a dark room. It was hot. An uncomfortable heat that made skin crawl. There was no noise in the empty space and yet, Callisto's ear's still rung with the sounds of her own screams. Her lungs still ached from the weight of them. The once pristine, silver dress that hung from her body was now covered in dried blood that was as red as her hair.

Callisto had been trained for situations like this. Her willpower and self discipline had always been her greatest strength and the toughest compared to her siblings. It meant nothing now. The strength and belief she once had for herself was gone. Callisto wasn't sure just how many days had past, but she knew it had been just that... Days. Many of them, folding in on one another. The seconds crept by in anguish. How had no one found her? Was anyone even looking?

Her spirit was as fractured as her bones. Whomever she had once been was shattered, making Callisto but a shadow of herself, unable to recover. A broken will might mend, a broken body can heal, agony may fade- but combined, there is no recovery. There will be no mercy granted.

A creak sounded as the door opened, shut, and latched. No light crept in from the few moments it had been open. Callisto could only guess that meant it was night outside.

"Are you comfortable?" Came a voice from the dark, sending a tremor down Callisto's spine. If she ever escaped this place, she knew that voice would haunt her nightmares. Hearing him speak was almost as bad as having blades dragged across her skin.

Callisto didn't answer him, not that she could if she wanted to. Her throat was dry, and she barely had the strength to blink, let alone speak. Instead, she closed her eyes, as if her being asleep would persuade the man to leave her alone. It wouldn't. it never did.

Before Callisto was captured by these people, she knew she had a very good chance of becoming Queen. She knew because Silas, who granted, would love and care for every human and animal under his rule, was not King material. She knew because even though Eira would not let her kingdom fall, she would still take it to war for fun. Because Lycus, the strongest of them all, craved power far too much to be chosen. Aspen, who could be a good king, did not have the flare or desire for it. Calum- although peaceful- was often lazy. And she knew because Aideen... Aideen thought she deserved to be queen. Callisto decided that would be Aideen's downfall, her pride.

Now Callisto wanted to be Queen more than ever. For one purpose and one purpose only. Not because she thought she was the best, but because she wanted hunt these people down. She wanted to ruin their lives and burn the mark of the flame from their own skin. See how much they like fire after that. And to this man- her torturer- she would ruin him. She would make him wish he were dead, make him beg for the mercy she would not give. She would make him regret everything he did to his future Queen.

"I asked you a question. Haven't you learned what happens when you don't answer my questions?" Callisto still did not answer as the man lit a candle, and then another. The light was not strong enough to brighten the whole room, but flames did illuminate his face in a horrifying dance. Dark hair fell over his brow, casting shadows across his menacing eyes. Scruff was starting to grow across the mans usually clean-shaven jaw. One of his hands reached up to scratch the back of his neck and Callisto flinched. She hated those hands and what they'd done to her. She could feel their presence, a faint whisper wrapping around her neck. Choking out her screams.

"The problem is, princess, even with all the persuasion, you still don't like answering my questions. Not even the little ones. The meaningless ones. It would be so much easier if you would." The man reached to his side, grabbing his canteen, and taking a large swig. For the first time, Callisto showed signs of life. Her body slumped forward slightly, longing for food and water. The man pretended not to notice how desperate she was, but he did take mental note of it. It could always be used as leverage.

"So, I've decided to answer some of your questions for once." There was a screeching as the man pulled up a wooden chair and placed it down so that the back was facing Callisto. He straddled the seat and folded his arms over the backrest, looking straight into her blurry eyes. "My name is Caiden." He reached his hand out for a moment, as if she were able to reach out to shake it. "I am part of the Ardere, but I'm sure you already guessed that. Now you're probably wondering why I am part of the Ardere. Why I want to kill our wonderful King. Well, your royal highness, I am going to be completely honest with you. I'm not a fan of this everlasting peace the King believes in, I'm sick of it. So, I want to rid this kingdom of it in any way I can."

"You're crazy." Callisto said weakly, leaning as far away from him as she could.

"And she speaks!" Caiden grinned cheerfully, caressing the side of her face with a single finger. With a movement that hurt every inch of her body, Callisto snapped at his fingers with her teeth, wishing she'd been able to rip one off like he'd threatened to do to her so many times before. He gripped her chin tightly before speaking again, "Look at you, you're just begging for someone to put you in your place."

"What do you want from me?" She asked, leaning away again.

"Seeing that I know I won't get one more secret from those lips of yours without killing you... I've decided you are better use to me as bait."

"My siblings, nor the King, are dumb enough to fall into one of your traps."

"Aren't they? Weren't you?" If not for the bindings around her wrists, Callisto knew she would've ripped off Caiden's head. "A message fell into my possession this morning. Apparently, our hideout by the gulf was breached yesterday. That means someone in our ranks squealed. Isn't it a good thing I had you moved someone more accessible for myself, or else you'd be back to your pampered lifestyle? Now, it won't be long until your siblings find out about us being here, I've made sure of it."

"They'll kill you."

"No. No they won't." Caiden took another swig of his canteen, splashed the rest of it on her face, and left the room. If it was supposed to be an insult, Callisto didn't care. She welcomed the cool water as it rolled down her cheeks, washing away the grime that clung to her skin. Her lips parted, allowing the small drops sooth her cracked tongue. But it wasn't enough. It had just been a taste and now she craved it even more than before.

She pulled on the bindings again and a sharp pain shot up her arm. A cut that had only recently scabbed over split again and Callisto felt the warm trickle as a small stream of blood made its way down her forearm. The sound of it dripping to the ground- alongside the quiet crackle of the candles- were now the only sounds that echoed through the small room.

Callisto breathed in once. Twice. Three times. She tried to empty her mind, hide away in her thoughts, and become numb to the things she felt. It was the only way to survive in a situation like this. Feel nothing, and nothing can hurt you. Dwelling on pain does not heal wounds. Breathe. Don't stop breathing. Bad things happen when the breathing stops. She knew that. But she also knew if would be easier if she did stop. If she did just give up.

No one would miss her. Not really. People would mourn and maybe a few would cry, but in the end, they would move on. Theon would pick the right person to rule. Even with their weaknesses, Callisto knew her siblings still had their strengths. The kingdom would survive without her. It might even flourish.

Breathe.

Pain was imagined. It could be forgotten. The spinning in her head, the throbbing in her side, it wasn't real. It couldn't be.

"Breathe." Callisto hissed through clenched teeth, forcing a smile to her lips. She was fine. She would smile despite what had been done to her. She'd been alone before. Abandoned by those who were supposed to love her. If she could survive that, she could survive this. And even if she were to die in this dark, empty room. Callisto would go down smiling. Even if it was just to spite Caiden who worked so hard to break her.

Breathe.

One. Two. Three.

Breathe.