TOGETHER - Book 2

𝟑 - How The Mighty Have Fallen

♎︎ Lucian ♎︎
The scent of musty dampness, mingled with the putrid stench emanating from my neglected and unsanitized form, persistently invades my senses. The passage of time has become an indiscernible blur, as days, weeks, and even months have slipped away since my confinement began. I yearn for an end to my suffering, a glimmer of hope to relieve me from this torment. However, under her despotic rule, any respite is an inconceivable notion. Each time I teeter on the brink of surrendering to the void, she comes, dragging me back into the reality of my personal hell.

I fixated my lifeless gaze upon the cold, steel cell door. The air was heavy with silence, interrupted only by the distant echoes of chains clinking, a haunting reminder of fellow prisoners languishing in the depths of the dungeon. Muffled cries and anguished moans seeped through the cracks, intertwining with the oppressive atmosphere. As I remained still, my bare back pressed against the cold stone wall, a peculiar sound caught my attention. It was not entirely unfamiliar, for it resembled the distinct thudding of boots trudging along the dimly lit corridor, accompanied by the jingling of keys with every step.

In the midst of the growing noise, the sounds abruptly ceased just outside my cell. With cautious anticipation, I slowly lifted my gaze, only to find a woman standing before me. She belonged to the secret police known as the Vox, the very organization tasked with protecting the kingdom and ensuring the safety of my family from the shadows. However, all that had been shattered by the rise of the new queen of Solis, who was once the Vox's second-in-command but now held the position of chief. The former chief, Orenda, was no longer among us, her fate sealed by the treachery of our new ruler, Corvina.

I shot her a scowl as my words escaped my lips, carried by a voice that seemed to have been roughened by weariness and lack of water. "What the hell do you want?"

"The queen wants you in the throne room." With a practiced motion, she unclasps the keys from her belt, their jingling echoing through the stale and cold corridor. Her fingers glide over the assortment, seeking the one that will open the door to my cell. As her eyes lock onto the correct key, she grasps it firmly, ready to unlock it. "But before you see her. You need to make yourself presentable."

Forced out a dry laugh. "Make myself presentable?" My gaze being a mixture of disdain and loathing, my eyes burning with an intensity that conveyed my utter contempt for her presence. "Or you can tell her that she can go suck it. I'm not meeting with her." Drifting my sight off her to look at the wall across from me.

I mustered all my inner strength, determined not to let her intimidating presence get to me. But as the sound of her approaching boots grew louder, every fiber of my being tensed up. I couldn't help but flinch as her footsteps neared. And then, without warning, her icy fingers closed around my left bicep, exerting a firm, almost painful grip. The sharp sensation shot through my body, causing me to wince and my legs to quake under the strain. My already aching muscles protested, struggling to support my weakened frame.

She roughly yanked me out of my spot on the floor. A hiss escaped her lips, as her grip tightened, her fingers digging into my flesh, leaving no room for escape or resistance. The pain intensified, but I dared not let out a sound, knowing it would only fuel her sadistic pleasure over me. Down the corridor, she dragged me, her steps purposeful and determined. "I don't have time to deal with your tantrum. The queen orders you to come before her and if I have to drag you out of this cell and make you somewhat presentable... I. Will. Do. It." Each jolt and pull made my weak legs stumble, threatening to give way any moment. I struggled to keep up, my heart pounding in my chest, a constant reminder of the fear coursing through my veins. Whispers of the other prisoners echoed around us, curious eyes peering through the bars of their cells, but no one dared to intervene. The weight of her presence seemed to silence any potential outbursts.