The Bride

Chapter 18//: I'll help you

♕✿~♕✿~Chapter 18//: I'll help you♕✿~♕✿~

Madison's POV

"Our conversations just keep on destroying my hope more and more."

Currently I was leaning against the bars separating my cell from Damon's. Damon was leaning on his side of the bars, frowning at my words.

I carefully tug on the cloths wrapped around my hands. I had been adding the ointment Lucas had given me onto my hands. They were slowly healing; my hands weren't hurting as much as they were two days ago.

"How did you try to escape last time?" I ask Damon. We were trying to come up with a plan to escape ever since Lucas had said he couldn't help us. So far, we haven't come up with a plan that seemed like it could work.

I feel Damon shift behind me. "It was a stupid and risky plan. We convinced a magnetron guard to open up our cells, and we just ran. It was reckless. I ended up getting caught," Damon mutters with bitterness in his voice.

I cast a sidelong glance at Damon. We? Had Damon tried to escape with someone else? Had that person escaped, leaving Damon behind?

"What do you mean 'we'?" I question him, my curiosity getting the better of me. I feel him tense. He doesn't answer my question for a couple of minutes, leaving me to patiently wait for an answer.

"I tried to escape with someone else. But they left me," Damon bites out. I clear my throat at the sudden harshness in his voice. "Just forget about it, okay? We should focus on escaping. Together," Damon adds quickly. I voice my agreement.

I hear the squeal of a door opening, and multiple footsteps follow. From where I'm situated, I suspiciously eye the Rogue Dawn members walking in. I relax when I realize they're just giving us our food. They're not here for me. They're not here to bring me somewhere to hurt me.

After being thrown the piece of bread and given the cup of water and eating it, I tell Damon I'm going to rest. I've been more tired than usual these days. Maybe it was because my body was so weak after what it has had to endure for the past few weeks.

Laying in the cot, I try to ignore the hunger still rumbling in my stomach. Although the whipping of my hands was definitely a painful form of torture, hunger was a different kind of torture. It was slow and painful, and was there constantly.

Restlessly turning around, I finally am able to close my eyes and escape this twisted version of reality.

♡

"Madi!"

I ignore the whisper-shout, not wanting to be taken out of my dream, which was much better than what I had to deal with in real life. But I jolt up and groan as something hits me on the head. A small clatter sounds, and I look down to notice the familiar cup our water is served in. I look in the direction it was thrown from and see Damon.

He points to the front of my cell, and I turn to look and start. The figure there is familiar, but looks more tired and worn out than ever. Lucas' face is gaunt and stricken, pasty white with horror. Getting up from my bed and moving towards him, I can see his knuckles are split, dried silver blood resting on them.

"Lucas?" I call out gently, hesitant if I can approach him in this state. He looks up, his eyes looking at me but not really.

"What happened?" I ask him as I reach him. He doesn't answer, staring at me with that horror-struck look. "Lucas." I wave my hand in front of his face, and he finally responds.

By breaking into tears.

"Life is fucking cruel," he chokes out between sobs.

I stand still, not knowing what to do. I've never seen someone break down. I didn't know what to do in this situation. What was I supposed to say? How could I make him feel slightly better?

"Lucas," I say his name gently, reaching my hand through the bars to place it on his shoulder. He looks at me, quieting down. I wait for him to take in deep breaths before asking again, "What happened?"

Lucas takes in a deep breath, calming down. "I was walking past a room when I hear my name. I was curious as to why it was mentioned, so I stopped by the door to listen," Lucas starts. I nod encouragement for him to continue. "When I looked inside, it was Nathan and another Rogue Dawn member named Richard. Richard was talking about how he had stayed down here for a bit and heard you asking me to help you escape after the dinner distribution. That fucking snitch," Lucas curses the man named Richard out.

But then Lucas quiets again, that look coming over his face again. "And then Nathan said he'll tell me he's going to punish my sister for it. And Richard-" Lucas lets out a shaky breath. "he asked how she's even alive with all the punishments she's received with me fucking up all the time."

Lucas' eyes darken. "And Nathan - that bastard - said she's...sh-she's not even...alive." Lucas voice gets stuck in his throat, and he coughs. "He said she died after the first few punishments." Lucas looks at me now, his eyes filled with grief and pain.

"All this time, Nathan has used empty threats to get me to do his dirty deeds. And I- I fucking let him trick me like that!" Lucas hits his hands against the bars of my cell angrily. Lucas stills once more, hanging his head in shame. "I did all those terrible things, including what I let Nathan do to the king and queen and you."

I stop him. "Lucas, you couldn't have known that Nathan had already killed your sister. You still thought she was alive. And I get it." I took in a shaky breath. "If the people I cared for were in danger, I would do anything to make sure they didn't get hurt. You were just trying to protect her," I try to reassure him. Because even though Lucas did betray me, even though he had most likely done horrible deeds in the past, it was all to protect his sister.

Lucas shakes his head. "It's still sick what I did. I was willing to hurt others to keep my sister safe. I was selfish. So damn selfish," he mutters, closing his eyes. "I'm a monster for being able to do that."

I grab him by the shoulders and shake him, snapping him out of his stupor. "Lucas, stop saying things like that. You just did what a lot of other people did. And you're not a monster. You did everything to make sure your sister stayed safe and away from harm. The only monster here is Nathan," I tell him with intense eyes.

Lucas sighs. "I appreciate your words, Madison, but I still did so many wrong things. Especially to you." He looks up at me, his features stretched into a grimace. "I want to make it up to. I need to make it up to you. I need to redeem myself for all the horrible things I've done. And I know I'll never be able to fully redeem myself, but maybe I can start with you."

I furrow my brows, looking at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Lucas looks at me and then at Damon with determination, his expression filled with promise. "I'll help you guys escape."

♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~♕✿~

Whew. Finally, Lucas is going to help them get out of that hellhole. Hallelujah.

But anyways...I did a double update! Today, July 26th, marks the day I first published The Choosing. I thought I'd do a double update for you guys to thank you all for the continuous support you've given me. So go on and read the next chapter!

Glass_Sword