Rebellion

Chapter 20 ~ Executioner

Chapter 20: Executioner
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Hunger had my stomach twisting and my throat burning so raw that even swallowing hurt. I wasn't sure how long Anna and I had been kept in the cell, hours maybe, possibly more than a day. It was impossible to keep track of time passing in the dark. I'd lost weeks down here before.

Anna had gone deathly pale, only waking up to mutter a short conversation with me before sleep took her under again.

She was hungry too, her stomach growling every now and again. I'd done my best to keep my attention on anything but her because she was tempting me. Every beat of her heart had my fangs aching and suddenly the rush of her blood pumping through her veins was all I could hear, and it was deafening.

My jaw clenched painfully and I pressed myself firmly against the cold stone wall to distract myself. A headache began to form behind my eyes and the cold air slowly seeped into me until even my bones felt like ice. Perhaps I'd go crazy in here before Atanas and the others came, maybe I need to take our safety into my own hands. Both Anna and Zena, and even Una, had told me that I had great power trapped inside me if only I knew how to harness it so I could break us out.

I closed my eyes, shifting to sit cross legged. Taking a deep breath, I relaxed every muscle and tried to find that energy I sometimes felt like a ball of strength that raged forth when I was in danger. Frustration bloomed when nothing was found, no glimmer of magic or inner strength, just pain as starvation built.

As I slumped uselessly against the wall again, my head tipped to the side to catch the sound I was sure I'd heard from outside.

My ears strained to hear the footsteps that were getting louder and closer and pushed myself to my feet, not wanting to be caught off guard even if the chains kept my hands by my side. Muscles strained and trembled in the struggle to keep my weight up but I was almost excited at the prospect of being let out, no matter the reason for it.

Anna stirred when the heavy door creaked open but she didn't wake and I wondered what Airell had done to her to make her so exhausted.

Light filtered into the room and I looked away, blinking rapidly as my eyes stung. Airell chuckled, pulling my focus back to him. He studied Anna asleep on the floor with mild interest before his green eyes flicked back to me. A vampire I didn't recognise scuttled in and unchained me, his grip surprisingly strong for one so slight.

I pulled back, refusing to move, "She needs food and water."

Airell looked back down at Anna then back at me, smirking. My stomach dropped. I knew whatever he was going to ask of me was going to be hell.

"If you do the task I have for you, the witch will be fed," he said, turning away to walk down the hall.

My guard yanked me forward but I followed with no further prompting. I'd do whatever task it was for Anna, I had to, and that chipped away at my soul. I'd never done anything without a fight, I'd never killed or been forced to do any of the horrific things in my past without Ailill blood to stop me from really feeling or remembering. This time, I would be aware of every little thing I did. My eyes closed briefly to stop the tears from falling. I couldn't afford to feel right now, I had to block emotions away, but that brought the danger of losing myself completely.

The stench of rot got stronger the further we walked until I was almost gagging. I took to breathing through my mouth, but even then the smell seemed to linger on my tongue so I could taste it.