The Royal Curse

Two - Trouble in Prison World

Ashe Knightley

I watched the line of volunteers dwindle over the weeks. How someone could willingly do that to themselves was unbelievable. It was killing the world as we knew it.

Worst part was: Zian never came to get us for the shot. He never glanced at me, Valarya, or even Adonia. He just walked past, and whenever a guard suggested to Zian to give us the shot, he told him off and said it was a bad idea.

Staring at the damp ground for the millionth time, my head spun more. I never did anything if I didn't have a second plan.

Right now was no different, but I couldn't help but wonder why my "plan" wasn't being executed.

An echo of footsteps came from outside my cell. Peering up, Zian and his scientists passed through the halls. He'd do that around twice a day, every day. It was twisted psychological torture, especially for Adonia, who only stared at the wall.

There was so much I needed to tell her. Yet anytime I seemed to take a step forward, someone knocked me thousands of steps back.

Like the other day, I confessed to Valarya. Not even an entire twenty-four hours later, and I was betrayed by my friend, kidnapped, and stuff into a prison cell. I vowed to never confess my feelings again. Next time I might end up in a burning palace—

Oh, wait...

Pushing off the ground, I stumbled to the iron bars and gripped hold of them. "Valarya?"

"I'm here. Like always."

"I know you're there," I muttered, annoyed at her tone. "Just don't be scared."

"You don't sound too brave right now, Ashe."

Talking to her felt like talking to a wall in there. I wanted her to be with me, in my cell, face to face. We did it once with the letters, so why couldn't we do it again with our voices?

"Trust me, all right?" I whispered into the dark abyss, hoping she heard me.

"We trusted you back in Torth. Somehow we're in Kandose and about to die," Randa called out. It was too dark to see her cell, but that attitude could be spotted from miles away. "Why don't you blow this place up?"

"Do I look like a grenade launcher?" I retorted.

"She wouldn't know since she can't see you," Adonia jumped in. "But you do look terrible. Like a villain in a horror book."

"What horror books are you reading?" Valarya mumbled sarcastically.

A loud sign came from the darkness. "The kinds that don't involve ex-fiancés, Princess Valarya, I'd read you a chapter if I could," Randa grounded out.

"No thanks. I'll focus on actually getting us out of here while you sit there with your peg leg," Valarya said.

I placed my forehead on the iron bars, praying to whatever Saint to spare us.

"I'm surprised you plan to get us out of here, too," Adonia quipped. "You seem to have a running theme of dumping people when they're no longer useful."