The Life As The Devil's Son

Chapter Ten: Shattered Light

As the days blended into weeks in my cold, dismal cell, my stomach growled louder and more persistently. My eyes remained red-rimmed from the endless tears I had shed in captivity.

One day, I heard faint footsteps approaching, their rhythm slow and deliberate. My heart quickened as they drew nearer, and moments later, Lilith emerged from the suffocating darkness of the dungeon. She addressed me with a question, her tone almost mocking: "So, you're not going to run away again?"

I shook my head, my spirit crushed by the weight of my situation. Tears welled up in my eyes once more, but I did my best to hold them back to maintain a semblance of dignity.

With a nonchalant flick of her hand, Lilith threw an apple into my cell, and it rolled to a stop at my feet. I gazed down at the fruit while suspiciously squinting my eyes, my hunger warring with my distrust. I looked back up at Lilith, unable to hide my skepticism. "What did you do? Poison it?" I asked, my voice trembling.

Lilith rolled her eyes. "Do I look like the evil queen to you?" She retorted, then, realizing I was about to say something, she hastily added, "Never mind, don't answer that."

I cautiously picked up the apple, turning it over in my hands as if inspecting it for hidden dangers. The fruit looked normal enough, its skin shiny and unblemished. Hunger, however, was a powerful motivator, and my stomach's relentless growls drowned out my fears.

Slowly, I took a small bite. The sweetness of the apple flooded my mouth, and my eyes widened in surprise. It tasted like a regular apple, crisp and sweet. The relief that washed over me was overwhelming, and I devoured the fruit with the hunger of someone who had been deprived for weeks.

As I ate, Lilith watched me with curiosity; her eyebrows arched slightly, and her lips formed a subtle, enigmatic curve. Her arms were crossed, and she lifted her chin. I knew better than to trust her, but at that moment, my hunger overrode my suspicions.

Once I had finished the apple, I gazed up at her, my voice hoarse from exhaustion. "Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?" I asked with furrowed brows.

Lilith regarded me for a moment, her crimson eyes unreadable. "You'll find out soon enough," she replied cryptically before turning and disappearing back into the shadows, leaving me alone once more in my wretched cell.

My thoughts whirled like a tornado as I sat there in the dimly lit cell. What is Lilith's game? Is this some twisted attempt to gain my trust and manipulate me further? Or is there something else at play that I cannot yet fathom?

The apple had provided some much-needed sustenance, but it did little to ease the gnawing hunger in my stomach. I couldn't escape the feeling that I was being used as a pawn in a larger, more sinister game—one that involved not only my father but also Lilith and who knows how many others in the underworld.

As the weeks went by, the monotony of my captivity settled in like a heavy fog. The cell was my world—a cold, damp prison that seemed designed to break not just my body but my spirit. I thought of Valia, of Tara, and of the life I had left behind, and I clung to the hope that somehow, someday, I might find a way back to them.

But for now, all I could do was wait, my heart heavy with uncertainty and my mind filled with questions that had no answers.

One day, as I sat in the dimly lit, musty cell, the sound of the cell door unlocking sent shivers down my spine. Suspicion gnawed at me as I crawled to the cell door and noticed Lilith entering. She moved closer to me, bent down, and used a key to release me from my chains. Confusion clouded my vision as I blinked in disbelief.

"What are you doing?" My voice quivered as my eyes locked with hers.

Lilith straightened her posture and extended her hand towards the open door. "Come, join me for dinner. I want to have a chat with my son."