A Kingdom of Tales

Chapter 41

I wake to find myself in the dungeon, in an unfamiliar room. The scent of the room makes me gag; it's the smell of burned flesh. I remind myself that I've lived through this before. I repeat it in my head, like it will make the pain easier.

I wonder what they're doing to Miles now. Is he being tended to right now, or do they seek to prolong his pain? Kyoshi gently peeled the cloak off my back; the wounds are still gushing blood, so the cloak sticks to my skin. Kyoshi's eyes widen, and she lets out a gasp. "Are these old ones too? Who did this to you?"

"I was stupid enough to get caught once." I say. This conversation isn't doing anything to distract me from the pain.

"Caught? Caught where?" She asked, looking horrified. She didn't seem that horrified when her father did this to me.

"A few years ago, I was caught by a few mercenaries from here. I don't know what they were doing in Flaming, but they saw me. I thought they would take me straight to the Emperor, seeing as they had his insignia. Instead, they were offered a greater reward from a prison."

"A prison? What could they have possibly wanted from you?"

"I don't know. I suppose it's because they thought I was special for some reason because of the bounty on my head. In any case, the warden didn't like the way I fought back. He said it would teach me a lesson. I managed to escape, just barely, before I was raped by the warden. I didn't have any salves to heal my back; it's why it healed this way."

I've never wondered why my back never healed well; almost all of my wounds before and after the lashes had healed completely, never leaving so much as a mark.

She shakes her head in denial, like she can't quite believe me. My impression of Kyo has always been that she was too innocent. I realize now how accurate my observation was.

Clearly, Kyo has been coddled during her years in the palace. Maybe my suspicion of her was wrong. "Kyo... Why were you really late yesterday?" I murmur hesitantly, biting my lip to prevent myself from saying more.

I'm referring, of course, to the lunch before I heard mentions of Miles' appearance in the gardens. When I'd asked her about being late when she arrived, she'd said that she was taking a stroll in the gardens. I know it wasn't the truth. She wouldn't look that disheveled after a normal stroll.

She looks surprised by my question, like she thought I wouldn't dare ask, not after what I'd just endured. "I told you... I was taking a stroll in the garden." She looks less certain this time around. She knows she's been caught in a lie.

I raise an eyebrow, unimpressed, then wince as my back burns from trying to move.

When it becomes clear that I won't let the topic drop, Kyo lets out a very princess like sigh and speaks. "I'm not supposed to tell you this. Miles asked me to keep it a secret, but it's clear that you love him and I can't possibly keep this from you... I let Miles in. The guards would've taken him straight to the dungeons, but I managed to bribe a few of them to let him in."

I let her comment about loving him slide. I like him; that much is clear, but love? "Bribe? Why would you do that? How do you know him?"

"I was actually taking a stroll in the gardens with a very handsome guard, may I add." She sighs dreamily, and when she notices my impatience, she continues. "I heard someone whisper my name, and I looked out of the gates. I wasn't supposed to be that close to the gate for obvious reasons, but I wanted some privacy with Daemon, the guard I told you about. I walked closer, and there he was, hidden in the bushes. He told me who he was and what he needed to do. I'm a hopeless romantic at heart and recognized the gesture, so I decided to help him."

I suppose I can't fault her for that. She was very naive, that was for sure. What was Miles hoping to achieve? Surely he wasn't that stupid.

"Kyo... Do you think the Emperor will kill him?"

"Honestly? No. I don't think he would risk angering you."

"Me? What do you mean by angering me?" The emperor has already angered me tonight. It was one thing to put me on that pole and an entirely different thing to put Miles up there. I flinch when I try to lean forward. The pain almost makes me forget what we were talking about. Almost.

I wait for Kyo to answer. She seems to be contemplating her words. "Well, obviously, if he kills him, you'll rage, and I don't think that will be in his best interest."

She's hiding something. I don't know what it is, but I intend to find out. I won't push for more today. I've already gotten more than I'd hoped.

"I'll have to take my leave now. Papa must be suspicious of me already. I'll have to check on Yuri too." She hugs me goodbye and closes the door after her.

I groan in pain. Tonight is going to be a long one.

A few minutes later, I hear the door opening.

"You've disappointed me, Princess Jasmine." He tsks. He enters the room, followed by three guards.

I almost laugh. The continent's greatest fighter needs three guards to torture me.

He motions for the guards. They pulled me off the floor, not gently, and moved me to the bed. The one that looks made for torture.

"Visiting a prisoner, one you claimed not to know? Had you come to me, I would've let him out." He blinks innocently at me, as if this act will somehow make me feel bad for him. I doubt he would've let him out. "Now you've forced my hand."

He takes a weapon that awfully resembles a machete and walks closer to me. Something tells me he's been waiting for this day to come, waiting for me to mess up.

It's the last thought that I have before he starts carving into my body.