A Kingdom of Tales

Chapter 43

More days of torture pass by, until I'm unsure how long it's been since I was taken to this room.

Yuri hasn't come down to speak to the emperor since last time. I want to believe it's because she doesn't want to hurt me, but I know better. Yuri is the highest ranking person in this country, other than the emperor. She must've seen people tortured.

No. It's not because she doesn't want to hurt me. She didn't come back because Wariu might just keep his word. He will strip her of both her ranks, and even though it hurts to admit it, I understand.

"Let's try something new today, Princess Jasmine." The emperor gives a sadistic smile as he pulls a metal hammer from the table that holds all of his torture tools.

I wonder what he wants to do this time.

He's already cut me up in all the possible ways and burned every inch of my skin. And because my skin heals itself every time and my nerves are never dulled, pain has been a loyal friend of mine these past few days.

"We're going to try breaking some of your bones today, Jasmine." His smile widens.

I feel my face pale, and my heart starts racing. I've never begged him to stop, not even when he charred my face. I won't start now.

I brace my body for the pain to come. I've never lost control.

Gods help me. I take every moment I can to pray, for no one will save me but myself or a god that will take pity on me.

I pray to Alena for the strength and endurance needed to bear the torture.

I pray to Silo to move the clock a little faster to lessen the pain.

I pray to Odar to bless me with some luck.

I pray to Anos to take the emperor's memory to make him forget my name—that I was ever born.

I pray to Cismos to trick the emperor into letting me go and to force his hand.

I pray to Nophine to take my life before I completely lose my mind.

Most of all, I pray to Adite to slow my healing so that I may die from the wounds inflicted on my body.

If the emperor's goal was to make me loathe the day I was born, then he succeeded. I've never been afraid of fire; it's always been a part of my life since I was young. It's always fascinated me; I'd stare at the fireplace and the candles for hours, even going as far as to wish I could touch them without my skin burning.

The emperor rooted a deep fear of fire in my heart. Whenever he so much as moves a torch close to my body, I freeze.

It's the one thing he did that truly affected me.

So when he brings the hammer down on my thigh, I don't even scream. I stare at him straight in the eyes as I feel the bone break and hear the loud crack sound in the room.

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I wake up to the creaking of the metal door. I rest my head against the wall, knowing what is coming. Pain upon pain.

"Jasmine." A female voice whispers. I move my head quickly to see who spoke.

Amelia.

What is she doing here?

She's wearing the clothes the servants wear and holding a tray of food in her hands.

She lowers the tray down. "What has he done to you?" Her face pales.

"Nothing I can't handle." I offer a weak smile.

"We're getting you out of here. A few days at best. Yuri sent letters to Queen Regent Aurelia. They're sending people to negotiate your return."

I don't let my hopes get the better of me. I know I might never escape.

Gods, it feels good to see a familiar face. I rise to my knees and pull her in for a hug, ignoring the fresh wounds on my back.

"How long have I been here?" I ask as I wolf down the food on the tray in front of me.

The emperor doesn't order food to be sent very often. He wants me to be as weak as possible so that I can't resist. I don't even care if the food is poisoned. I assume he has the cooks put a sleeping serum in the food to knock me out.

"A month." Her face shows the devastation I feel.

A month.

He's been torturing me every day for a month. I shudder.

"I'm so sorry, Jasmine—"

I interrupt her. "What did they do to Miles?"

If they hurt him the way they hurt me... Even being shackled to the wall won't stop me from killing the emperor, one way or another.

"Nothing. They have him in a cell, but he's been cared for. Yuri made sure of that. A healer was taken to him immediately after the flogging, and he's mostly healed; though, he asks for you every day." She smiles as she says the last part.

I smile in spite of the pain I'm in. I stare at the ceiling and offer a silent prayer to the Gods.

He is safe. I sag in relief against my chains. Maybe I took the emperor's attention off of Miles. That alone makes everything I went through worth it.

"Did the emperor strip Yuri of her rank?"

She seems surprised by my question. "No. Why would he?"

"You should go. He'll be back soon. Don't give him a reason to put you in chains too." I say quickly.

"I'll be back soon with news." She dusts her uniform off and leaves.

For the first time, I feel a sliver of hope blooming in my chest. Maybe I will leave this room alive after all.

I start planning how I will repay the emperor for what he's done and how I will exact my revenge.