Keeper Of Souls

Chapter 1.5: Without a Fight

(AN: Dedicated to DarkWriters because... well... it's her freaking 16th birthday today! She's a BAMF. Check out her new story maybe? That for sure will make her day even MORE amazing. Enjoy!)

Katarina’s scream rang high and loud throughout the silent room. After her pain waved away, she settled back in her chair for more, knowing it was soon to come again. The torture never ended, and if she were to think it would… she’d be in for a huge surprise.

“I’ve got other tricks, my dear. Don’t make me have to use them. They are so much more painful,” Avilla crooned, her face scrunched up in sympathy. Kat shook her head, not knowing the answer to any of the questions they bombarded her with. She felt a teeny bit lucky since Abbadin wasn’t around, but that didn’t mean she was entirely free of agony. “Tell me what I want to know. Is that so hard?”

“It’s hard when I don’t know the fucking answers!” Kat spat at her, fed up with this game. She wanted to return home to her nice plush bed. She was tired of sleeping in the hard wooden chair with her hands bound. Kat wanted to see Margaret and be fitted into fancy dresses instead of having to wear the same smelly pair of trousers every day. She didn’t even mind having William throw her off of a couple of horses if she could just return home. At this point, she’d endure anything.

“Wow, Kat, I didn’t think you had that one in you. Tell me what Alieavante did with the last jar.”

“What are you talking about? Why does she have jars? Please, I don’t know anything, I promise you,” Kat cried. She closed her eyes as a sharp cutting pain speared her from the inside of her stomach. She shuddered, so used to all of the torture—there was no reason to scream anymore.

“Well, she lasted another day and still hasn’t told us a damn thing. You’re only killing yourself, baby doll. Untie her, Avilla,” Abbadin ordered upon his arrival.  Avilla reached over and ripped the rope right off of Kat’s wrists.

“Ow!” Kat hissed, her blood rushing up and down her arm in relief. Avilla untying her didn’t seem like such a good sign. In fact, she found it worse than being tied up.

“Now, I promised Clasterina I’d make her absence unnoticeable… so… you’re going to be her for me.” Abbadin dragged Katarina to the mirror.

Kat gasped at the sight of her shocking red hair. “What have you done?”

“You do sleep like a rock, just like you promised. Don’t worry—it was only a mix of beet and carrot juice to dye your hair. Took me a while though, stubborn process.” Avilla tapped her chin in consternation.

Katarina shook her head, not able to recognize herself anymore. She looked tough, able to take on the world and a whole lot more confident than she appeared to be. Is that what Clasterina thought of herself?

“Here are some tips, because if you’re going to be her, you’re going to have to do a damn good job. Honestly, being you is a lot easier,” Abbadin insulted.

Kat rolled her eyes. Sure, it’s so easy to be a Princess, yes, she thought.

“Clast has one friend, his name is Peter. Any other friends of hers… I’m not too sure of. All I know is that she has known him since she was a little girl. She’s a huge daddy’s girl, but he is out of town on some farming expedition. He will return at some point. She steals food for a living, and fights with commoners. Good luck.” He pushed Kat out of the cabin.

“Wait—“ She landed on her arse. “Ow!” The cabin door slammed shut behind her. Kat put her hand up against the blazing rays of the sun. It seemed as if it had been a long time since she laid eyes on some sunlight. Standing up, she found Spellgove to be quite… dirty. There were old wagons, dirty children, and a layer of smog to top it all off.