The Knights of Time and the Forgotten Book

Chapter 17: The Palace

I was in an underground cellar. The one which resembled the headquarters of the Order of Time, but it was abandoned, and had the usual rectangular shape of a room. It was pitch black, but I could still spot a rat swimming in a pool of urine.

I was tied to a metal ring which was attached to the wall. I was bloody, with my skin, clothes and hair filled with filth. I was kneeling down and had scraped knees. More blood came out from my nose and my wrists, which were wounded by the chain I was tied with. Tears were flowing down my cheeks and I struggled as I tried to free myself.

Claire was wearing a long black lace dress and high heels. She slowly walked down the staircase and lit a torch. The room lit up. I was very pale, and didn't dare to look up. She came next to me.

"My mistress demands that you tell her where her jewel is," she said.

"I don't know where it is," I said with exhaustion. My voice was shaky, like my whole body. "I already told you."

"But it is said that you know. You're the girl who can see. You have the sight," she said, gritting her teeth.

"Well... I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I have no idea where this thing is," I answered a bit louder this time.

"Don't lie to me," she spat. "You, from all people, should know that I can see what is true and what is false."

I looked up. I had a broken nose and the skin around my lips was cracked and dry; a sign of dehydration.

Claire kicked me right in my face and I crawled on the floor. I wasn't able to get up. I felt too tired.

"Please," I begged. "Let me go. I really don't know where it is."

"Impossible," she spat. "You are a liar."

***

It was my third day stuck in the cellar, found within the depths of The Palace (as they called it).

When they took me there on the first day, they blindfolded me and I'd be too disoriented to find my way out if I'd even dare to do that.

It was dark, and when the unfamiliar silhouette opened the door and threw some bread in my direction, my eyes burned even though the light was very dim.

I was so hungry.

I crawled my way to the bread, tugging to the chains attached to my hands. I ravished half of it, deciding to savour the other half for later on. It went down in thick lumps and hurt to swallow, but at least my stomach wasn't empty.

The chains were attached to one of the corners of the room, beside a well and a bucket filled with a little water which at least kept me from actually dying of dehydration, even if the water wasn't clean as crystals.

I took a sip and washed my face. I crawled back to the corner, holding myself in the dark.

My thoughts ate away at me. These past few days were a golden time for my brain to overthink to the point of insanity. The darkness really wasn't helping.

I hated the place. I blamed myself for not being strong enough when I cried and the loneliness got to me. I played with the necklace Catherine gave me, hoping it would do something to get me out. But it never did anything to help, and at one point I also felt tempted to smash it against the walls, even though I knew it wasn't useless.

Then Claire gave me a visit, making it clear what she really wanted.

She wanted a Jewel. She told me I could see.